The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Tommy Hudspeth

Followed Robert Dobbs. Tommy Hudspeth slid UTEP from Regional Program I to Regional Program III in 1 season.

The builder
39–53
1964–1973 · 2 stints
BYUUTEP
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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 careerBYUUTEPNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelBYU, 1964: 3-6, Regional Program V1964BYU, 1965: 6-4, Regional Program IV1965BYU, 1966: 8-2, Regional Program III1966BYU, 1967: 6-4, Regional Program I1967BYU, 1968: 2-8, Regional Program II1968BYU, 1969: 6-4, Regional Program II1969BYU, 1970: 3-8, Regional Program II1970BYU, 1971: 5-6, Regional Program II1971+15.0UTEP, 1973: 0-11, Regional Program III1973-6.8One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Regional Program in his 1st career season — faster than 20% of the 925 FBS coaches who have ever reached Regional Program (rank #1 of 925 by seasons-to-arrival).

BYU, 8 seasons
+15.0
Regional Program V → Regional Program II.

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.

7–9 against his rivals. Winless in 5 tries against Bill Meek.

Rivalry record
7–9
43.8% · 2 rivals
One-score games
8–11–1
40.0% · margin ≤8
Rivalry ledger
Utah State4–450%
Utah3–538%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Bill Meek0–5
5 meetings, 1968–1973
’68 L’69 L’70 L’71 L’73 L
Performance by opponent class
Power Program
2–13 13.3%
National Program
12–16 42.9%
Regional Program
23–21 52.3%

Coaching career

1973–1973
UTEPcaretaker
Regional Program I → Regional Program III
Tommy Hudspeth slid UTEP from Regional Program I to Regional Program III in 1 season.

8th-best UTEP tenure of 20 by the numbers.

Followed Robert Dobbs (1965–1972) · succeeded by Gil Bartosh (1974–1976).

1 NFL Draft pick: Gary Keithley (1973)

0–11
1964–1971
BYUbuilder
Regional Program V → Regional Program I
Tommy Hudspeth raised BYU from Regional Program V to Regional Program I.

7th-best BYU tenure of 12 by the numbers.

Followed Hal Mitchell (1961–1963) · succeeded by LaVell Edwards (1972–2000).

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