What does Rutgers coaching history show?
Rutgers coaching history on this page spans 15 tracked head coaches, led by Frank Burns with 78 wins from 1973-1983.
Program history
Rutgers Football History
Program history, coaching eras, title years, and signature seasons.
SHI Stadium • Piscataway • NJ
Big TenSHI Stadium
Seasons Indexed
152
All-Time Wins
523
Winning Seasons
33%
Last 10 Win %
35.2%
History guide
Rutgers program history explained
This history tab puts Rutgers into a longer program timeline: season records, winning and losing streaks, coaching-era context, title references, playoff runs, and decade-level performance.
The current dataset includes 152 indexed seasons, and 15 coaching tenures. Use the national record links to compare the program against broader college football leaderboards.
Program History
Explore the program's most dominant seasons, toughest stretches, and era-by-era trends.
Use the snapshot to scan program-wide benchmarks, standout seasons, and decade-level performance trends.
Total Wins
523
Across 152 seasons
Winning Seasons
33%
Share of winning records
Average Record
3.4-3.9
Per season
Last 10 Seasons
35.2%
Win rate since 2026
Signature Season
1976
11-0 (100.0% win rate)
Toughest Season
1997
0-11 (0.0% win rate)
Peak Seasons
Most wins in program history
Highlights the seasons that produced the biggest win totals for the program.
| Year | Record | Win % |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 11-0 | 100.0% |
| 2006 | 11-2 | 84.6% |
| 1961 | 9-0 | 100.0% |
| 1975 | 9-2 | 81.8% |
| 1978 | 9-3 | 75.0% |
Challenging Seasons
Years that tested the fan base
Surfaces the seasons with the heaviest loss totals and weakest win rates.
| Year | Record | Win % |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 0-11 | 0.0% |
| 2018 | 1-11 | 8.3% |
| 2002 | 1-11 | 8.3% |
| 1999 | 1-10 | 9.1% |
| 2019 | 2-10 | 16.7% |
Era Performance
Win rate by decade
Buckets every season into decade groups so long-run rises and dips are easier to spot.
| Decade | Record | Win % |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 31-41 | 43.1% |
| 2010s | 49-75 | 39.5% |
| 2000s | 58-63 | 47.9% |
| 1990s | 37-72-1 | 34.1% |
| 1980s | 47-58-4 | 45.0% |
| 1970s | 74-35-1 | 67.7% |
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