The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Bo Schembechler

Followed Bump Elliott. Bo Schembechler raised Michigan from Power Program II to Power Program I.

The empire-builder
234–65
1963–1989 · 2 stints
Miami (OH)Michigan
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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 careerMIAMI (OH)MICHIGANDynastythe sport's summitBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelMiami (OH), 1963: 5-3, National Program III1963Miami (OH), 1964: 6-3, National Program IIIMiami (OH), 1965: 7-3, National Program IIMiami (OH), 1966: 9-1, National Program IIMiami (OH), 1967: 6-4, National Program IIMiami (OH), 1968: 7-3, National Program I1968+9.0Michigan, 1969: 8-3, Power Program II1969Michigan, 1970: 9-1, Power Program IMichigan, 1971: 11-1, Power Program IMichigan, 1972: 10-1, Power Program IMichigan, 1973: 10-0, Power Program IMichigan, 1974: 10-1, Power Program IMichigan, 1975: 8-2, Power Program IMichigan, 1976: 10-2, Power Program IMichigan, 1977: 10-2, Power Program IMichigan, 1978: 10-2, Power Program IMichigan, 1979: 8-4, Power Program IMichigan, 1980: 10-2, Power Program IMichigan, 1981: 9-3, Power Program IMichigan, 1982: 8-4, Power Program IMichigan, 1983: 9-3, Power Program IMichigan, 1984: 6-6, Power Program IMichigan, 1985: 10-1, Power Program IMichigan, 1986: 11-2, Power Program IMichigan, 1987: 8-4, Power Program IMichigan, 1988: 9-2, Power Program IMichigan, 1989: 10-2, Power Program I1989+20.4One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 7th career season — faster than 21% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #297 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Miami (OH), 6 seasons
+9.0
National Program III → National Program I.
Michigan, 21 seasons
+20.4
Power Program II → Power 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.

39–24 against his rivals. Just 1–3 against Dan Devine.

Rivalry record
39–24–1
60.9% · 5 rivals
One-score games
47–40–6
50.5% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–1
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
Michigan State17–481%
Ohio State11–9–152%
Notre Dame4–640%
Ohio3–350%
Cincinnati4–267%
The toughest matchup
vs. Dan Devine1–3
4 meetings, 1969–1980
’69 L’78 W’79 L’80 L
25% win rate across a real, 4-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
Dynasty
0–1 0.0%
Blue Blood
10–16 38.5%
Power Program
42–18 70.0%
National Program
56–18 75.7%
Regional Program
119–7 94.4%

Coaching career

1969–1989
Michiganbuilderborderline
Power Program II → Power Program I
Bo Schembechler raised Michigan from Power Program II to Power Program I.

7th-best Michigan tenure of 13 by the numbers.

Followed Bump Elliott (1959–1968) · succeeded by Gary Moeller (1990–1994).

82 NFL Draft picks: Ron Johnson (1969), Tom Stincic (1969), Jim Mandich (1970), Cecil Pryor (1970), Barry Pierson (1970), Dan Dierdorf (1971), Paul Staroba (1971), Pete Newell (1971) + 74 more

194–48
1963–1968
Miami (OH)caretaker
National Program III → National Program I
Bo Schembechler moved Miami (OH) from National Program III to National Program I in 6 seasons.

3rd-best Miami (OH) tenure of 14 by the numbers.

Followed John Pont (1962–1962) · succeeded by Bill Mallory (1969–1973).

40–17