The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Mike McGee

Followed Tom Harp. Mike McGee held Duke at National Program III for 8 seasons.

The ascent
40–55
1970–1978 · 2 stints
East CarolinaDuke
← all coaches

Career arc

His real stature score, season by season, across every program he’s coached — so a stretch that stays in one tier the whole way can still climb or sink on the line, not just flatten out. Node color marks the tier reached. Which program a stretch belongs to is carried by the shaded lane behind it.

Stature score reached, by season of his head-coaching careerEAST CAROLINADUKENational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelEast Carolina, 1970: 3-8, Regional Program III1970-2.5Duke, 1971: 6-5, National Program III1971Duke, 1972: 5-6, National Program III1972Duke, 1973: 2-8, Regional Program I1973Duke, 1974: 6-5, Regional Program I1974Duke, 1975: 4-5, Regional Program I1975Duke, 1976: 5-5, Regional Program I1976Duke, 1977: 5-6, National Program III1977Duke, 1978: 4-7, Regional Program I1978-2.5One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached National Program in his 2nd career season — faster than 33% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #402 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

Duke, 8 seasons
−2.5
National Program III → Regional Program I.

The big-game ledger

How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.

1–7 against his rivals. Just 1–5 against Jerry Claiborne.

Rivalry record
1–7–1
11.1% · 2 rivals
One-score games
18–18–4
45.0% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–2
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
North Carolina1–6–112%
NC State0–10%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Jerry Claiborne1–5
6 meetings, 1972–1978
’72 W’73 L’74 L’76 L’77 L’78 L
Performance by opponent class
Blue Blood
0–2 0.0%
Power Program
2–12 14.3%
National Program
13–22 37.1%
Regional Program
24–15 61.5%

Coaching career

1971–1978
Dukecaretaker
National Program III → National Program III
Mike McGee held Duke at National Program III for 8 seasons.

8th-best Duke tenure of 15 by the numbers.

Followed Tom Harp (1966–1970) · succeeded by Red Wilson (1979–1982).

10 NFL Draft picks: Leo Hart (1971), Phil Asack (1971), Wes Chesson (1971), Ernie Jackson (1972), Steve Jones (1973), Ed Newman (1973), Bill Bryan (1977), Tony Benjamin (1977) + 2 more

37–47
1970–1970
East Carolinacaretaker
Regional Program III → Regional Program III
Mike McGee held East Carolina at Regional Program III for 1 season.

15th-best East Carolina tenure of 15 by the numbers.

Followed Clarence Stasavich (1965–1969) · succeeded by Sonny Randle (1971–1973).

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