The Zeitgeist List · coaching

John Cooper

Followed Earle Bruce. John Cooper inherited a Power Program I Ohio State and won with it.

The ascent
192–84
1977–2000 · 3 stints
TulsaArizona StateOhio 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 careerTULSAARIZONA STOHIO STATEDynastythe sport's summitBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelTulsa, 1977: 3-8, National Program III1977Tulsa, 1978: 9-2, National Program IIITulsa, 1979: 6-5, National Program IIITulsa, 1980: 8-3, National Program IIITulsa, 1981: 6-5, National Program IITulsa, 1982: 10-1, National Program IITulsa, 1983: 8-3, National Program IITulsa, 1984: 6-5, National Program II1984+0.4Arizona State, 1985: 8-4, Power Program II1985Arizona State, 1986: 10-1, Power Program IArizona State, 1987: 7-4, Power Program I1987+3.9Ohio State, 1988: 4-6, Power Program I1988Ohio State, 1989: 8-4, Power Program IOhio State, 1990: 7-4, Power Program IOhio State, 1991: 8-4, Power Program IOhio State, 1992: 8-3, Power Program IOhio State, 1993: 10-1, Power Program IOhio State, 1994: 9-4, Power Program IOhio State, 1995: 11-2, Power Program IOhio State, 1996: 11-1, Power Program IOhio State, 1997: 10-3, Power Program IOhio State, 1998: 11-1, Power Program IOhio State, 1999: 6-6, Power Program IOhio State, 2000: 8-4, Power Program I2000+4.4One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 9th career season — faster than 10% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #332 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Tulsa, 8 seasons
+0.4
National Program III → National Program II.
Arizona State, 3 seasons
+3.9
Power Program II → Power Program I.
Ohio State, 13 seasons
+4.4
Power Program I → Power Program I.

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.

7–15 against his rivals. Just 1–5 against Lloyd Carr.

Rivalry record
7–15–2
29.2% · 3 rivals
One-score games
42–33–6
51.9% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
6–11
35.3%
Rivalry ledger
Michigan2–10–115%
Penn State5–362%
Arizona0–2–10%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Lloyd Carr1–5
6 meetings, 1995–2000
’95 L’96 L’97 L’98 W’99 L’00 L
Performance by opponent class
Blue Blood
6–11 35.3%
Power Program
31–37 45.6%
National Program
49–19 72.1%
Regional Program
85–14 85.9%

Coaching career

1988–2000
Ohio Stateinheritor
Power Program I → Power Program I
John Cooper inherited a Power Program I Ohio State and won with it.

8th-best Ohio State tenure of 12 by the numbers.

Followed Earle Bruce (1979–1987) · succeeded by Jim Tressel (2001–2010).

51 NFL Draft picks: Jeff Uhlenhake (1989), Vince Workman (1989), Jeff Davidson (1990), Joe Staysniak (1990), Vinnie Clark (1991), Jeff Graham (1991), Alonzo Spellman (1992), Scottie Graham (1992) + 43 more

111–43
1985–1987
Arizona Statecaretaker
Power Program II → Power Program I
John Cooper moved Arizona State from Power Program II to Power Program I in 3 seasons.

2nd-best Arizona State tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Darryl Rogers (1980–1984) · succeeded by Larry Marmie (1988–1991).

9 NFL Draft picks: Doug Allen (1985), Brian Noble (1985), Darryl Clack (1986), David Fulcher (1986), Scott Stephen (1987), Skip McClendon (1987), Bruce Hill (1987), Danny Villa (1987) + 1 more

25–9
1977–1984
Tulsacaretaker
National Program II → National Program II
John Cooper held Tulsa at National Program II for 8 seasons.

5th-best Tulsa tenure of 22 by the numbers.

Followed F. Dry (1972–1976) · succeeded by Don Morton (1985–1986).

8 NFL Draft picks: Steve August (1977), Rickey Watts (1979), Eddie Hare (1979), Don Blackmon (1981), Eugene Williams (1982), Bill Purifoy (1982), Sid Abramowitz (1983), Michael Gunter (1984)

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