Mahan Akbarian
Research Mentor(s): Michael Mignano
Mentor Department: Movement Science
Authors: Mahan Akbarian, Michael Mignano
Session: Session 5 (2:00pm – 2:50pm)
Presentation Type: Poster 34
Abstract
This research examines the 14 college football schools and their head coaches who were part of the Big Ten Conference from 2014 to 2023. Data was collected from publicly available records, including team websites, NCAA statistics, and coaching profiles. The dataset includes information on coaches’ career backgrounds, offensive or defensive specializations, reasons for tenure termination, overall and conference-specific win-loss records, head coaching tenures, Big Ten championships, bowl game appearances, and outcomes, as well as offensive and defensive scoring statistics. Descriptive analysis revealed that defensive-minded coaches had, on average, a higher win percentage, more bowl game win percentage, conference win percentage, and more conference championships compared to their offensive-minded counterparts. Further results noted that defensive-minded coaches had better average defensive scores and offensive-minded coaches scored better on the offensive scoring statistic. Additionally, offensive-minded coaches were found to have longer average tenures and were less likely to be dismissed through firing. This study suggests that hiring a defensive-minded head coach may lead to greater short-term success, including higher win rates and more championships, while hiring an offensive-minded head coach is associated with longer tenure and greater job stability. This study looks to determine whether or not having a coach with an offensive or defensive background affects the success of a BIG 10 college football team.
