The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Frank Howard

Followed Jess Neely. Frank Howard moved Clemson from National Program II to Power Program III in 30 seasons.

165–118
1940–1969 · 1 stint
Clemson
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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 careerCLEMSONPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelClemson, 1940: 6-2, National Program II1940Clemson, 1941: 7-2, National Program IClemson, 1942: 3-6, National Program IIClemson, 1943: 2-6, National Program IIIClemson, 1944: 4-5, National Program IIIClemson, 1945: 6-3, National Program IIIClemson, 1946: 4-5, National Program IIIClemson, 1947: 4-5, National Program IIIClemson, 1948: 11-0, National Program IIClemson, 1949: 4-4, National Program IIClemson, 1950: 9-0, National Program IClemson, 1951: 7-3, National Program IClemson, 1952: 2-6, National Program IIClemson, 1953: 3-5, National Program IIClemson, 1954: 5-5, National Program IIClemson, 1955: 7-3, National Program IIClemson, 1956: 7-2, National Program IIClemson, 1957: 7-3, National Program IIClemson, 1958: 8-3, National Program IIClemson, 1959: 9-2, Power Program IIIClemson, 1960: 6-4, Power Program IIIClemson, 1961: 5-5, Power Program IIIClemson, 1962: 6-4, Power Program IIIClemson, 1963: 5-4, Power Program IIIClemson, 1964: 3-7, National Program IClemson, 1965: 5-5, National Program IIClemson, 1966: 6-4, National Program IIClemson, 1967: 6-4, National Program IIClemson, 1968: 4-5, National Program IIClemson, 1969: 4-6, National Program II1969+9.6One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 20th career season — faster than 1% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #392 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Clemson, 30 seasons
+9.6
National Program II → National 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.

13–15 against his rivals. Just 1–9 against Ralph Jordan.

Rivalry record
13–15–2
43.3% · 1 rival
One-score games
49–41–9
49.5% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–2
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
South Carolina13–15–243%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Ralph Jordan1–9
10 meetings, 1951–1969
’51 W’52 L’53 L’54 L’55 L’61 L’62 L’67 L’68 L’69 L
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
0–2 0.0%
Blue Blood
0–5 0.0%
Power Program
13–43 23.2%
National Program
39–34 53.4%
Regional Program
70–26 72.9%

Coaching career

1940–1969
Clemsoncaretaker
National Program II → Power Program III
Frank Howard moved Clemson from National Program II to Power Program III in 30 seasons.

6th-best Clemson tenure of 10 by the numbers.

Followed Jess Neely (1936–1939) · succeeded by Cecil Ingram (1970–1972).

165–118