The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Doc Urich

Doc Urich slid Northern Illinois from Regional Program I to Regional Program II in 2 seasons.

The journeyman
24–26
1966–1970 · 2 stints
BuffaloNorthern Illinois
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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 careerBUFFALONORTHERN ILLINOISNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelBuffalo, 1966: 5-5, Regional Program I1966Buffalo, 1967: 6-4, Regional Program I1967Buffalo, 1968: 7-3, Regional Program I1968-1.5Northern Illinois, 1969: 3-7, Regional Program II1969Northern Illinois, 1970: 3-7, Regional Program II1970-4.3One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Regional Program in his 1st career season — faster than 20% of the 925 FBS coaches who have ever reached Regional Program (rank #1 of 925 by seasons-to-arrival).

Buffalo, 3 seasons
−1.5
Regional Program I → Regional Program I.
Northern Illinois, 2 seasons
−4.3
Regional Program II → 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.

0–2 against his rivals.

Rivalry record
0–2
0.0% · 1 rival
One-score games
3–2
60.0% · margin ≤8
Rivalry ledger
Toledo0–20%
Performance by opponent class
National Program
1–9 10.0%
Regional Program
6–5 54.5%

Coaching career

1969–1970
Northern Illinoiscaretaker
Regional Program I → Regional Program II
Doc Urich slid Northern Illinois from Regional Program I to Regional Program II in 2 seasons.

7th-best Northern Illinois tenure of 13 by the numbers.

Succeeded by Jerry Ippoliti (1971–1975).

1 NFL Draft pick: John Spilis (1969)

6–14
1966–1968
Buffalocaretaker
Regional Program I → Regional Program I
Doc Urich held Buffalo at Regional Program I for 3 seasons.

2nd-best Buffalo tenure of 11 by the numbers.

Followed Dick Offenhamer (1962–1965) · succeeded by Bob Deming (1969–1970).

18–12