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Coach Profile

Joe Paterno

1966-2011 • Penn State

One defining program at Penn State.

Joe Paterno's coaching record is 409-136-3, highlighted by seasons at Penn State from 1966 to 2011.

Joe Paterno coached 46 seasons, won 74.9%, and posted an average SRS of 15.6. Best season: 1994 Penn State. The profile was balanced with a highly volatile profile. One primary stint defined the run.

Compare this coachAll coach recordsRanked opponent recordJump to seasons
Career record
409-136-3
Career win rate
74.9%
Average SRS
15.6
Peak SRS
30.6

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
46
Career span
46 years
Best finish
#1
Consistency
32.2

Primary school anchor

Penn State

Balanced profile with 1 program stop and a peak score of 97.0.

Quick Answers

Records fans search first

Headline records use countable season rows after completed-game fallback. Partial seasons and provisional placeholders are called out separately.

Compare Joe Paterno
Overall record
409-136-3

548 countable games, 74.9% win rate.

Penn State record
409-136-3

46 countable seasons at Penn State.

Full-season record
401-135-3

45 full season rows; partial and backfilled current rows are separated.

Partial-season record
8-1

Rows where the coach-season record covers fewer games than the team's completed season.

Vs AP Top 25
81-83-1

165 games using AP ranking at game time.

Vs AP Top 10
24-50

74 games using AP ranking at game time.

Vs AP Top 5
7-36

43 games using AP ranking at game time.

Vs Pittsburgh
23-7-1

Keystone Classic games in this dataset.

Postseason / bowl record
24-12-1

37 scored postseason games in this dataset.

CFP record
0-0

0 College Football Playoff-labeled games since 2014.

National titles
2

Matched by coach team-season against the national championship dataset.

Record definition and data status

Career records use countable coach-season rows. Zero-game placeholders are excluded from aggregates until a completed-game fallback can verify the record.

Completed-game fallback uses scored games joined by coach, team, and season; advanced ratings are left blank when the season summary has not supplied them.

Latest completed coached game in this dataset: Jan 2, 2012. Current and future zero-game placeholders are kept visible but excluded from headline records.

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.

Joe Paterno
EliteStrongAverageLean
1966Actual season year • SRS range 0.9 to 30.62011

Active comparison point

Joe Paterno • 1994

Selected

1994 Penn State

Best season

12-0 • SRS 30.6 • SP Overall 31.9

Win %

100.0%

YoY SRS

+13.5

SP Off / Def

53.1 / 26.6

Finish

#2

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.

Poll source
Ranking timing

Top 25

81-83-1

Games
165
Win rate
49.4%

Top 10

24-50

Games
74
Win rate
32.4%

Top 5

7-36

Games
43
Win rate
16.3%
View ranked game results165
2010 Regular Week 13Penn StateMichigan State#11L22-28
2010 Regular Week 11Penn StateOhio State#8L14-38
2010 Regular Week 5Penn StateIowa#17L3-24
2010 Regular Week 2Penn StateAlabama#1L3-24
2009 Regular Week 10Penn StateOhio State#15L7-24
2009 Postseason Week 1Penn StateLSU#17W19-17
2008 Regular Week 13Penn StateMichigan State#17W49-18
2008 Regular Week 9Penn StateOhio State#10W13-6
2008 Regular Week 5Penn StateIllinois#22W38-24
2008 Postseason Week 1Penn StateUSC#3L24-38
2007 Regular Week 9Penn StateOhio State#1L17-37
2007 Regular Week 7Penn StateWisconsin#19W38-7
2006 Regular Week 10Penn StateWisconsin#17L3-13
2006 Regular Week 7Penn StateMichigan#4L10-17
2006 Regular Week 4Penn StateOhio State#1L6-28
2006 Regular Week 2Penn StateNotre Dame#4L17-41
2006 Postseason Week 1Penn StateTennessee#25W20-10
2005 Regular Week 10Penn StateWisconsin#14W35-14
2005 Regular Week 6Penn StateOhio State#6W17-10
2005 Regular Week 5Penn StateMinnesota#18W44-14
2005 Postseason Week 1Penn StateFlorida State#23W26-23
2004 Regular Week 9Penn StateIowa#25L4-6
2004 Regular Week 7Penn StatePurdue#9L13-20
2004 Regular Week 6Penn StateMinnesota#18L7-16
2004 Regular Week 5Penn StateWisconsin#20L3-16
2003 Regular Week 11Penn StateOhio State#8L20-21
2003 Regular Week 10Penn StateIowa#16L14-26
2003 Regular Week 8Penn StatePurdue#18L14-28
2003 Regular Week 6Penn StateMinnesota#24L14-20
2003 Regular Week 4Penn StateNebraska#18L10-18
2002 Regular Week 10Penn StateOhio State#4L7-13
2002 Regular Week 8Penn StateMichigan#13L24-27
2002 Regular Week 7Penn StateWisconsin#19W34-31
2002 Regular Week 4Penn StateNebraska#8W40-7
2002 Postseason Week 1Penn StateAuburn#19L9-13
2001 Regular Week 12Penn StateIllinois#15L28-33
2001 Regular Week 7Penn StateMichigan#15L0-20
2001 Regular Week 2Penn StateMiami#2L7-33
2000 Regular Week 12Penn StateMichigan#20L11-33
2000 Regular Week 6Penn StatePurdue#22W22-20
2000 Regular Week 5Penn StateOhio State#14L6-45
2000 Regular Week 1Penn StateUSC#15L5-29
1999 Regular Week 13Penn StateMichigan State#15L28-35
1999 Regular Week 12Penn StateMichigan#16L27-31
1999 Regular Week 9Penn StatePurdue#16W31-25
1999 Regular Week 8Penn StateOhio State#18W23-10
1999 Regular Week 4Penn StateMiami#8W27-23
1999 Regular Week 1Penn StateArizona#4W41-7
1999 Postseason Week 1Penn StateTexas A&M#23W24-0
1998 Regular Week 13Penn StateWisconsin#10L3-24
1998 Regular Week 11Penn StateMichigan#15L0-27
1998 Regular Week 6Penn StateOhio State#1L9-28
1997 Regular Week 14Penn StateWisconsin#24W35-10
1997 Regular Week 13Penn StatePurdue#19W42-17
1997 Regular Week 12Penn StateMichigan#4L8-34
1997 Regular Week 8Penn StateOhio State#7W31-27
1997 Postseason Week 1Penn StateFlorida#4L6-21
1996 Regular Week 13Penn StateMichigan#16W29-17
1996 Regular Week 11Penn StateNorthwestern#11W34-9
1996 Regular Week 7Penn StateOhio State#3L7-38
1996 Regular Week 1Penn StateUSC#7W24-7
1996 Postseason Week 1Penn StateTexas#23W38-15
1995 Regular Week 13Penn StateMichigan#12W27-17
1995 Regular Week 11Penn StateNorthwestern#6L10-21
1995 Regular Week 9Penn StateIowa#18W41-27
1995 Regular Week 7Penn StateOhio State#5L25-28
1995 Postseason Week 1Penn StateAuburn#22W43-14
1994 Regular Week 10Penn StateOhio State#21W63-14
1994 Regular Week 8Penn StateMichigan#5W31-24
1994 Regular Week 3Penn StateUSC#14W38-14
1994 Postseason Week 1Penn StateOregon#11W38-20
1993 Regular Week 14Penn StateMichigan State#25W38-37
1993 Regular Week 11Penn StateIndiana#17W38-31
1993 Regular Week 10Penn StateOhio State#3L6-24
1993 Regular Week 8Penn StateMichigan#18L13-21
1993 Postseason Week 1Penn StateTennessee#12W31-13
1992 Regular Week 12Penn StateNotre Dame#8L16-17
1992 Regular Week 8Penn StateBoston College#20L32-35
1992 Regular Week 7Penn StateMiami#2L14-17
1992 Postseason Week 1Penn StateStanford#9L3-24
1991 Regular Week 12Penn StateNotre Dame#12W35-13
1991 Regular Week 7Penn StateMiami#2L20-26
1991 Regular Week 1Penn StateGeorgia Tech#8W34-22
1991 Postseason Week 1Penn StateTennessee#14W42-17
1990 Regular Week 13Penn StateNotre Dame#7W24-21
1990 Regular Week 4Penn StateUSC#5L14-19
1990 Regular Week 3Penn StateTexas#23L13-17
1990 Postseason Week 1Penn StateFlorida State#4L17-24
1989 Regular Week 13Penn StatePittsburgh#19W16-13
1989 Regular Week 12Penn StateNotre Dame#1L23-34
1989 Regular Week 10Penn StateWest Virginia#13W19-9
1989 Regular Week 9Penn StateAlabama#6L16-17
1989 Postseason Week 1Penn StateBYU#22W50-39
1988 Regular Week 13Penn StateNotre Dame#1L3-21
1988 Regular Week 10Penn StateWest Virginia#7L30-51
1987 Regular Week 13Penn StateNotre Dame#10W21-20
1987 Regular Week 12Penn StatePittsburgh#19L0-10
1987 Regular Week 8Penn StateSyracuse#9L21-48
1987 Regular Week 3Penn StateAlabama#11L13-24
1987 Postseason Week 1Penn StateClemson#12L10-35
1986 Regular Week 9Penn StateAlabama#8W23-3
1986 Postseason Week 1Penn StateMiami#2W14-10
1985 Regular Week 7Penn StateAlabama#10W19-17
1985 Regular Week 2Penn StateMaryland#7W20-18
1985 Postseason Week 1Penn StateOklahoma#1L10-25
1984 Regular Week 11Penn StateBoston College#16W37-30
1984 Regular Week 10Penn StateWest Virginia#12L14-17
1984 Regular Week 6Penn StateTexas#1L3-28
1984 Regular Week 4Penn StateIowa#14W20-17
1983 Regular Week 13Penn StatePittsburgh#16T24-24
1983 Regular Week 10Penn StateBoston College#16L17-27
1983 Regular Week 9Penn StateWest Virginia#12W41-23
1983 Regular Week 7Penn StateAlabama#11W34-28
1983 Regular Week 4Penn StateIowa#7L34-42
1982 Regular Week 13Penn StatePittsburgh#5W19-10
1982 Regular Week 11Penn StateNotre Dame#13W24-14
1982 Regular Week 8Penn StateWest Virginia#13W24-0
1982 Regular Week 6Penn StateAlabama#4L21-42
1982 Regular Week 4Penn StateNebraska#2W27-24
1982 Postseason Week 1Penn StateGeorgia#4W27-23
1981 Regular Week 13Penn StatePittsburgh#1W48-14
1981 Regular Week 11Penn StateAlabama#6L16-31
1981 Regular Week 4Penn StateNebraska#15W30-24
1981 Postseason Week 1Penn StateUSC#14W26-10
1980 Regular Week 14Penn StatePittsburgh#4L9-14
1980 Regular Week 6Penn StateMissouri#19W29-21
1980 Regular Week 5Penn StateNebraska#3L7-21
1980 Postseason Week 1Penn StateOhio State#15W31-19
1979 Regular Week 14Penn StatePittsburgh#10L14-29
1979 Regular Week 5Penn StateNebraska#5L17-42
1978 Regular Week 13Penn StatePittsburgh#16W17-10
1978 Regular Week 10Penn StateMaryland#13W27-3
1978 Regular Week 3Penn StateOhio State#16W19-0
1978 Postseason Week 1Penn StateAlabama#1L7-14
1977 Regular Week 13Penn StatePittsburgh#10W15-13
1977 Regular Week 5Penn StateKentucky#16L20-24
1977 Regular Week 3Penn StateHouston#19W31-14
1977 Postseason Week 1Penn StateArizona State#18W42-30
1976 Regular Week 13Penn StatePittsburgh#1L7-24
1976 Regular Week 3Penn StateOhio State#2L7-12
1976 Postseason Week 1Penn StateNotre Dame#12L9-20
1975 Regular Week 12Penn StatePittsburgh#17W7-6
1975 Regular Week 9Penn StateMaryland#14W15-13
1975 Regular Week 6Penn StateWest Virginia#10W39-0
1975 Regular Week 3Penn StateOhio State#3L9-17
1975 Postseason Week 1Penn StateAlabama#3L6-13
1974 Regular Week 13Penn StatePittsburgh#18W31-10
1974 Regular Week 9Penn StateMaryland#15W24-17
1974 Regular Week 2Penn StateStanford#20W24-20
1974 Postseason Week 1Penn StateBaylor#14W41-20
1973 Regular Week 11Penn StateNC State#20W35-29
1973 Postseason Week 1Penn StateLSU#13W16-9
1972 Regular Week 8Penn StateWest Virginia#18W28-19
1972 Regular Week 2Penn StateTennessee#7L21-28
1972 Postseason Week 1Penn StateOklahoma#2L0-14
1971 Regular Week 13Penn StateTennessee#12L11-31
1971 Postseason Week 1Penn StateTexas#18W30-6
1970 Regular Week 5Penn StateColorado#17L13-41
1969 Postseason Week 1Penn StateMissouri#6W10-3
1968 Postseason Week 1Penn StateKansas#7W15-14
1967 Regular Week 10Penn StateNC State#10W13-8
1967 Regular Week 5Penn StateUCLA#4L15-17
1966 Regular Week 10Penn StateGeorgia Tech#5L0-21
1966 Regular Week 6Penn StateUCLA#3L11-49
1966 Regular Week 3Penn StateMichigan State#1L8-42

Tenure map

Each stint expands by seasons coached. Deeper color signals a stronger average SRS over that stretch.

Length = seasons coachedDeeper color = stronger stint

Penn State

1966-2011 • 46 seasons

Avg SRS 15.6 • Win % 74.9%

Longest tenure
Penn State • 46 seasons
Best tenure
Penn State • 15.6 SRS
Best tenure win rate
Penn State • 74.9%

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.

Joe Paterno sets the reference point in overall strength.

Overall Strength

Decisive edge

Joe Paterno sets the reference point in overall strength.

Normalized score; raw SP overall stays underneath for reference.

Joe Paterno

Elite

Raw avg SP Overall
19.4
Percentile
97th pct

Elite

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.

Penn State

1966-2011 • 409-136-3

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS 15.6Win % 74.9%

Avg wins

Higher is better

8.9 during vs 7.0 baseline

+1.9

Avg SRS

Higher is better

15.8 during vs 14.2 baseline

+1.7

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

19.6 during vs — baseline

—

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

71.1% during vs 40.0% baseline

+31.1%

Career highs and lows

High Points

Best Season

Penn State 1994

12-0 • SRS 30.6

Biggest Improvement

Penn State 2005

11-1 • 18.9 SRS

Best Offensive Season

Penn State 1994

12-0 • SP Off 53.1

Best Defensive Season

Penn State 1975

9-3 • SP Def 6.2

Setbacks

Lowest SRS Season

Penn State 2000

5-7 • SRS 0.9

Biggest Drop

Penn State 2000

5-7 • -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.

Penn State2011981088.9%——5.111.525.213.3+3.3+35.0%Partial season
Penn State20101376053.8%#19—1.86.629.223.5-11.2-30.8%Season summary
Penn State200913112084.6%#9#913.021.934.210.9-11.00.0%Season summary
Penn State200813112084.6%#22#824.029.541.113.5+12.5+15.4%Season summary
Penn State20071394069.2%#17—11.520.235.516.0+3.90.0%Season summary
Penn State20061394069.2%#19#247.612.724.912.0-15.9-22.4%Season summary
Penn State200512111091.7%—#323.529.338.29.0+18.9+55.3%Season summary
Penn State20041147036.4%——4.67.422.515.9+2.9+11.4%Season summary
Penn State20031239025.0%——1.72.825.723.4-16.1-44.2%Season summary
Penn State20021394069.2%#24#1617.820.840.621.8+11.9+23.8%Season summary
Penn State20011156045.5%——5.910.233.625.2+5.0+3.8%Season summary
Penn State20001257041.7%#22—0.92.429.227.7-19.7-35.3%Season summary
Penn State199913103076.9%#3#1120.626.142.017.7+3.7+1.9%Season summary
Penn State19981293075.0%#13#1716.922.235.414.1+6.10.0%Season summary
Penn State19971293075.0%#1#1610.812.837.226.1-7.9-9.6%Season summary
Penn State199613112084.6%#11#718.722.738.817.4-0.8+9.6%Season summary
Penn State19951293075.0%#4#1319.520.542.224.1-11.1-25.0%Season summary
Penn State1994121200100.0%#9#230.631.953.126.6+13.5+16.7%Season summary
Penn State199312102083.3%#16#817.119.739.321.6+4.2+25.0%Season summary
Penn State19921275058.3%#8—12.914.938.725.5-9.2-26.3%Season summary
Penn State199113112084.6%#7#322.127.242.717.5+6.7+9.6%Season summary
Penn State19901293075.0%#21#1115.420.733.513.5+3.4+4.2%Season summary
Penn State19891283170.8%#11#1512.017.429.412.5+2.9+25.4%Season summary
Penn State19881156045.5%#20—9.19.427.819.2+1.5-21.2%Season summary
Penn State19871284066.7%#11—7.610.130.922.5-15.8-33.3%Season summary
Penn State1986121200100.0%#6#123.428.437.69.2+7.6+8.3%Season summary
Penn State198512111091.7%#18#315.818.929.912.0+12.0+37.1%Season summary
Penn State19841165054.5%#11—3.87.325.118.8-4.4-10.8%Season summary
Penn State19831384165.4%#4—8.214.935.722.4-17.6-26.3%Season summary
Penn State198212111091.7%#8#125.829.543.415.0-3.5+8.3%Season summary
Penn State198112102083.3%#7#329.335.043.48.6+6.30.0%Season summary
Penn State198012102083.3%#18#823.029.538.88.6+7.0+16.7%Season summary
Penn State19791284066.7%#5#2016.023.232.610.3-6.9-25.0%Season summary
Penn State197812111091.7%#3#422.927.735.48.2-1.80.0%Season summary
Penn State197712111091.7%#13#524.732.644.112.3+11.9+33.3%Season summary
Penn State19761275058.3%#10—12.812.626.614.2-5.1-16.7%Season summary
Penn State19751293075.0%#6#1017.925.229.96.2+1.6-8.3%Season summary
Penn State197412102083.3%#8#716.316.830.715.2-10.2-16.7%Season summary
Penn State1973121200100.0%#7#526.526.740.816.0+8.1+16.7%Season summary
Penn State197212102083.3%#5#1018.420.737.417.7-7.7-8.3%Season summary
Penn State197112111091.7%#12#526.122.741.320.9+14.1+21.7%Season summary
Penn State19701073070.0%#7#1812.012.834.022.4-11.3-30.0%Season summary
Penn State1969111100100.0%#3#223.3———+1.60.0%Season summary
Penn State1968111100100.0%#8#221.7———+5.4+22.7%Season summary
Penn State19671182177.3%—#1016.3———+13.9+27.3%Season summary
Penn State19661055050.0%——2.4—————Season summary

Similar coaches

Popular comparisons are fan-facing matchups. Statistical comps are matched by style, strength band, volatility band, peak range, and career length.

Statistical comps

Pop Warner

same balanced identity • avg SRS within 0.7

Balanced

Avg SRS 16.3 • Peak SRS 41.4 • 42 seasons

Best finish Unranked • Volatility 10.4

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Bobby Bowden

same balanced identity • avg SRS within 1.4

Balanced

Avg SRS 17.0 • Peak SRS 30.5 • 40 seasons

Best finish #1 • Volatility 9.1

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Bear Bryant

same balanced identity • volatility within 0.0

Balanced

Avg SRS 19.6 • Peak SRS 33.0 • 38 seasons

Best finish #1 • Volatility 7.9

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Howard Jones

same balanced identity • avg SRS within 0.6

Balanced

Avg SRS 16.1 • Peak SRS 35.3 • 29 seasons

Best finish #0 • Volatility 11.8

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Amos Alonzo Stagg

same balanced identity

Balanced

Avg SRS 10.9 • Peak SRS 42.2 • 43 seasons

Best finish #19 • Volatility 11.5

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Frank Cavanaugh

same balanced identity • volatility within 0.9

Balanced

Avg SRS 12.4 • Peak SRS 28.3 • 14 seasons

Best finish Unranked • Volatility 8.8

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