The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Richard Williamson

Followed Fred Pancoast. Richard Williamson slid Memphis from National Program II to National Program I in 6 seasons.

31–35
1975–1980 · 1 stint
Memphis
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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 careerMEMPHISNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelMemphis, 1975: 7-4, National Program II1975Memphis, 1976: 7-4, National Program I1976Memphis, 1977: 6-5, National Program I1977Memphis, 1978: 4-7, National Program II1978Memphis, 1979: 5-6, National Program II1979Memphis, 1980: 2-9, National Program III1980-1.4One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached National Program in his 1st career season — faster than 41% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #1 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

Memphis, 6 seasons
−1.4
National Program II → 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.

1–4 against his rivals. Just 1–4 against Bobby Collins.

Rivalry record
1–4
20.0% · 1 rival
One-score games
14–13
51.9% · margin ≤8
Rivalry ledger
Ole Miss1–420%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Bobby Collins1–4
5 meetings, 1975–1979
’75 L’76 L’77 W’78 L’79 L
Performance by opponent class
Power Program
5–6 45.5%
National Program
8–18 30.8%
Regional Program
12–11 52.2%

Coaching career

1975–1980
Memphiscaretaker
National Program II → National Program I
Richard Williamson slid Memphis from National Program II to National Program I in 6 seasons.

2nd-best Memphis tenure of 15 by the numbers.

Followed Fred Pancoast (1972–1974) · succeeded by Rex Dockery (1981–1983).

11 NFL Draft picks: Bob Rush (1977), Terdell Middleton (1977), Eric Harris (1977), Eary Jones (1977), Bob Jordan (1977), Keith Simpson (1978), Keith Butler (1978), Keith Wright (1978) + 3 more

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