Coaching records in first two years at Tech

[inudesu]

I remembered that our previous coaches were also in the .500 range after their first 2 years and went back and checked. Every one of our recent second generation coaches was within a game of .500 after two seasons. It doesn't seem to mean much of anything, some did better and some did worse afterwards, but I thought it was interesting. I went back through Aillet just out of curiosity (for all the coaches that lasted 2 seasons). Before that we had some pretty good coaches, but everything was sooooo different I didn't bother checking (you could probably argue that about everyone through Lambright at least as well - different era). I did add Dietz, even though he's from the leather helmet era just because he was only at Tech for two years and he's in the Hall of Fame.

Coach wins losses overall wins overall losses winning percentage notes Holtz 4 8 12-10 at Uconn, 12-12 at ECU, 13-12 at USF 9 5 13 13 0.5 Dykes 5 7 6-18 at Cal, won 9 in year three at Tech 8 5 13 12 0.52 Dooley 5 7 11-14 at Tenn, won 4 in year three at Tech 8 5 13 12 0.52 Bicknell 8 3 18-17 overall after year three, overall as HC 43-52 (.45263) 3 9 11 12 0.478261 Crowton 6 5 6-6 in year three, 21-13 overall at Tech (.617647), 17-9 in first two years at BYU, 47-36 overall as HC(.566265) 9 2 15 7 0.681818 Peace 4 7 16-16-1 after year three. 40-45 overall as HC (only at Tech), 1990 and 1991 only winning years 4 6 8 13 0.380952 Torbush 1 11 didn't last 2 years Williams 4 7 28-19-1 at Tech (.5833), 66-65 overall, 38-46 at NW St. 10 5 14 12 0.538462 Brewer 5 6 10-3 in year 3, 19-15-1 overall at Tech (.542857), 125-94-6 overall as HC 4 6(+1 tie) 9 12 0.40909 1979 Beightol/Patterson year Lambright 3 7 95-36-2 overall (Tech was only HC position), only 2 losing seasons in 12 years 9 2 12 9 0.571429 Aillet 6 4 151-86-8 overall (Tech was only HC position 5 4(+1 tie) 11 8 0.55 Dietz 5 1(+1 tie) HoF, 39-24-4 overall as HC 6 2 11 3 0.733333

[dawg80]

The comparison to Dooley and Dykes is striking. If not for the loss in the CUSA champ game, Holtz would also be 13-12 after year 2. Dooley won his bowl (Indy) and Dykes lost (Poinsettia), but very similar results.

[inudesu]

Not just those two. Bicknell was pretty close to .500 after two years.

And really should have gone to a bowl in his first season, which might have got him there.

[Dogsince65]

What is AMAZING about these coaches is the ability to win with sacrificial games on road .. over first 2 yrs Crowton played Baylor-Miss State- AM- Arkansas yr 2 Arkansa Cal Auburn Alabama ( went 9-2) . Look at that again, 8 legitimate big time programs and he wins 15 games in 2 years -- Bicknell -- on road-- Florida -Am- Alabama -USC ( 8-3 yr) yr 2 K State--Penn -Auburn-Miami . We had some incredible upsets during those years and pretty good about beating teams at our level . Hard not to rank Crowton as #1 , 15 wins PLUS he leaves and Bicknell has 8-3 team thats ranked 18 going to USC game . Dooley tried to dial back the $$ games to 2 instead of 4-- worked for Marshall, Boise etc -- for younger folks, Crowton left to be offensive co-ordinator for Bears and then his dream job, BYU. The LSU gig seems to be another example of Miles holding back offense ...

[Dogsince65]

Not just those two. Bicknell was pretty close to .500 after two years.

And really should have gone to a bowl in his first season, which might have got him there.

yep. that team was ranked 18th in nation going to USC, we were shell schocked and started slow . Remember looking at program and seeing 18 parade all Americans on roster ( they won national championship with those guys) -- beat Alabama -8-3 and no bowl!! we did that without BVD