The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Bruce Snyder

Followed Larry Marmie. Bruce Snyder moved Arizona State from Power Program III to Power Program II in 9 seasons.

The ascent
124–107
1976–2000 · 3 stints
Utah StateCaliforniaArizona State
← 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 careerUTAH STATECALIFORNIAARIZONA STATEPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelUtah State, 1976: 3-8, Regional Program I1976Utah State, 1977: 4-7, Regional Program IIUtah State, 1978: 7-4, Regional Program IIUtah State, 1979: 7-3, National Program IIIUtah State, 1980: 6-5, National Program IIIUtah State, 1981: 5-5, National Program IIIUtah State, 1982: 5-6, Regional Program I1982-1.6California, 1987: 3-6, Regional Program II1987California, 1988: 5-5, Regional Program ICalifornia, 1989: 4-7, Regional Program ICalifornia, 1990: 7-4, Regional Program ICalifornia, 1991: 10-2, National Program II1991+6.1Arizona State, 1992: 6-5, Power Program III1992Arizona State, 1993: 6-5, Power Program IIIArizona State, 1994: 3-8, National Program IArizona State, 1995: 6-5, National Program IArizona State, 1996: 11-1, Power Program IIArizona State, 1997: 9-3, Power Program IIArizona State, 1998: 5-6, Power Program IIArizona State, 1999: 6-6, Power Program IIIArizona State, 2000: 6-6, Power Program III2000+6.3One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 13th career season — faster than 3% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #380 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Utah State, 7 seasons
−1.6
Regional Program I → Regional Program I.
California, 5 seasons
+6.1
Regional Program II → National Program II.
Arizona State, 9 seasons
+6.3
Power Program III → Power 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.

6–14 against his rivals. Just 1–4 against Wayne Howard.

Rivalry record
6–14–1
28.6% · 3 rivals
One-score games
34–33–6
46.6% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
1–2
33.3%
Rivalry ledger
Arizona4–544%
BYU2–529%
Stanford0–4–10%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Wayne Howard1–4
5 meetings, 1977–1981
’77 L’78 L’79 W’80 L’81 L
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
1–2 33.3%
Blue Blood
1–6 14.3%
Power Program
27–42 39.1%
National Program
37–30 55.2%
Regional Program
31–19 62.0%

Coaching career

1992–2000
Arizona Statecaretaker
Power Program III → Power Program II
Bruce Snyder moved Arizona State from Power Program III to Power Program II in 9 seasons.

4th-best Arizona State tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Larry Marmie (1988–1991) · succeeded by Dirk Koetter (2001–2006).

35 NFL Draft picks: Darren Woodson (1992), Phillippi Sparks (1992), Shane Collins (1992), Brett Wallerstedt (1993), Shante Carver (1994), Mario Bates (1994), Craig Newsome (1995), Jason Kyle (1995) + 27 more

58–45
1987–1991
Californiacaretaker
Regional Program II → National Program II
Bruce Snyder moved California from Regional Program II to National Program II in 5 seasons.

11th-best California tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Joe Kapp (1982–1986) · succeeded by Keith Gilbertson (1992–1995).

11 NFL Draft picks: Hardy Nickerson (1987), Doug Riesenberg (1987), Dave Zawatson (1989), Darryl Ingram (1989), Natu Tuatagaloa (1989), Steve Hendrickson (1989), Troy Taylor (1990), James Richards (1991) + 3 more

29–24
1976–1982
Utah Statecaretaker
National Program III → National Program III
Bruce Snyder held Utah State at National Program III for 7 seasons.

5th-best Utah State tenure of 22 by the numbers.

Followed Phil Krueger (1973–1975) · succeeded by Chris Pella (1983–1985).

9 NFL Draft picks: Steve Maughan (1976), Scott Parrish (1976), Orlando Nelson (1976), Jim Hough (1978), Rulon Jones (1980), Eric Hipple (1980), Rick Parros (1980), Craig Bradshaw (1980) + 1 more

37–38