This time last year, David Williams was trying to decide whether to retain Robbie Caldwell, and we here at Moral Victory! were wondering if it mattered that Vanderbilt under Caldwell was losing every game by four or five touchdowns, compared to the days when Bobby Johnson was losing the same number of games, but losing them by one touchdown.
Of course, it did matter to Williams, who after last season’s home loss to Florida said, "There's losing and there's losing. To be down 41-0 at halftime that wasn't one of my happiest days."
Happy days are here again.
So far, James Franklin has won half his games in his first season, and his most of his losses have been close ones — painfully close.
Last year, we calculated how Vandy coaches since Watson Brown rank in winning percentage, and, just for kicks, if you spot them a field goal and a touchdown. Here are the rankings with Franklin’s results so far this year:
ACTUAL WINNING PERCENTAGE
1. Franklin: 5-5 (50%)
2. DiNardo: 19-25 (43.2%), never bowl eligible
3. Johnson: 29-66 (30.5%), bowl eligible once, one bowl victory
4. Widenhofer: 15-40 (27.3%), never bowl eligible
5. Dowhower: 4-18 (18.9%), never bowl eligible
6. Brown 10-45 (18.9%), never bowl eligible
7. Caldwell: 2-10 (16.7%), never bowl eligible
SPOT ’EM A FIELD GOAL
1. Franklin: 6-4 (60%)
2. DiNardo: 22-22 (50%), twice bowl eligible
3. Johnson: 45-50 (47.4%), bowl eligible five times
4. Widenhofer: 23-32 (41.8%), bowl eligible once
5. Brown 17-38 (30.9%), bowl eligible once
6. Caldwell: 3-9 (25%), never bowl eligible
7. Dowhower: 4-18 (18.9%), never bowl eligible
SPOT ’EM A TOUCHDOWN
1. Franklin: 8-2 (80%)
2. DiNardo: 27-17 (61.4%), four times bowl eligible (in four seasons)
3. Johnson: 56-39 (59%), six times bowl eligible (in eight seasons)
4. Widenhofer: 26-29 (47.3%), bowl eligible twice (in five seasons)
5. Brown 25-30 (45.5%), bowl eligible twice (in five seasons)
6. Dowhower: 8-14 (36.4%), never bowl eligible
7. Caldwell: 3-9 (25%), never bowl eligible
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3 comments:
Now you've got me wondering how those spotters would apply to Bill Pace.
Really interesting analysis. Yeah, CJF is the top guy but I was amazed at what just one more field goal or touchdown would have meant for bowl appearances.
Did the Pace calc on my own. His record at Vandy from 1967-1972 was 22-38-3. Give him a field goal and he goes to 28-34-2, with one bowl game (1968). Give him a touchdown and he's 35-25-3. And by today's standards he's bowl-eligible in all six of his years at Vanderbilt.
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