The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Glen Mason

Followed Jim Wacker. Glen Mason raised Minnesota from Regional Program III to National Program II.

The ascent
123–121
1986–2006 · 3 stints
Kent StateKansasMinnesota
← 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 careerKENT STKANSASMINNESOTANational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelKent State, 1986: 5-6, Regional Program V1986Kent State, 1987: 7-4, Regional Program V1987-0.1Kansas, 1988: 1-10, Regional Program IV1988Kansas, 1989: 4-7, Regional Program VKansas, 1990: 3-7, Regional Program VKansas, 1991: 6-5, Regional Program IVKansas, 1992: 8-4, Regional Program IIIKansas, 1993: 5-7, Regional Program IIKansas, 1994: 6-5, Regional Program IKansas, 1995: 10-2, National Program IIIKansas, 1996: 4-7, National Program III1996+12.4Minnesota, 1997: 3-9, Regional Program III1997Minnesota, 1998: 5-6, Regional Program IIIMinnesota, 1999: 8-4, Regional Program IMinnesota, 2000: 6-6, National Program IIIMinnesota, 2001: 4-7, National Program IIIMinnesota, 2002: 8-5, National Program IIIMinnesota, 2003: 10-3, National Program IIMinnesota, 2004: 7-5, National Program IIMinnesota, 2005: 7-5, National Program IIMinnesota, 2006: 6-7, National Program II2006+19.2One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached National Program in his 10th career season — faster than 3% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #643 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

Kent State, 2 seasons
−0.1
Regional Program V → Regional Program V.
Kansas, 9 seasons
+12.4
Regional Program IV → National Program III.
Minnesota, 10 seasons
+19.2
Regional Program III → 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.

16–23 against his rivals. Just 1–7 against Joe Tiller.

Rivalry record
16–23
41.0% · 5 rivals
One-score games
38–39–1
48.7% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–2
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
Wisconsin2–820%
Iowa4–640%
Kansas State4–544%
Missouri5–456%
Akron1–0100%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Joe Tiller1–7
8 meetings, 1997–2006
’97 L’98 L’99 L’00 L’01 L’02 L’05 W’06 L
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
0–2 0.0%
Blue Blood
4–22 15.4%
Power Program
18–41 30.5%
National Program
21–27 43.8%
Regional Program
71–28 71.7%

Coaching career

1997–2006
Minnesotabuilder
Regional Program III → National Program II
Glen Mason raised Minnesota from Regional Program III to National Program II.

6th-best Minnesota tenure of 15 by the numbers.

Followed Jim Wacker (1992–1996) · succeeded by Tim Brewster (2007–2010).

19 NFL Draft picks: Lamanzer Williams (1998), Ryan Thelwell (1998), Tyrone Carter (2000), Thomas Hamner (2000), Willie Middlebrooks (2001), Karon Riley (2001), Ben Hamilton (2001), Adam Haayer (2001) + 11 more

64–57
1988–1996
Kansasbuilderborderline
Regional Program IV → National Program III
Glen Mason raised Kansas from Regional Program IV to National Program III.

7th-best Kansas tenure of 21 by the numbers.

Followed Bob Valesente (1986–1987) · succeeded by Terry Allen (1997–2001).

9 NFL Draft picks: Chris Perez (1992), Dana Stubblefield (1993), Gilbert Brown (1993), Chris Maumalanga (1994), Gerald McBurrows (1995), Hessley Hempstead (1995), Ronnie Ward (1997), June Henley (1997) + 1 more

47–54
1986–1987
Kent Statecaretaker
Regional Program V → Regional Program V
Glen Mason held Kent State at Regional Program V for 2 seasons.

13th-best Kent State tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Dick Scesniak (1983–1985) · succeeded by Dick Crum (1988–1990).

12–10