The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Jackie Sherrill

Followed Rockey Felker. Jackie Sherrill moved Mississippi State from Regional Program I to National Program I in 13 seasons.

Peak, then fade
179–121
1976–2003 · 4 stints
Washington StatePittsburghTexas A&MMississippi State
← 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 careerWASHINGTON STPITTSBURGHTEXAS A&MMISSISSIPPI STATEBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelWashington State, 1976: 3-8, Regional Program III1976-1.8Pittsburgh, 1977: 9-2, Power Program I1977Pittsburgh, 1978: 8-4, Power Program IPittsburgh, 1979: 11-1, Power Program IPittsburgh, 1980: 11-1, Blue BloodPittsburgh, 1981: 11-1, Blue Blood1981+14.4Texas A&M, 1982: 5-6, National Program I1982Texas A&M, 1983: 5-5, National Program ITexas A&M, 1984: 6-5, National Program ITexas A&M, 1985: 10-2, Power Program IIITexas A&M, 1986: 9-3, Power Program IITexas A&M, 1987: 10-2, Power Program IITexas A&M, 1988: 7-5, Power Program II1988+7.9Mississippi State, 1991: 7-5, National Program III1991Mississippi State, 1992: 7-5, National Program IIIMississippi State, 1993: 3-6, National Program IIIMississippi State, 1994: 8-4, National Program IIMississippi State, 1995: 3-8, National Program IIMississippi State, 1996: 5-6, National Program IIMississippi State, 1997: 7-4, National Program IIMississippi State, 1998: 8-5, National Program IIMississippi State, 1999: 10-2, National Program IIMississippi State, 2000: 8-4, National Program IMississippi State, 2001: 3-8, National Program IIMississippi State, 2002: 3-9, National Program IIMississippi State, 2003: 2-10, National Program III2003+11.6One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Blue Blood in his 5th career season — faster than 35% of the 100 FBS coaches who have ever reached Blue Blood (rank #58 of 100 by seasons-to-arrival).

Pittsburgh, 5 seasons
+14.4
Power Program I → Blue Blood.
Texas A&M, 7 seasons
+7.9
National Program I → Power Program II.
Mississippi State, 13 seasons
+11.6
National Program III → National 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.

18–15 against his rivals. Just 1–5 against Houston Nutt.

Rivalry record
18–15
54.5% · 6 rivals
One-score games
52–45–4
51.5% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
7–15
31.8%
Rivalry ledger
Ole Miss6–650%
Texas5–271%
West Virginia5–0100%
Penn State2–340%
LSU0–30%
Washington0–10%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Houston Nutt1–5
6 meetings, 1998–2003
’98 W’99 L’00 L’01 L’02 L’03 L
Performance by opponent class
Blue Blood
7–15 31.8%
Power Program
33–51 39.3%
National Program
55–39 58.5%
Regional Program
70–16 81.4%

Coaching career

1991–2003
Mississippi Statecaretakerborderline
Regional Program I → National Program I
Jackie Sherrill moved Mississippi State from Regional Program I to National Program I in 13 seasons.

8th-best Mississippi State tenure of 20 by the numbers.

Followed Rockey Felker (1986–1990) · succeeded by Sylvester Croom (2004–2008).

34 NFL Draft picks: Robert Young (1991), Keo Coleman (1992), Kevin Henry (1993), Olanda Truitt (1993), Marc Woodard (1993), Willie Harris (1993), Herman Carroll (1994), Kendell Watkins (1995) + 26 more

74–76
1982–1988
Texas A&Mcaretaker
Power Program III → Power Program II
Jackie Sherrill moved Texas A&M from Power Program III to Power Program II in 7 seasons.

3rd-best Texas A&M tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Tom Wilson (1979–1981) · succeeded by R.C. Slocum (1989–2002).

25 NFL Draft picks: Keith Baldwin (1982), Mike Whitwell (1982), Johnny Hector (1983), Billy Cannon (1984), Jeff Paine (1984), Jeff Fuller (1984), Keith Guthrie (1984), Ray Childress (1985) + 17 more

52–28
1977–1981
Pittsburghbuilder
Power Program II → Blue Blood
Jackie Sherrill raised Pittsburgh from Power Program II to Blue Blood.

2nd-best Pittsburgh tenure of 23 by the numbers.

Succeeded by Foge Fazio (1982–1985).

24 NFL Draft picks: Tony Dorsett (1977), Larry Swider (1977), Jim Corbett (1977), Randy Holloway (1978), Matt Cavanaugh (1978), Bob Jury (1978), Elliott Walker (1978), Randy Reutershan (1978) + 16 more

50–9
1976–1976
Washington Statecaretaker
Regional Program III → Regional Program III
Jackie Sherrill held Washington State at Regional Program III for 1 season.

21st-best Washington State tenure of 21 by the numbers.

Followed Jim Sweeney (1968–1975) · succeeded by Warren Powers (1977–1977).

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