West Texas: a football coaching history
See West Texas’s full 91-year Zeitgeist History →← all coaches
Stature and coaches, 1941–1985
The program’s standing over time, with every coach’s tenure beneath it — read down to see who was there for each rise and fall.
DynastyBlue BloodPower ProgramNational ProgramRegional Program
Every coach
Big movers show how many stature points they built or lost against what they inherited; steadier tenures show the tier they reached instead.
1977–1980
Bill Yung Steady
Bill Yung moved the Buffaloes from Regional Program II to Regional Program I in 4 seasons.
+5.7 pts over 4 seasons · top 12% of 3-5-season tenures (717 in sample)
Closest comparable run: Gary Crowton’s Louisiana Tech run (1996–1998)
3rd-best West Texas tenure of 3 by the numbers.
+5.7
19-23-2
1960–1970
Joe Kerbel Builder≈
Joe Kerbel raised West Texas from Regional Program IV to National Program III.
+13.0 pts over 11 seasons · top 45% of 10+-season tenures (202 in sample)
Closest comparable run: Brian Kelly’s Notre Dame run (2010–2021)
1st-best West Texas tenure of 3 by the numbers.
+13.0
68-42-1
1947–1957
Frank Kimbrough Steady
Frank Kimbrough moved the Buffaloes from Regional Program II to Regional Program I in 11 seasons.
−5.2 pts over 11 seasons · bottom 9% of 10+-season tenures (202 in sample)
Closest comparable run: Rick Stockstill’s Middle Tennessee run (2006–2023)
2nd-best West Texas tenure of 3 by the numbers.
−5.2
54-52-2