The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Frank Kimbrough

Frank Kimbrough moved West Texas from Regional Program II to Regional Program I in 11 seasons.

Peak, then fade
155–129
1939–1957 · 3 stints
Hardin SimmonsBaylorWest Texas
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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 careerHARDIN SIMMO…BAYLORWEST TEXASNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelHardin Simmons, 1939: 7-1, National Program III1939Hardin Simmons, 1940: 9-0, National Program II1940+0.0Baylor, 1941: 3-6, National Program II1941Baylor, 1942: 6-4, National Program IIBaylor, 1945: 5-5, National Program IIIBaylor, 1946: 1-8, Regional Program I1946-3.4West Texas, 1947: 7-4, Regional Program II1947West Texas, 1948: 6-5, Regional Program IIWest Texas, 1949: 5-4, Regional Program IWest Texas, 1950: 10-1, Regional Program IWest Texas, 1951: 2-7, Regional Program IWest Texas, 1952: 3-6, Regional Program IIWest Texas, 1953: 1-8, Regional Program IIIWest Texas, 1954: 1-8, Regional Program IVWest Texas, 1955: 4-4, Regional Program IVWest Texas, 1956: 8-2, Regional Program IIIWest Texas, 1957: 7-3, Regional Program III1957+4.9One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached National Program in his 1st career season — faster than 41% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #1 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

Hardin Simmons, 2 seasons
+0.0
National Program III → National Program II.
Baylor, 4 seasons
−3.4
National Program II → Regional Program I.
West Texas, 11 seasons
+4.9
Regional Program II → Regional 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.

1–4 against his rivals. Just 1–6 against Mike Brumbelow.

Rivalry record
1–4
20.0% · 2 rivals
One-score games
6–17–3
23.1% · margin ≤8
Rivalry ledger
TCU1–325%
Texas Tech0–10%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Mike Brumbelow1–6
7 meetings, 1950–1956
’50 W’51 L’52 L’53 L’54 L’55 L’56 L
Performance by opponent class
Power Program
3–13 18.8%
National Program
11–33 25.0%
Regional Program
20–9 69.0%

Coaching career

1947–1957
West Texascaretaker
Regional Program II → Regional Program I
Frank Kimbrough moved West Texas from Regional Program II to Regional Program I in 11 seasons.

3rd-best West Texas tenure of 4 by the numbers.

108–104
1941–1946
Baylorcaretaker
National Program II → National Program II
Frank Kimbrough held Baylor at National Program II for 4 seasons.

10th-best Baylor tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed Morley Jennings (1936–1940) · succeeded by Bob Woodruff (1947–1949).

15–23
1939–1940
Hardin Simmonscaretaker
National Program II
Frank Kimbrough held Hardin Simmons at National Program II for 2 seasons.

2nd-best Hardin Simmons tenure of 2 by the numbers.

Succeeded by Warren Woodson (1941–1951).

32–2