Richard L. Biddle (November 26, 1947 – August 11, 2023) was an American football player and coach. He served as head football coach at Colgate University from 1996 through 2013, compiling a record of 137–73. This ranks him first at Colgate in terms of total wins and he has achieved the best winning percentage of any Colgate coach with seven or more years at the helm of the Raiders.
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 26, 1947 Parkersburg, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | August 11, 2023 (aged 75) Cary, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Duke University |
| Playing career | |
| 1967–1970 | Duke |
| 1972 | Youngstown Hardhats |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1971 | West Virginia (graduate assistant) |
| 1973–1976 | Allegheny (assistant) |
| 1977–1982 | Colgate (assistant) |
| 1983–1984 | Virginia Tech (assistant) |
| 1985–1989 | Minnesota (assistant) |
| 1990–1991 | Navy (assistant) |
| 1992–1995 | Colgate (assistant) |
| 1996–2013 | Colgate |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 137–73 |
| Tournaments | 3–7 (NCAA D-I-AA/FCS playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 7 Patriot League (1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2012) | |
| Awards | |
| |
Playing career
editBiddle was an all-Atlantic Coast Conference linebacker for two seasons at Duke. The former Blue Devil co-captain received third team Associated Press All-America honors in his senior year and was a participant in the Blue-Gray and Hula Bowl games. Biddle was a three-time winner of Duke's Hatchet Award, given to the most valuable player on defense. In his senior year he also received the Blue Devil Club Award as the senior who contributed the most to the team. He is a member of the All-Century Team at Duke.[1]
After going undrafted in the 1971 NFL draft, Biddle signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on May 3, 1971.[2][3] He was released before the start of the regular season on June 23, 1971.[4] Biddle signed with the Youngstown Hardhats of the Midwest Football League in 1972.[5] He broke his leg in the eleventh game of the season, and missed the rest of the year.[6]
Coaching career
editBiddle worked as a graduate assistant for West Virginia in 1971 after his release from the Alouettes.[7]
Biddle is the first Colgate coach to ever record nine straight seasons with seven or more victories. In 2012, he led the Raiders to the Patriot League title and the NCAA FCS Playoffs (first round loss to Wagner).[8] Overall, he led Colgate to seven Patriot League Championships (1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, and 2012).
Biddle retired after the 2013 season and was succeeded by Dan Hunt.[9]
Head coaching record
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | TSN# | Coaches° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colgate Red Raiders / Raiders (Patriot League) (1996–2013) | |||||||||
| 1996 | Colgate | 6–5 | 3–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1997 | Colgate | 7–5 | 6–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I-AA First Round | 25 | 21 | ||
| 1998 | Colgate | 8–4 | 5–1 | 2nd | L NCAA Division I-AA First Round | 21 | |||
| 1999 | Colgate | 10–2 | 5–1 | T–1st | L NCAA Division I-AA First Round | 18 | 18 | ||
| 2000 | Colgate | 7–4 | 4–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 2001 | Colgate | 7–3 | 5–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 2002 | Colgate | 9–3 | 6–1 | T–1st | 25 | 25 | |||
| 2003 | Colgate | 15–1 | 7–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I-AA Championship | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2004 | Colgate | 7–4 | 4–2 | T–3rd | |||||
| 2005 | Colgate | 8–4 | 5–1 | T–1st | L NCAA Division I-AA First Round | 23 | 22 | ||
| 2006 | Colgate | 4–7 | 3–3 | T–4th | |||||
| 2007 | Colgate | 7–4 | 4–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 2008 | Colgate | 9–3 | 5–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I First Round | 16 | |||
| 2009 | Colgate | 9–2 | 4–2 | T–2nd | 20 | ||||
| 2010 | Colgate | 7–4 | 3–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 2011 | Colgate | 5–6 | 1–4 | T–5th | |||||
| 2012 | Colgate | 8–4 | 5–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I First Round | 25 | |||
| 2013 | Colgate | 4–8 | 3–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| Colgate: | 137–73 | 78–26 | |||||||
| Total: | 137–73 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Colgate University Football Head Coach". athletics.colgate.edu. Archived from the original on June 17, 2010. Retrieved September 11, 2010.
- ^ "Barton Inks Pact With Argonauts". The Salem News. May 3, 1971. Retrieved April 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Walters, Keith (May 7, 1971). "Canada's Where Money Is!". The Charleston Daily Mail. Retrieved April 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Alouettes Release 12". The Ottawa Journal. June 24, 1971. Retrieved April 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Biddle Looks Good In Hardhat Drills". The Weirton Daily Times. June 3, 1972. Retrieved April 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hardhats Sweep 9th Win, Rip Virginia Team, 51–0". The Weirton Daily Times. September 12, 1972. Retrieved April 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Biddle Coaching". The Charleston Daily Mail. August 19, 1971. Retrieved April 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Dick Biddle - Fred '50 and Marilyn Dunlap Head Football Coach -". www.gocolgateraiders.com.
- ^ "Colgate's Dick Biddle Announces Retirement; Dan Hunt to Become Next Head Coach". Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
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