:Dick Biddle
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1947)}}
{{Other uses|Biddle (surname)}}
{{distinguish|Richard Biddle}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Dick Biddle
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1947|11|26}}
| birth_place = Parkersburg, West Virginia, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|08|11|1947|11|26}}
| death_place = Cary, North Carolina, U.S.
| alma_mater = Duke University
| player_years1 = 1967–1970
| player_team1 = Duke
| player_years2 = 1972
| player_team2 = Youngstown Hardhats
| player_positions = Linebacker
| coach_years1 = 1971
| coach_team1 = West Virginia (graduate assistant)
| coach_years2 = 1973–1976
| coach_team2 = Allegheny (assistant)
| coach_years3 = 1977–1982
| coach_team3 = Colgate (assistant)
| coach_years4 = 1983–1984
| coach_team4 = Virginia Tech (assistant)
| coach_years5 = 1985–1989
| coach_team5 = Minnesota (assistant)
| coach_years6 = 1990–1991
| coach_team6 = Navy (assistant)
| coach_years7 = 1992–1995
| coach_team7 = Colgate (assistant)
| coach_years8 = 1996–2013
| coach_team8 = Colgate
| overall_record = 137–73
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record = 3–7 (NCAA D-I-AA/FCS playoffs)
| championships = 7 Patriot League (1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2012)
| awards =
- AFCA NCAA Division I-AA COY (2003)
- 4x Patriot League Coach of the Year (1996, 2003, 2005, 2008)
- 2× First-team All-ACC (1968, 1970)
| coaching_records =
}}
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.
Playing career
Biddle 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.{{cite web|url=http://athletics.colgate.edu/Football/coach.htm|title=Colgate University Football Head Coach|website=athletics.colgate.edu|access-date=2010-09-11|archive-date=2010-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617001109/http://athletics.colgate.edu/Football/coach.htm|url-status=dead}}
After going undrafted in the 1971 NFL draft, Biddle signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on May 3, 1971.{{cite news |title=Barton Inks Pact With Argonauts |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74962104/the-salem-news/ |newspaper=The Salem News |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 3, 1971 |access-date=April 2, 2021}}{{cite news |author=Walters, Keith |title=Canada's Where Money Is! |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74962418/the-charleston-daily-mail/ |newspaper=The Charleston Daily Mail |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 7, 1971 |access-date=April 2, 2021}} He was released before the start of the regular season on June 23, 1971.{{cite news |title=Alouettes Release 12 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74962671/the-ottawa-journal/ |newspaper=The Ottawa Journal |via=Newspapers.com |date=June 24, 1971 |access-date=April 2, 2021}} Biddle signed with the Youngstown Hardhats of the Midwest Football League in 1972.{{cite news |title=Biddle Looks Good In Hardhat Drills |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74961262/the-weirton-daily-times/ |newspaper=The Weirton Daily Times |via=Newspapers.com |date=June 3, 1972 |access-date=April 2, 2021}} He broke his leg in the eleventh game of the season, and missed the rest of the year.{{cite news |title=Hardhats Sweep 9th Win, Rip Virginia Team, 51–0 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74963196/the-weirton-daily-times/ |newspaper=The Weirton Daily Times |via=Newspapers.com |date=September 12, 1972 |access-date=April 2, 2021}}
Coaching career
Biddle worked as a graduate assistant for West Virginia in 1971 after his release from the Alouettes.{{cite news |title=Biddle Coaching |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74962878/the-charleston-daily-mail/ |newspaper=The Charleston Daily Mail |via=Newspapers.com |date=August 19, 1971 |access-date=April 2, 2021}}
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).{{cite web|url=http://www.gocolgateraiders.com/coaches.aspx?rc=640&path=football|title=Dick Biddle - Fred '50 and Marilyn Dunlap Head Football Coach -|website=www.gocolgateraiders.com}} 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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120213aaa.html |title=Colgate's Dick Biddle Announces Retirement; Dan Hunt to Become Next Head Coach |access-date=May 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508154143/http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120213aaa.html |archive-date=May 8, 2014 |url-status=dead }}
Head coaching record
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | poll = both | poll1 = TSN | poll2 = Coaches }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Colgate Red Raiders / Raiders
| conf = Patriot League
| startyear = 1996
| endyear = 2013
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1996
| name = Colgate
| overall = 6–5
| conference = 3–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1997
| name = Colgate
| overall = 7–5
| conference = 6–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division I-AA First Round
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 25
| ranking2 = 21
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1998
| name = Colgate
| overall = 8–4
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname = NCAA Division I-AA First Round
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = 21
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1999
| name = Colgate
| overall = 10–2
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division I-AA First Round
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 18
| ranking2 = 18
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2000
| name = Colgate
| overall = 7–4
| conference = 4–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2001
| name = Colgate
| overall = 7–3
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2002
| name = Colgate
| overall = 9–3
| conference = 6–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 25
| ranking2 = 25
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2003
| name = Colgate
| overall = 15–1
| conference = 7–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division I-AA Championship
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 2
| ranking2 = 2
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2004
| name = Colgate
| overall = 7–4
| conference = 4–2
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2005
| name = Colgate
| overall = 8–4
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division I-AA First Round
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 23
| ranking2 = 22
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2006
| name = Colgate
| overall = 4–7
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding = T–4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2007
| name = Colgate
| overall = 7–4
| conference = 4–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2008
| name = Colgate
| overall = 9–3
| conference = 5–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division I First Round
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 16
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2009
| name = Colgate
| overall = 9–2
| conference = 4–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 20
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2010
| name = Colgate
| overall = 7–4
| conference = 3–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2011
| name = Colgate
| overall = 5–6
| conference = 1–4
| confstanding = T–5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2012
| name = Colgate
| overall = 8–4
| conference = 5–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division I First Round
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 25
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2013
| name = Colgate
| overall = 4–8
| conference = 3–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Colgate
| overall = 137–73
| confrecord = 78–26
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 137–73
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Colgate Raiders football coach navbox}}
{{AFCA Division I FCS Coach of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Biddle, Dick}}
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Allegheny Gators football coaches
Category:Colgate Raiders football coaches
Category:Duke Blue Devils football players
Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers football coaches
Category:Montreal Alouettes players
Category:Navy Midshipmen football coaches
Category:Players of American football from West Virginia
Category:Sportspeople from Parkersburg, West Virginia
Category:Virginia Tech Hokies football coaches
{{1990s-collegefootball-coach-stub}}