The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Tyrone Willingham

Followed Keith Gilbertson. Tyrone Willingham slid Washington from Power Program III to National Program I in 4 seasons.

Peak, then fade
76–88
1995–2008 · 3 stints
StanfordNotre DameWashington
← 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 careerSTANFORDNOTRE DAMEWASHINGTONBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyStanford, 1995: 7-4, National Program I1995Stanford, 1996: 7-5, National Program I1996Stanford, 1997: 5-6, National Program I1997Stanford, 1998: 3-8, National Program II1998Stanford, 1999: 8-4, National Program II1999Stanford, 2000: 5-6, National Program II2000Stanford, 2001: 9-3, National Program I2001-2.8Notre Dame, 2002: 10-3, Power Program I2002Notre Dame, 2003: 5-7, Power Program I2003Notre Dame, 2004: 6-5, Power Program II2004-6.0Washington, 2005: 2-9, National Program I2005Washington, 2006: 5-7, National Program I2006Washington, 2007: 4-9, National Program I2007Washington, 2008: 0-12, National Program II2008-7.2One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 8th career season — faster than 16% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #314 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Stanford, 7 seasons
−2.8
National Program I → National Program I.
Notre Dame, 3 seasons
−6.0
Power Program I → Power Program II.
Washington, 4 seasons
−7.2
National Program I → National 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.

16–13 against his rivals. Just 1–6 against Mike Riley.

Rivalry record
16–13
55.2% · 7 rivals
One-score games
36–35–1
50.0% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–2
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
California7–0100%
Notre Dame3–260%
Oregon0–40%
Washington State1–325%
Michigan2–167%
Stanford3–0100%
USC0–30%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Mike Riley1–6
7 meetings, 1997–2008
’97 W’98 L’04 L’05 L’06 L’07 L’08 L
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
0–2 0.0%
Blue Blood
6–10 37.5%
Power Program
19–38 33.3%
National Program
36–29 55.4%
Regional Program
14–9 60.9%

Coaching career

2005–2008
Washingtoncaretaker
Power Program III → National Program I
Tyrone Willingham slid Washington from Power Program III to National Program I in 4 seasons.

13th-best Washington tenure of 18 by the numbers.

Followed Keith Gilbertson (2003–2004) · succeeded by Steve Sarkisian (2009–2013).

5 NFL Draft picks: Khalif Barnes (2005), Derrick Johnson (2005), Joe Toledo (2006), Isaiah Stanback (2007), Dashon Goldson (2007)

11–37
2002–2004
Notre Dameinheritor
Power Program I → Power Program I
Tyrone Willingham inherited a Power Program I Notre Dame and won with it.

13th-best Notre Dame tenure of 15 by the numbers.

Followed Bob Davie (1997–2001) · succeeded by Charlie Weis (2005–2009).

20 NFL Draft picks: Anthony Weaver (2002), Rocky Boiman (2002), John Owens (2002), Tyreo Harrison (2002), Javin Hunter (2002), David Givens (2002), Jeff Faine (2003), Jordan Black (2003) + 12 more

21–15
1995–2001
Stanfordcaretaker
National Program I → National Program I
Tyrone Willingham held Stanford at National Program I for 7 seasons.

12th-best Stanford tenure of 20 by the numbers.

Followed Bill Walsh (1977–1994) · succeeded by Buddy Teevens (2002–2004).

23 NFL Draft picks: Justin Armour (1995), Tony Cline (1995), Steve Stenstrom (1995), Jason Fisk (1995), Greg Clark (1997), Brad Badger (1997), Brian Manning (1997), Nathan Parks (1997) + 15 more

44–36