The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Dick Sheridan

Followed Tom Reed. Dick Sheridan moved NC State from National Program III to National Program I in 7 seasons.

The empire-builder
82–42
1978–1992 · 2 stints
FurmanNC 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 careerFURMANNC STATENational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelFurman, 1978: 8-3, Regional Program IV1978Furman, 1979: 5-6, Regional Program IV1979Furman, 1980: 9-1, Regional Program III1980Furman, 1981: 8-3, Regional Program II1981+10.7NC State, 1986: 8-3, National Program III1986NC State, 1987: 4-7, National Program III1987NC State, 1988: 8-3, National Program III1988NC State, 1989: 7-5, National Program III1989NC State, 1990: 7-5, National Program II1990NC State, 1991: 9-3, National Program II1991NC State, 1992: 9-3, National Program I1992+9.0One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached National Program in his 5th career season — faster than 14% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #547 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

Furman, 4 seasons
+10.7
Regional Program IV → Regional Program II.
NC State, 7 seasons
+9.0
National Program III → National 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.

7–3 against his rivals. Just 1–6 against George Welsh.

Rivalry record
7–3
70.0% · 2 rivals
One-score games
23–17–3
53.5% · margin ≤8
Rivalry ledger
North Carolina6–186%
East Carolina1–233%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. George Welsh1–6
7 meetings, 1986–1992
’86 L’87 L’88 L’89 L’90 L’91 L’92 W
Performance by opponent class
Power Program
9–8 52.9%
National Program
21–15 58.3%
Regional Program
26–14 65.0%

Coaching career

1986–1992
NC Statecaretaker
National Program III → National Program I
Dick Sheridan moved NC State from National Program III to National Program I in 7 seasons.

6th-best NC State tenure of 15 by the numbers.

Followed Tom Reed (1983–1985) · succeeded by Mike O'Cain (1993–1999).

18 NFL Draft picks: Joe Milinichik (1986), Raymond Phillips (1986), Haywood Jeffires (1987), Nelson Jones (1987), Danny Peebles (1989), Naz Worthen (1989), Ray Agnew (1990), Bobby Houston (1990) + 10 more

52–29
1978–1981
Furmancaretakerborderline
Regional Program IV → Regional Program II
Dick Sheridan moved Furman from Regional Program IV to Regional Program II in 4 seasons.

1st-best Furman tenure of 3 by the numbers.

Followed Art Baker (1973–1977).

30–13