Top 25
9-30-3
- Games
- 42
- Win rate
- 25.0%
Back to Coaches
Peak DominatorBalancedLong Career
Coach Profile
Pappy Waldorf
1929-1956 • California, Kansas State, Northwestern, Oklahoma State
4 schools coached, anchored by Northwestern.
Pappy Waldorf coached 28 seasons, won 62.8%, and posted an average SRS of 11.1. Best season: 1949 California. The profile was balanced with a swing-heavy profile. 4 stints shaped the career arc.
- Career record
- 157-89-19
- Career win rate
- 62.8%
- Average SRS
- 11.1
- Peak SRS
- 26.9
Career Dossier
One glance at the full arc.
The profile below keeps the headline numbers visible, then moves into tenure shape, school impact, and full season detail.
- Seasons coached
- 28
- Career span
- 28 years
- Best finish
- #3
- Consistency
- 36.6
Primary school anchor
Northwestern
Balanced profile with 4 program stops and a peak score of 94.5.
Career Arc
Track how the coach's season-to-season performance changed over time, where the peak landed, and where each school stint appears.
Focus on where peaks separate, where floors hold, and how the shape of each career changed over time.
Pappy Waldorf
EliteStrongAverageLean
Pappy Waldorf: 1934 Kansas StatePappy Waldorf: 1935 NorthwesternPappy Waldorf: 1947 California
1929Actual season year • SRS range -4.6 to 26.91956
Active comparison point
Pappy Waldorf • 1949
1949 California
Best season10-1 • SRS 26.9 • SP Overall —
Win %
90.9%
YoY SRS
+9.3
SP Off / Def
— / —
Finish
#3
Comparison context
Focus a point to inspect how it stacks up against the rest of the field.
Ranked opponent record
Track career record against ranked opponents with switchable poll source and ranking timing.
Using AP Top 25 rankings at the time of each game; week-one games use the week-one ranking release when available.
Top 10
1-22-2
- Games
- 25
- Win rate
- 8.0%
Top 5
0-7-1
- Games
- 8
- Win rate
- 6.3%
View ranked game results42
| 1956 Regular Week 9 | California | USC | #14 | L7-20 |
| 1956 Regular Week 3 | California | Illinois | #13 | L20-32 |
| 1955 Regular Week 10 | California | Stanford | #18 | L0-19 |
| 1955 Regular Week 7 | California | UCLA | #6 | L0-47 |
| 1955 Regular Week 6 | California | USC | #10 | L6-33 |
| 1954 Regular Week 7 | California | UCLA | #3 | L6-27 |
| 1954 Regular Week 6 | California | USC | #17 | L27-29 |
| 1954 Regular Week 3 | California | Ohio State | #14 | L13-21 |
| 1953 Regular Week 10 | California | Stanford | #19 | T21-21 |
| 1953 Regular Week 7 | California | UCLA | #9 | L7-20 |
| 1953 Regular Week 6 | California | USC | #7 | L20-32 |
| 1953 Regular Week 3 | California | Ohio State | #3 | L19-33 |
| 1953 Regular Week 1 | California | Baylor | #20 | L0-25 |
| 1952 Regular Week 8 | California | UCLA | #4 | L7-28 |
| 1952 Regular Week 7 | California | USC | #6 | L0-10 |
| 1951 Regular Week 8 | California | UCLA | #18 | L7-21 |
| 1951 Regular Week 6 | California | USC | #7 | L14-21 |
| 1951 Regular Week 5 | California | Washington State | #18 | W42-35 |
| 1950 Regular Week 8 | California | Washington | #19 | W14-7 |
| 1950 Postseason Week 1 | California | Michigan | #9 | L6-14 |
| 1949 Postseason Week 1 | California | Ohio State | #6 | L14-17 |
| 1948 Postseason Week 1 | California | Northwestern | #7 | L14-20 |
| 1947 Regular Week 8 | California | UCLA | #17 | W6-0 |
| 1947 Regular Week 7 | California | USC | #4 | L14-39 |
| 1947 Regular Week 5 | California | Wisconsin | #19 | W48-7 |
| 1946 Regular Week 6 | Northwestern | Michigan | #10 | T14-14 |
| 1946 Regular Week 4 | Northwestern | Wisconsin | #18 | W28-0 |
| 1945 Regular Week 5 | Northwestern | Michigan | #7 | L7-20 |
| 1945 Regular Week 4 | Northwestern | Indiana | #5 | T7-7 |
| 1944 Regular Week 8 | Northwestern | Michigan | #8 | L0-27 |
| 1944 Regular Week 7 | Northwestern | Great Lakes Navy | #12 | L0-25 |
| 1943 Regular Week 4 | Northwestern | Michigan | #7 | L7-21 |
| 1942 Regular Week 7 | Northwestern | Ohio State | #3 | L6-20 |
| 1942 Regular Week 6 | Northwestern | Michigan | #4 | L16-34 |
| 1942 Regular Week 4 | Northwestern | Texas | #14 | W3-0 |
| 1941 Regular Week 7 | Northwestern | Minnesota | #1 | L7-8 |
| 1941 Regular Week 6 | Northwestern | Ohio State | #14 | W14-7 |
| 1941 Regular Week 5 | Northwestern | Michigan | #7 | L7-14 |
| 1939 Regular Week 5 | Northwestern | Ohio State | #8 | L0-13 |
| 1939 Regular Week 4 | Northwestern | Oklahoma | #6 | L0-23 |
| 1938 Regular Week 7 | Northwestern | Minnesota | #10 | W6-3 |
| 1936 Regular Week 5 | Northwestern | Ohio State | #18 | W14-13 |
Tenure map
Each stint expands by seasons coached. Deeper color signals a stronger average SRS over that stretch.
Length = seasons coachedDeeper color = stronger stint
California
1947-1956 • 10 seasons
Avg SRS 12.8 • Win % 67.0%
Northwestern
1935-1946 • 12 seasons
Avg SRS 12.8 • Win % 52.0%
Kansas State
1934-1934 • 1 seasons
Avg SRS 8.8 • Win % 75.0%
Oklahoma State
1929-1933 • 5 seasons
Avg SRS 4.3 • Win % 73.5%
- Longest tenure
- Northwestern • 12 seasons
- Best tenure
- Northwestern • 12.8 SRS
- Best tenure win rate
- Kansas State • 75.0%
Style and Strength Profile
Compare strength, identity, steadiness, and ceiling through normalized bars with raw SP and SRS context underneath.
These bars are normalized against the full coach dataset. Raw SP and SRS values stay visible so the profile reads as evidence, not decoration.
Overall Strength
Start with total quality before splitting style and variance.
Not enough data to compare.
Overall Strength
Decisive edgeNot enough data to compare.
Normalized score; raw SP overall stays underneath for reference.
Pappy Waldorf
Insufficient sample
- Raw avg SP Overall
- —
- Percentile
- —
Insufficient sample
Normalized against the full tracked coach pool.
Impact by school
See how each stint compared with what that program usually looked like outside that same span.
California
1947-1956 • 67-32-4
Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg SRS 12.8Win % 67.0%
Avg wins
Higher is better
6.7 during vs 3.6 baseline
+3.1
Avg SRS
Higher is better
12.8 during vs -3.0 baseline
+15.8
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
— during vs — baseline
—
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
50.0% during vs 0.0% baseline
+50.0%
Northwestern
1935-1946 • 49-45-7
Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg SRS 12.8Win % 52.0%
Avg wins
Higher is better
4.1 during vs 4.2 baseline
-0.1
Avg SRS
Higher is better
12.8 during vs 13.8 baseline
-1.0
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
— during vs — baseline
—
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
41.7% during vs 0.0% baseline
+41.7%
Kansas State
1934-1934 • 7-2-1
Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg SRS 8.8Win % 75.0%
Avg wins
Higher is better
7.0 during vs 5.2 baseline
+1.8
Avg SRS
Higher is better
8.8 during vs 3.7 baseline
+5.1
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
— during vs — baseline
—
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
0.0% during vs 0.0% baseline
+0.0%
Oklahoma State
1929-1933 • 34-10-7
Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg SRS 4.3Win % 73.5%
Avg wins
Higher is better
6.8 during vs 3.2 baseline
+3.6
Avg SRS
Higher is better
4.3 during vs -4.5 baseline
+8.7
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
— during vs — baseline
—
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
0.0% during vs 0.0% baseline
+0.0%
Career highs and lows
High Points
Best Season
California 1949
10-1 • SRS 26.9
Biggest Improvement
Northwestern 1940
6-2 • 18.8 SRS
Best Offensive Season
Unavailable
Best Defensive Season
Unavailable
Setbacks
Worst Season
Oklahoma State 1929
4-3-2 • SRS -4.6
Biggest Drop
Northwestern 1944
1-7-1 • -19.7 SRS
Season-by-season results
Full transparency into every season in the coaching record. Positive YoY values indicate improvement from the prior season.
| California | 1956 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 30.0% | — | — | 6.5 | — | — | — | +9.1 | +5.0% |
| California | 1955 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 25.0% | — | — | -2.6 | — | — | — | -11.1 | -25.0% |
| California | 1954 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 50.0% | #12 | — | 8.5 | — | — | — | +1.5 | 0.0% |
| California | 1953 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 50.0% | #14 | — | 7.0 | — | — | — | -10.6 | -20.0% |
| California | 1952 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 70.0% | #8 | — | 17.6 | — | — | — | +1.1 | -10.0% |
| California | 1951 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 80.0% | #5 | #12 | 16.5 | — | — | — | +0.9 | -6.4% |
| California | 1950 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 86.4% | #14 | #5 | 15.6 | — | — | — | -11.3 | -4.5% |
| California | 1949 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 90.9% | — | #3 | 26.9 | — | — | — | +9.3 | 0.0% |
| California | 1948 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 90.9% | — | #4 | 17.6 | — | — | — | +3.7 | +0.9% |
| California | 1947 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 90.0% | — | #15 | 13.9 | — | — | — | -2.5 | +40.0% |
| Northwestern | 1946 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 50.0% | — | — | 16.4 | — | — | — | +1.5 | 0.0% |
| Northwestern | 1945 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 50.0% | — | — | 14.9 | — | — | — | +11.8 | +33.3% |
| Northwestern | 1944 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 16.7% | — | — | 3.1 | — | — | — | -19.7 | -58.3% |
| Northwestern | 1943 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 75.0% | — | #9 | 22.8 | — | — | — | +18.5 | +65.0% |
| Northwestern | 1942 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 10.0% | — | — | 4.3 | — | — | — | -14.7 | -52.5% |
| Northwestern | 1941 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 62.5% | — | #11 | 19.0 | — | — | — | -4.0 | -12.5% |
| Northwestern | 1940 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 75.0% | — | #8 | 23.0 | — | — | — | +18.8 | +31.3% |
| Northwestern | 1939 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 43.8% | — | — | 4.2 | — | — | — | -9.7 | -18.8% |
| Northwestern | 1938 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 62.5% | — | #17 | 13.9 | — | — | — | +6.5 | +12.5% |
| Northwestern | 1937 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 50.0% | — | — | 7.4 | — | — | — | -4.6 | -37.5% |
| Northwestern | 1936 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 87.5% | — | #7 | 12.0 | — | — | — | -0.7 | +31.3% |
| Northwestern | 1935 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 56.3% | — | — | 12.7 | — | — | — | +3.9 | -18.8% |
| Kansas State | 1934 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 75.0% | — | — | 8.8 | — | — | — | -3.2 | +2.8% |
| Oklahoma State | 1933 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 72.2% | — | — | 12.0 | — | — | — | +8.1 | -11.1% |
| Oklahoma State | 1932 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 83.3% | — | — | 3.9 | — | — | — | +3.1 | +6.1% |
| Oklahoma State | 1931 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 77.3% | — | — | 0.8 | — | — | — | -8.5 | +2.3% |
| Oklahoma State | 1930 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 75.0% | — | — | 9.3 | — | — | — | +13.9 | +19.4% |
| Oklahoma State | 1929 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 55.6% | — | — | -4.6 | — | — | — | — | — |
Similar coaches
Related profiles are matched by style, strength band, volatility band, peak range, and career length.
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same balanced identity • avg SRS within 0.1
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Best finish #2 • Volatility 7.4
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same balanced identity • avg SRS within 0.3
Avg SRS 11.4 • Peak SRS 36.4 • 29 seasons
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Avg SRS 12.4 • Peak SRS 28.3 • 14 seasons
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Open profile →Madison Bell
same balanced identity • volatility within 0.7
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Open profile →