The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Pat Dye

Followed Doug Barfield. Pat Dye raised Auburn from Power Program III to Power Program I.

The builder
153–62
1974–1992 · 3 stints
East CarolinaWyomingAuburn
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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 careerEAST CAROLINAWYOMINGAUBURNBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelEast Carolina, 1974: 7-4, Regional Program I1974East Carolina, 1975: 8-3, Regional Program IEast Carolina, 1976: 9-2, National Program IIIEast Carolina, 1977: 8-3, National Program IIEast Carolina, 1978: 9-3, National Program IIEast Carolina, 1979: 7-3, National Program I1979+13.7Wyoming, 1980: 6-5, Regional Program II1980+1.5Auburn, 1981: 5-6, Power Program III1981Auburn, 1982: 9-3, Power Program IIIAuburn, 1983: 11-1, Power Program IIAuburn, 1984: 9-4, Power Program IIAuburn, 1985: 8-4, Power Program IIAuburn, 1986: 10-2, Power Program IAuburn, 1987: 9-1, Power Program IAuburn, 1988: 10-2, Power Program IAuburn, 1989: 10-2, Power Program IAuburn, 1990: 8-3, Power Program IAuburn, 1991: 5-6, Power Program IAuburn, 1992: 5-5, Power Program I1992+15.8One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 8th career season — faster than 16% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #314 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

East Carolina, 6 seasons
+13.7
Regional Program I → National Program I.
Auburn, 12 seasons
+15.8
Power Program III → 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.

15–16 against his rivals. Winless in 3 tries against Gene Stallings.

Rivalry record
15–16
48.4% · 4 rivals
One-score games
33–34–4
46.5% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
9–9
50.0%
Rivalry ledger
Georgia7–558%
Alabama6–650%
NC State2–433%
Colorado State0–10%
The toughest matchup
vs. Gene Stallings0–3
3 meetings, 1990–1992
’90 L’91 L’92 L
0% win rate across a real, 3-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
Blue Blood
9–9 50.0%
Power Program
26–25 51.0%
National Program
42–13 76.4%
Regional Program
47–11 81.0%

Coaching career

1981–1992
Auburnbuilder
Power Program III → Power Program I
Pat Dye raised Auburn from Power Program III to Power Program I.

2nd-best Auburn tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed Doug Barfield (1976–1980) · succeeded by Terry Bowden (1993–1998).

37 NFL Draft picks: James Brooks (1981), Byron Franklin (1981), Frank Warren (1981), Edmund Nelson (1982), Doug Smith (1984), Donnie Humphrey (1984), Lionel James (1984), Ben Thomas (1985) + 29 more

99–39
1980–1980
Wyomingcaretaker
Regional Program II → Regional Program II
Pat Dye held Wyoming at Regional Program II for 1 season.

13th-best Wyoming tenure of 22 by the numbers.

Followed Bill Lewis (1977–1979) · succeeded by Al Kincaid (1981–1985).

2 NFL Draft picks: Danny Pittman (1980), Guy Frazier (1981)

6–5
1974–1979
East Carolinabuilderborderline
Regional Program II → National Program I
Pat Dye raised East Carolina from Regional Program II to National Program I.

1st-best East Carolina tenure of 15 by the numbers.

Followed Sonny Randle (1971–1973) · succeeded by Ed Emory (1980–1984).

6 NFL Draft picks: Carl Summerell (1974), Carlester Crumpler (1974), Reggie Pinkney (1977), Harold Randolph (1978), Zack Valentine (1979), Eddie Hicks (1979)

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