The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Pat Jones

Followed Jimmy Johnson. Pat Jones moved Oklahoma State from National Program II to Power Program III in 11 seasons.

62–60
1984–1994 · 1 stint
Oklahoma State
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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 careerOKLAHOMA STATEPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelOklahoma State, 1984: 10-2, National Program I1984Oklahoma State, 1985: 8-4, National Program I1985Oklahoma State, 1986: 6-5, National Program I1986Oklahoma State, 1987: 10-2, National Program I1987Oklahoma State, 1988: 10-2, Power Program III1988Oklahoma State, 1989: 4-7, National Program I1989Oklahoma State, 1990: 4-7, National Program II1990Oklahoma State, 1991: 0-10, National Program II1991Oklahoma State, 1992: 4-6, National Program III1992Oklahoma State, 1993: 3-8, Regional Program I1993Oklahoma State, 1994: 3-7, Regional Program I1994+7.0One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 5th career season — faster than 30% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #251 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Oklahoma State, 11 seasons
+7.0
National Program I → Regional 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.

1–11 against his rivals. Just 1–5 against Bill Snyder.

Rivalry record
1–11–1
7.7% · 2 rivals
One-score games
23–15–3
56.1% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–1
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
Oklahoma0–10–10%
Texas Tech1–150%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Bill Snyder1–5
6 meetings, 1989–1994
’89 W’90 L’91 L’92 L’93 L’94 L
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
0–1 0.0%
Blue Blood
0–12 0.0%
Power Program
4–20 16.7%
National Program
17–5 77.3%
Regional Program
33–22 60.0%

Coaching career

1984–1994
Oklahoma Statecaretaker
National Program II → Power Program III
Pat Jones moved Oklahoma State from National Program II to Power Program III in 11 seasons.

3rd-best Oklahoma State tenure of 15 by the numbers.

Followed Jimmy Johnson (1979–1983) · succeeded by Bob Simmons (1995–2000).

13 NFL Draft picks: Chris Rockins (1984), Ernest Anderson (1984), Rusty Hilger (1985), James Harris (1985), Leslie O'Neal (1986), John Washington (1986), Paul Blair (1986), Mark Moore (1987) + 5 more

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