[Spiny_Norman]

Tyrone Willingham 44-36-1 (55%) [4 winning seasons in 7 years, 1 conference title]

One almost has to add that the one conference title happened not so mach because Stanford was good, but rather because everybody else was simultaneously bad. The stars aligned. I think Willingham was a good coach at Stanford, and I was sorry to see him leave. However, there was some good karma required.

I think that people need regular reminding of how low the bar was for football success at Stanford before Harbaugh and Shaw. Ty Willingham's record placed him 3rd ALL TIME at Stanford in terms of # of wins when he left for South Bend. He was only behind Pop Warner and John Ralston. (Stanford lists James Lanagan with more wins than Willingham, but I think some of those were rugby, not football). Of course, he has since been passed by Shaw.

In terms of on field results, Willingham way overachieved at Stanford. But I still would place him behind the coach who did the most to change the culture at Stanford in the 35 years or so between Ralston and Harbaugh - Denny Green. He was the first to prove that Stanford could play smash mouth offense and "impose our will" defense. He was also a great recruiter. He was such a good fit at Stanford. If he had stayed for 7 years (same term as Willingham), I believe that his record would have been at least as good.

[Spiny_Norman]

Tyrone Willingham 44-36-1 (55%) [4 winning seasons in 7 years, 1 conference title]

One almost has to add that the one conference title happened not so mach because Stanford was good, but rather because everybody else was simultaneously bad. The stars aligned. I think Willingham was a good coach at Stanford, and I was sorry to see him leave. However, there was some good karma required.

I think that people need regular reminding of how low the bar was for football success at Stanford before Harbaugh and Shaw. Ty Willingham's record placed him 3rd ALL TIME at Stanford in terms of # of wins when he left for South Bend. He was only behind Pop Warner and John Ralston. (Stanford lists James Lanagan with more wins than Willingham, but I think some of those were rugby, not football). Of course, he has since been passed by Shaw.

In terms of on field results, Willingham way overachieved at Stanford. But I still would place him behind the coach who did the most to change the culture at Stanford in the 35 years or so between Ralston and Harbaugh - Denny Green. He was the first to prove that Stanford could play smash mouth offense and "impose our will" defense. He was also a great recruiter. He was such a good fit at Stanford. If he had stayed for 7 years (same term as Willingham), I believe that his record would have been at least as good.