| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 24, 1905 Lime Creek Township, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | September 15, 1985 (aged 80) Topeka, Kansas, U.S. |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1936–1942 | Ottawa |
| 1946–1958 | Washburn |
| Basketball | |
| 1936–1943 | Ottawa |
| 1960 | Washburn (interim HC) |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1944–1964 | Washburn |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 104–55–10 (football) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 2 KCAC (1938–1939) 3 CIAC (1949, 1953–1954) | |
| Awards | |
| NAIA Hall of Fame | |
Richard Milan Godlove (January 24, 1905 – September 15, 1985) was an American football and basketball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas from 1936 to 1942 and Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas from 1946 to 1968, compiling a career college football coaching record of 104–55–10. In 1964, he was inducted into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame[1] and served as the third president of the organization.[2]
In January 1936, Godlove was named the 14th head football coach at the Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas[3] and he held that position for seven seasons, from 1936 to 1942, compiling a record of 37–13–6.[4]
The school inducted him into their athletic hall of fame in 1991.[5]
After Ottawa,[6] Godlove was named the 25th head football coach at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, serving for 13 seasons, from 1946 to 1958, and compiling a record of 67–42–4.[7][8][9]
During his first year at Washburn, Godlove, alongside Fran Welch of Kansas State Teachers, coached an "all-star" team made up of Kansas players that played a similar squad from Missouri[10] in the "Mo-Kan Bowl" all-star exhibition game.[11]
After coaching at Washburn, he remained as the school's athletic director while Ralph Brown succeeded him as head football coach.[12]
Godlove died at Topeka in 1985.[13]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa Braves (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1936–1942) | |||||||||
| 1936 | Ottawa | 3–4–2 | 1–2–2 | 4th | |||||
| 1937 | Ottawa | 5–2 | 2–2 | 4th | |||||
| 1938 | Ottawa | 8–0 | 5–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1939 | Ottawa | 6–1–1 | 5–0–1 | 1st | |||||
| 1940 | Ottawa | 4–4–1 | 3–2–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 1941 | Ottawa | 6–1–1 | 4–1–1 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1942 | Ottawa | 5–1–1 | 4–1–1 | 2nd | |||||
| Ottawa: | 37–13–6 | 24–8–6 | |||||||
| Washburn Ichabods (Central Intercollegiate Conference) (1946–1958) | |||||||||
| 1946 | Washburn | 6–2–1 | 3–1–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1947 | Washburn | 7–1 | 4–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1948 | Washburn | 3–5–1 | 2–2–1 | 4th | |||||
| 1949 | Washburn | 7–2 | 5–1 | T–1st | |||||
| 1950 | Washburn | 3–4–1 | 2–2–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 1951 | Washburn | 6–3 | 3–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1952 | Washburn | 4–5 | 3–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1953 | Washburn | 7–1 | 4–1 | T–1st | |||||
| 1954 | Washburn | 6–2 | 4–1 | T–1st | |||||
| 1955 | Washburn | 6–2–1 | 4–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1956 | Washburn | 3–6 | 3–2 | 4th | |||||
| 1957 | Washburn | 5–4 | 2–3 | 4th | |||||
| 1958 | Washburn | 4–5 | 2–3 | 5th | |||||
| Washburn: | 67–42–4 | 41–22–3 | |||||||
| Total: | 104–55–10 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||