How David Braun’s first year stacks up

[eastbaycat99]

First year head coaches have not fared very well in NU’s long history of collegiate football. The last time a first year coach won more than 4 games was 1903, when Walter McCornack’s team was 10-1-3, with the only loss coming at the hands Pop Warner’s Carlisle team, 28-0. That loss was less than a decade before Jim Thorpe starred at Carlisle. The Cats record in 1903 included wins over several high school teams, the NU alumni, and the fighting dentures of Chicago Dental.
Notable first year coaches with four wins include:
Fitz (2006, 4-8)
Francis Peay (1986, 4-7)
John Pont (1973, 4-7)
Ara Parseghian (1956, 4-4-1, the most recent .500 record for a first year)
Pappy Waldorf (1935, 4-3-1, the most recent winning first year)
Dick Hanley (1927, 4-4)

Gary Barnett won 3 in his first year (1992).
Dennis Green and Lou Saban were winless.

Two wins vaults Braun past everyone in 120 years as far as wins (21 coaches)
Three wins locks him with Ara for regular season winning percentage.

I hope David starts a march toward the NU record book with a win over Nebraska next Saturday!

 

[FanatiCat]

How many of them had to take over midsummer, aside from Fitz himself? Getting to 5 wins would be an impressive coaching job by Braun (I didn’t realize it would be the best ever first season at NU) and would probably get him some group of 5 head coach looks, versus an extension at NU. 6 wins plus a bowl win, he may have “lower tier” power 5 offers.

 

[hdhntr1]

First year head coaches have not fared very well in NU’s long history of collegiate football. The last time a first year coach won more than 4 games was 1903, when Walter McCornack’s team was 10-1-3, with the only loss coming at the hands Pop Warner’s Carlisle team, 28-0. That loss was less than a decade before Jim Thorpe starred at Carlisle. The Cats record in 1903 included wins over several high school teams, the NU alumni, and the fighting dentures of Chicago Dental.
Notable first year coaches with four wins include:
Fitz (2006, 4-8)
Francis Peay (1986, 4-7)
John Pont (1973, 4-7)
Ara Parseghian (1956, 4-4-1, the most recent .500 record for a first year)
Pappy Waldorf (1935, 4-3-1, the most recent winning first year)
Dick Hanley (1927, 4-4)

Gary Barnett won 3 in his first year (1992).
Dennis Green and Lou Saban were winless.

Two wins vaults Braun past everyone in 120 years as far as wins (21 coaches)
Three wins locks him with Ara for regular season winning percentage.

I hope David starts a march toward the NU record book with a win over Nebraska next Saturday!

Sorry not really as we now play 12 games and and it would take 3 wins to get us to 500.

 

[eastbaycat99]

Sorry not really as we now play 12 games and and it would take 3 wins to get us to 500.

As I said, 3 more wins get to .500, like Ara.

 

[eastbaycat99]

First year head coaches have not fared very well in NU’s long history of collegiate football. The last time a first year coach won more than 4 games was 1903, when Walter McCornack’s team was 10-1-3, with the only loss coming at the hands Pop Warner’s Carlisle team, 28-0. That loss was less than a decade before Jim Thorpe starred at Carlisle. The Cats record in 1903 included wins over several high school teams, the NU alumni, and the fighting dentures of Chicago Dental.
Notable first year coaches with four wins include:
Fitz (2006, 4-8)
Francis Peay (1986, 4-7)
John Pont (1973, 4-7)
Ara Parseghian (1956, 4-4-1, the most recent .500 record for a first year)
Pappy Waldorf (1935, 4-3-1, the most recent winning first year)
Dick Hanley (1927, 4-4)

Gary Barnett won 3 in his first year (1992).
Dennis Green and Lou Saban were winless.

Two wins vaults Braun past everyone in 120 years as far as wins (21 coaches)
Three wins locks him with Ara for regular season winning percentage.

I hope David starts a march toward the NU record book with a win over Nebraska next Saturday!

Since the McCornack reference was made multiple times during the broadcast yesterday, I thought I would re-up my post from a month ago and highlight the fact that one more win gets Braun to tie Ara for first year regular season win percentage, and two give him a better one than Pappy Waldorf’s in 1935.

In the “what will the record be?” poll on this board at the start of the season I picked 7-5, despite all the evidence to the contrary at the time, in part because I liked the skill players available on offense, the depth of the DBacks, the weakness of the division, and because I am an incurable optimist. The Cats may well not get to that 7-5 mark, but I am very happy it is still a real possibility 10 games into the season.

Regardless of Braun’s future on the sidelines for the Cats, his first year, in my opinion, has been nothing short of epic. I the Cats beat the Boilers to ensure a bowl spot, and really hope Braun follows up his epic year with a long, rewarding career in coaching, wherever that may be (though I hope in Evanston).