Top 25
6-45-1
- Games
- 52
- Win rate
- 12.5%
Back to Coaches
Longevity CoachOffense-First
Coach Profile
Jim Walden
1978-1994 • Iowa State, Washington State
2 schools coached, anchored by Washington State.
Jim Walden coached 17 seasons, won 38.6%, and posted an average SRS of -0.7. Best season: 1981 Washington State. The profile was offense-first with a swing-heavy profile. 2 stints shaped the career arc.
- Career record
- 69-112-7
- Career win rate
- 38.6%
- Average SRS
- -0.7
- Peak SRS
- 13.8
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
- 17
- Career span
- 17 years
- Best finish
- —
- Consistency
- 54.2
Primary school anchor
Washington State
Offense-First profile with 2 program stops and a peak score of 70.7.
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.
Jim Walden
EliteStrongAverageLean
Jim Walden: 1987 Iowa State
1978Actual season year • SRS range -13.5 to 13.81994
Active comparison point
Jim Walden • 1981
1981 Washington State
Best seasonBiggest improvement8-3-1 • SRS 13.8 • SP Overall 14.5
Win %
70.8%
YoY SRS
+9.1
SP Off / Def
30.7 / 17.4
Finish
Unranked
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
2-20
- Games
- 22
- Win rate
- 9.1%
Top 5
1-14
- Games
- 15
- Win rate
- 6.7%
View ranked game results52
| 1994 Regular Week 13 | Iowa State | Colorado | #7 | L20-41 |
| 1994 Regular Week 12 | Iowa State | Nebraska | #1 | L12-28 |
| 1994 Regular Week 11 | Iowa State | Kansas State | #15 | L20-38 |
| 1994 Regular Week 6 | Iowa State | Oklahoma | #21 | L6-34 |
| 1993 Regular Week 13 | Iowa State | Colorado | #18 | L16-21 |
| 1993 Regular Week 12 | Iowa State | Nebraska | #4 | L17-49 |
| 1993 Regular Week 11 | Iowa State | Kansas State | #18 | W27-23 |
| 1993 Regular Week 6 | Iowa State | Oklahoma | #10 | L7-24 |
| 1993 Regular Week 4 | Iowa State | Wisconsin | #24 | L7-28 |
| 1992 Regular Week 13 | Iowa State | Colorado | #11 | L10-31 |
| 1992 Regular Week 12 | Iowa State | Nebraska | #7 | W19-10 |
| 1992 Regular Week 8 | Iowa State | Kansas | #25 | L47-50 |
| 1992 Regular Week 6 | Iowa State | Oklahoma | #19 | L3-17 |
| 1991 Regular Week 13 | Iowa State | Colorado | #15 | L14-17 |
| 1991 Regular Week 12 | Iowa State | Nebraska | #11 | L13-38 |
| 1991 Regular Week 6 | Iowa State | Oklahoma | #5 | L8-29 |
| 1991 Regular Week 3 | Iowa State | Iowa | #14 | L10-29 |
| 1990 Regular Week 10 | Iowa State | Nebraska | #3 | L13-45 |
| 1990 Regular Week 9 | Iowa State | Oklahoma | #22 | W33-31 |
| 1990 Regular Week 8 | Iowa State | Colorado | #14 | L12-28 |
| 1989 Regular Week 9 | Iowa State | Nebraska | #4 | L17-49 |
| 1989 Regular Week 8 | Iowa State | Oklahoma | #25 | L40-43 |
| 1989 Regular Week 7 | Iowa State | Colorado | #3 | L17-52 |
| 1988 Regular Week 13 | Iowa State | Oklahoma State | #13 | L28-49 |
| 1988 Regular Week 11 | Iowa State | Nebraska | #7 | L16-51 |
| 1988 Regular Week 6 | Iowa State | Oklahoma | #10 | L7-35 |
| 1987 Regular Week 13 | Iowa State | Oklahoma State | #12 | L27-48 |
| 1987 Regular Week 11 | Iowa State | Nebraska | #2 | L3-42 |
| 1987 Regular Week 6 | Iowa State | Oklahoma | #1 | L3-56 |
| 1987 Regular Week 4 | Iowa State | Iowa | #19 | L9-48 |
| 1986 Regular Week 13 | Washington State | Washington | #13 | L23-44 |
| 1986 Regular Week 11 | Washington State | Arizona | #14 | L6-31 |
| 1986 Regular Week 9 | Washington State | UCLA | #15 | L16-54 |
| 1986 Regular Week 7 | Washington State | USC | #15 | W34-14 |
| 1986 Regular Week 5 | Washington State | Arizona State | #16 | T21-21 |
| 1985 Regular Week 8 | Washington State | UCLA | #18 | L30-31 |
| 1985 Regular Week 5 | Washington State | Ohio State | #5 | L32-48 |
| 1984 Regular Week 13 | Washington State | Washington | #5 | L29-38 |
| 1984 Regular Week 4 | Washington State | Ohio State | #5 | L0-44 |
| 1983 Regular Week 4 | Washington State | Arizona | #4 | L6-45 |
| 1983 Regular Week 3 | Washington State | Michigan | #8 | L17-20 |
| 1982 Regular Week 12 | Washington State | Washington | #5 | W24-20 |
| 1982 Regular Week 7 | Washington State | UCLA | #12 | L17-42 |
| 1981 Regular Week 12 | Washington State | Washington | #17 | L10-23 |
| 1981 Regular Week 9 | Washington State | USC | #4 | L17-41 |
| 1981 Regular Week 4 | Washington State | Arizona State | #18 | W24-21 |
| 1981 Postseason Week 1 | Washington State | BYU | #13 | L36-38 |
| 1980 Regular Week 13 | Washington State | Washington | #15 | L23-30 |
| 1979 Regular Week 12 | Washington State | Washington | #14 | L7-17 |
| 1979 Regular Week 6 | Washington State | USC | #1 | L21-50 |
| 1979 Regular Week 4 | Washington State | Ohio State | #14 | L29-45 |
| 1978 Regular Week 7 | Washington State | UCLA | #10 | L31-45 |
Tenure map
Each stint expands by seasons coached. Deeper color signals a stronger average SRS over that stretch.
Length = seasons coachedDeeper color = stronger stint
Iowa State
1987-1994 • 8 seasons
Avg SRS -5.1 • Win % 33.5%
Washington State
1978-1986 • 9 seasons
Avg SRS 3.1 • Win % 43.0%
- Longest tenure
- Washington State • 9 seasons
- Best tenure
- Washington State • 3.1 SRS
- Best tenure win rate
- Washington State • 43.0%
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.
Jim Walden sets the reference point in overall strength.
Overall Strength
Decisive edgeJim Walden sets the reference point in overall strength.
Normalized score; raw SP overall stays underneath for reference.
Jim Walden
Mixed
- Raw avg SP Overall
- -1.8
- Percentile
- 50th pct
Mixed
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.
Iowa State
1987-1994 • 28-57-3
Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg SRS -5.1Win % 33.5%
Avg wins
Higher is better
3.5 during vs 3.6 baseline
-0.1
Avg SRS
Higher is better
-5.1 during vs -6.7 baseline
+1.6
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
-6.9 during vs -6.6 baseline
-0.3
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
0.0% during vs 0.0% baseline
+0.0%
Washington State
1978-1986 • 41-55-4
Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg SRS 3.1Win % 43.0%
Avg wins
Higher is better
4.6 during vs 3.8 baseline
+0.8
Avg SRS
Higher is better
3.1 during vs 2.0 baseline
+1.1
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
2.7 during vs -2.4 baseline
+5.1
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
0.0% during vs 0.0% baseline
+0.0%
Career highs and lows
High Points
Best Season
Washington State 1981
8-3-1 • SRS 13.8
Biggest Improvement
Washington State 1981
8-3-1 • 9.1 SRS
Best Offensive Season
Washington State 1984
6-5 • SP Off 38.7
Best Defensive Season
Washington State 1981
8-3-1 • SP Def 17.4
Setbacks
Worst Season
Iowa State 1987
3-8 • SRS -13.5
Biggest Drop
Washington State 1982
3-7-1 • -17.7 SRS
Season-by-season results
Full transparency into every season in the coaching record. Positive YoY values indicate improvement from the prior season.
| Iowa State | 1994 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 4.5% | — | — | -11.6 | -14.0 | 25.6 | 36.6 | -10.8 | -22.7% |
| Iowa State | 1993 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 27.3% | — | — | -0.8 | -4.4 | 30.1 | 34.1 | -2.5 | -9.1% |
| Iowa State | 1992 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 36.4% | — | — | 1.7 | 0.5 | 26.8 | 26.7 | +8.7 | +4.5% |
| Iowa State | 1991 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 31.8% | — | — | -7.0 | -11.3 | 16.7 | 27.3 | -6.8 | -9.1% |
| Iowa State | 1990 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 40.9% | — | — | -0.2 | -0.5 | 32.6 | 33.4 | +4.1 | -13.6% |
| Iowa State | 1989 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 54.5% | — | — | -4.3 | -5.1 | 30.9 | 35.3 | +0.7 | +9.1% |
| Iowa State | 1988 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 45.5% | — | — | -5.0 | -5.7 | 22.6 | 28.2 | +8.5 | +18.2% |
| Iowa State | 1987 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 27.3% | — | — | -13.5 | -14.9 | 26.6 | 38.3 | -14.2 | -4.5% |
| Washington State | 1986 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 31.8% | — | — | 0.7 | 1.8 | 30.1 | 29.4 | -4.0 | -4.5% |
| Washington State | 1985 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 36.4% | — | — | 4.7 | 6.9 | 34.2 | 29.4 | +2.0 | -18.2% |
| Washington State | 1984 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 54.5% | — | — | 2.7 | 7.5 | 38.7 | 33.0 | -2.2 | -9.1% |
| Washington State | 1983 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 63.6% | — | — | 4.9 | 11.3 | 29.9 | 19.8 | +8.8 | +31.8% |
| Washington State | 1982 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 31.8% | — | — | -3.9 | -12.4 | 16.8 | 28.3 | -17.7 | -39.0% |
| Washington State | 1981 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 70.8% | — | — | 13.8 | 14.5 | 30.7 | 17.4 | +9.1 | +34.5% |
| Washington State | 1980 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 36.4% | — | — | 4.7 | -1.0 | 30.5 | 32.0 | +7.1 | +9.1% |
| Washington State | 1979 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 27.3% | — | — | -2.4 | -4.7 | 32.2 | 36.0 | -5.5 | -4.5% |
| Washington State | 1978 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 31.8% | — | — | 3.1 | 0.4 | 33.3 | 33.5 | — | — |
Similar coaches
Related profiles are matched by style, strength band, volatility band, peak range, and career length.
Bill Lewis
same offense-first identity • avg SRS within 0.3
Avg SRS -0.5 • Peak SRS 8.5 • 8 seasons
Best finish #9 • Volatility 4.8
Open profile →Pat Hill
same offense-first identity • avg SRS within 1.0
Avg SRS 0.3 • Peak SRS 14.6 • 15 seasons
Best finish #22 • Volatility 6.2
Open profile →Ken Niumatalolo
same offense-first identity • avg SRS within 0.7
Avg SRS -0.0 • Peak SRS 13.5 • 18 seasons
Best finish #18 • Volatility 7.2
Open profile →Claude Gilbert
same offense-first identity • avg SRS within 1.0
Avg SRS 0.2 • Peak SRS 11.7 • 14 seasons
Best finish #16 • Volatility 8.4
Open profile →John Smith
same offense-first identity • volatility within 0.0
Avg SRS 1.9 • Peak SRS 11.1 • 13 seasons
Best finish #17 • Volatility 6.5
Open profile →Tommy West
same offense-first identity • volatility within 1.2
Avg SRS -3.1 • Peak SRS 12.1 • 15 seasons
Best finish #23 • Volatility 7.6
Open profile →