Historic trends and the legend of Doyt L. Perry

[1987alum]

Schadenfreude made a post about our school's inconsistency on the gridiron. Being a geek, I felt compelled to dig into that perception. As usual, Schade was spot on.

To wit ...

2001-2005, 5 straight winning seasons
1995-2000, 6 straight losing seasons
1991-1994, 4 straight winning seasons
1986-1990, 5 straight losing seasons
1981-1985, 5 straight winning seasons (incl. a 5-5-1 year)
1977-1980, 4 straignt losing seasons
1971-1975, 6 straight winning seasons
1970 a losing season
1955-1969, 15 straight winning seasons

Yes, that last streak brought to you in large part by the legendary Doyt L. Perry, who took over a team that went 2-7 in 1954 and reeled off 10 straight winning seasons before turning over the controls to Bob Gibson.

What does it mean? Probably nothing, really. If there were any relevance to this cycle, you would expect that BG is going to start a streak of losing records next year. Is that really far-fetched? Sadly, I don't think so.

In short, BG has a tradition of a handful of losing seasons followed by a handful of winning season (or vice versa, depending on if you see the glass as half-empty or half-full). If the Falcons manage to post a winning record, or even finish at .500, they will have done something the school has not been able to do since the early '70s.

Some other tidbits compiled during my history lesson ...

Longest streak of winning seasons by a BG coach

Doyt Perry: 10
Robert Whittaker: 8 (incl. a 5-5 year)
Don Nehlen: 6
Warren Steller: 6 (incl. 3-1-3 year)
Denny Stolz: 5 (incl. 5-5-1 year)
Gregg Brandon: 3
Bob Gibson: 3

Totally ridiculous fact:
Steller coached from 1924-34 and piled up 19 ties in 11 years. He and successor Harry Ockerman account for more than half of the ties in school history.

Career wins by a BG Coach
Perry: 77
Whittaker: 66
Blackney: 60
Stolz: 56
Nehlen: 53
(Brandon is seventh on this list with 26, but he's at least two good season from moving up past Steller who has 40 wins)

Best winning pct. by a BG Coach, min. 2 seasons
Perry: .855
Meyer: .739
Brandon: .702
Gibson: .679
Steller: .619

[Rightupinthere]

I call this the curse of inconsistency.

I have a feeling it's going to rear its ugly head once again.