The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Ron Zook

Followed Ron Turner. Ron Zook moved Illinois from National Program III to National Program II in 7 seasons.

Peak, then fade
57–65
2002–2011 · 2 stints
FloridaIllinois
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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 careerFLORIDAILLINOISBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelFlorida, 2002: 8-5, Blue Blood2002Florida, 2003: 8-5, Blue Blood2003Florida, 2004: 7-4, Blue Blood2004-7.4Illinois, 2005: 2-9, Regional Program I2005Illinois, 2006: 2-10, Regional Program II2006Illinois, 2007: 9-4, Regional Program I2007Illinois, 2008: 5-7, National Program III2008Illinois, 2009: 3-9, National Program III2009Illinois, 2010: 7-6, National Program II2010Illinois, 2011: 6-6, National Program II2011+3.0One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Blue Blood in his 1st career season — faster than 59% of the 100 FBS coaches who have ever reached Blue Blood (rank #1 of 100 by seasons-to-arrival).

Florida, 3 seasons
−7.4
Blue Blood → Blue Blood.
Illinois, 7 seasons
+3.0
Regional Program I → National Program II.

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.

5–6 against his rivals. Winless in 4 tries against Gary Pinkel.

Rivalry record
5–6
45.5% · 3 rivals
One-score games
21–19
52.5% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
3–14
17.6%
Rivalry ledger
Northwestern3–443%
Georgia2–0100%
Florida State0–20%
The toughest matchup
vs. Gary Pinkel0–4
4 meetings, 2007–2010
’07 L’08 L’09 L’10 L
0% 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
Blue Blood
3–14 17.6%
Power Program
10–22 31.2%
National Program
10–13 43.5%
Regional Program
21–11 65.6%

Coaching career

2005–2011
Illinoiscaretaker
National Program III → National Program II
Ron Zook moved Illinois from National Program III to National Program II in 7 seasons.

10th-best Illinois tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed Ron Turner (1997–2004) · succeeded by Tim Beckman (2012–2014).

Where the roster comes from, by position
Grows Tight end from high school
100%
#164 of 188 stints
Grows Running back from high school
100%
#196 of 208 stints

18 NFL Draft picks: Kelvin Hayden (2005), Duke Preston (2005), Alan Ball (2007), Rashard Mendenhall (2008), Vontae Davis (2009), Xavier Fulton (2009), Will Davis (2009), Arrelious Benn (2010) + 10 more

34–51
2002–2004
Floridainheritor
Blue Blood → Blue Blood
Ron Zook inherited a Blue Blood Florida and won with it.

4th-best Florida tenure of 22 by the numbers.

Followed Steve Spurrier (1990–2001) · succeeded by Urban Meyer (2005–2010).

24 NFL Draft picks: Lito Sheppard (2002), Jabar Gaffney (2002), Mike Pearson (2002), Reche Caldwell (2002), Jeff Chandler (2002), Alex Brown (2002), Andra' Davis (2002), Marquand Manuel (2002) + 16 more

23–14