The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Paul Roach

Followed Dennis Erickson. Paul Roach moved Wyoming from Regional Program II to National Program III in 4 seasons.

35–15

1987–1990 · 1 stint

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.

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).

Wyoming, 4 seasons

+9.5

Regional Program I → National Program III.

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.

3–1 against his rivals. Winless in 3 tries against Pat Jones.

Rivalry record

3–1

75.0% · 1 rival

One-score games

12–5

70.6% · margin ≤8

Rivalry ledger

Colorado State3–175%

The toughest matchup

vs. Pat Jones0–3

3 meetings, 1987–1989

’87 L’88 L’89 L

0% win rate across a real, 3-meeting series — short of the bar this site uses before badging a series “Nemesis.” Shown here as the toughest matchup on record, not an algorithmic crown.

Performance by opponent class

Power Program

2–4 33.3%

National Program

7–6 53.8%

Regional Program

24–5 82.8%

Coaching career

1987–1990

Wyomingcaretaker

Regional Program II → National Program III

Paul Roach moved Wyoming from Regional Program II to National Program III in 4 seasons.

7th-best Wyoming tenure of 22 by the numbers.

Followed Dennis Erickson (1986–1986) · succeeded by Joe Tiller (1991–1996).

3 NFL Draft picks: Eric Coleman (1989), David Edeen (1989), Mitch Donahue (1991)

35–15