The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Art Baker

Followed Ed Emory. Art Baker held East Carolina at National Program III for 4 seasons.

The ascent
64–74
1973–1988 · 3 stints
FurmanThe CitadelEast Carolina
← 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 careerFURMANTHE CITADELEAST CAROLINANational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelFurman, 1973: 7-4, Regional Program VI1973Furman, 1974: 5-6, Regional Program VI1974Furman, 1975: 5-5, Regional Program V1975Furman, 1976: 6-4, Regional Program V1976Furman, 1977: 4-5, Regional Program IV1977+5.1The Citadel, 1978: 5-6, Regional Program IV1978The Citadel, 1979: 6-5, Regional Program IV1979The Citadel, 1980: 7-4, Regional Program IV1980The Citadel, 1981: 7-3, Regional Program IV1981+2.5East Carolina, 1985: 2-9, National Program III1985East Carolina, 1986: 2-9, Regional Program I1986East Carolina, 1987: 5-6, Regional Program II1987East Carolina, 1988: 3-8, Regional Program II1988-9.5One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached National Program in his 10th career season — faster than 3% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #643 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

Furman, 5 seasons
+5.1
Regional Program VI → Regional Program IV.
The Citadel, 4 seasons
+2.5
Regional Program IV → Regional Program IV.
East Carolina, 4 seasons
−9.5
National Program III → 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.

2–1 against his rivals. Just 1–5 against Joe Morrison.

Rivalry record
2–1
66.7% · 1 rival
One-score games
8–16–2
30.8% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–5
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
NC State2–167%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Joe Morrison1–5
6 meetings, 1977–1988
’77 W’79 L’85 L’86 L’87 L’88 L
Performance by opponent class
Blue Blood
0–5 0.0%
Power Program
0–7 0.0%
National Program
6–21 22.2%
Regional Program
17–24 41.5%

Coaching career

1985–1988
East Carolinacaretaker
National Program III → National Program III
Art Baker held East Carolina at National Program III for 4 seasons.

7th-best East Carolina tenure of 15 by the numbers.

Followed Ed Emory (1980–1984) · succeeded by Bill Lewis (1989–1991).

2 NFL Draft picks: Stefon Adams (1985), Kevin Walker (1986)

12–32
1978–1981
The Citadelcaretaker
Regional Program IV → Regional Program IV
Art Baker held The Citadel at Regional Program IV for 4 seasons.

1st-best The Citadel tenure of 4 by the numbers.

Followed Bobby Ross (1973–1977).

25–18
1973–1977
Furmancaretaker
Regional Program VI → Regional Program IV
Art Baker moved Furman from Regional Program VI to Regional Program IV in 5 seasons.

2nd-best Furman tenure of 3 by the numbers.

Followed Robert King (1958–1972) · succeeded by Dick Sheridan (1978–1981).

27–24