The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Robert Zuppke

Robert Zuppke held Illinois at National Program II for 6 seasons.

16–28

1936–1941 · 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 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).

Illinois, 6 seasons

+0.0

National Program II → 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.

1–5 against his rivals. Just 1–5 against Pappy Waldorf.

Rivalry record

1–5

16.7% · 1 rival

One-score games

3–8–2

23.1% · margin ≤8

vs. Blue Blood or better

0–1

0.0%

Rivalry ledger

Northwestern1–517%

The toughest matchupNemesis

vs. Pappy Waldorf1–5

6 meetings, 1936–1941

’36 L’37 W’38 L’39 L’40 L’41 L

Performance by opponent class

Dynasty

0–1 0.0%

Power Program

0–16 0.0%

National Program

5–8 38.5%

Regional Program

5–2 71.4%

Coaching career

1936–1941

Illinoiscaretaker

National Program II

Robert Zuppke held Illinois at National Program II for 6 seasons.

9th-best Illinois tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Succeeded by Ray Eliot (1942–1959).

16–28