The Zeitgeist List · coaching

John Roning

Followed George Melinkovich. John Roning moved Utah State from Regional Program V to Regional Program IV in 4 seasons.

18–21

1951–1954 · 1 stint

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.

Reached Regional Program in his 1st career season — faster than 20% of the 925 FBS coaches who have ever reached Regional Program (rank #1 of 925 by seasons-to-arrival).

Utah State, 4 seasons

+2.4

Regional Program V → Regional Program IV.

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.

3–1 against his rivals. Just 1–3 against Jack Curtice.

Rivalry record

3–1

75.0% · 1 rival

One-score games

6–5–1

50.0% · margin ≤8

Rivalry ledger

BYU3–175%

The toughest matchup

vs. Jack Curtice1–3

4 meetings, 1951–1954

’51 L’52 L’53 L’54 W

25% win rate across a real, 4-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

National Program

1–3 25.0%

Regional Program

8–10 44.4%

Coaching career

1951–1954

Utah Statecaretaker

Regional Program V → Regional Program IV

John Roning moved Utah State from Regional Program V to Regional Program IV in 4 seasons.

21st-best Utah State tenure of 22 by the numbers.

Followed George Melinkovich (1949–1950) · succeeded by Everett Faunce (1955–1958).

18–21