The Zeitgeist List · coaching

George Perles

Followed Frank Waters. George Perles moved Michigan State from National Program I to Power Program II in 12 seasons.

73–62
1983–1994 · 1 stint
Michigan State
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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 careerMICHIGAN STATEPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyMichigan State, 1983: 4-6, National Program II1983Michigan State, 1984: 6-6, National Program II1984Michigan State, 1985: 7-5, National Program II1985Michigan State, 1986: 6-5, National Program II1986Michigan State, 1987: 9-2, Power Program III1987Michigan State, 1988: 6-5, Power Program III1988Michigan State, 1989: 8-4, Power Program III1989Michigan State, 1990: 8-3, Power Program II1990Michigan State, 1991: 3-8, Power Program III1991Michigan State, 1992: 5-6, Power Program III1992Michigan State, 1993: 6-6, Power Program III1993Michigan State, 1994: 5-6, Power Program III1994+10.7One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 5th career season — faster than 30% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #251 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Michigan State, 12 seasons
+10.7
National Program II → 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.

4–10 against his rivals. Just 1–3 against Mike White.

Rivalry record
4–10
28.6% · 2 rivals
One-score games
30–29–4
47.6% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–1
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
Michigan4–833%
Penn State0–20%
The toughest matchup
vs. Mike White1–3–1
5 meetings, 1983–1987
’83 L’84 L’85 L’86 W’87 T
20% win rate across a real, 5-meeting series — short of the bar this site uses before badging a series “Nemesis.” Shown here as the toughest matchup on record, not an algorithmic crown.
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
0–1 0.0%
Blue Blood
2–12 14.3%
Power Program
12–21 36.4%
National Program
15–16 48.4%
Regional Program
44–12 78.6%

Coaching career

1983–1994
Michigan Statecaretakerborderline
National Program I → Power Program II
George Perles moved Michigan State from National Program I to Power Program II in 12 seasons.

4th-best Michigan State tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed Frank Waters (1980–1982) · succeeded by Nick Saban (1995–1999).

36 NFL Draft picks: Steve Maidlow (1983), Smiley Creswell (1983), Otis Grant (1983), Carl Banks (1984), Daryl Turner (1984), Ralf Mojsiejenko (1985), Mark Napolitan (1985), Terry Lewis (1985) + 28 more

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