John Godfrey (American football)

John Godfrey
Biographical details
Born(1921-08-13)August 13, 1921
Port Angeles, Washington, U.S.
DiedSeptember 14, 2008(2008-09-14) (aged 87)
Tualatin, Oregon, U.S.
Playing career
1942Washington State
1946–1947Washington State
Position(s)Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1948–1949Punahou (HI) (line)
1950Farrington HS (HI)
1952–1953Punahou (HI)
1954–1955Bellingham HS (WA)
1957–1959Whittier (assistant)
1960–1979Whittier
Track
1963Whittier
Head coaching record
Overall118–68–6 (college football)
Tournaments0–1 (NAIA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
9 SCIAC (1960–1964, 1967–1969, 1972)

John Henry "Tiger" Godfrey (August 13, 1921 – September 14, 2008) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Whittier College in Whittier, California from 1960 to 1979, compiling a record of 118–68–6.

A native of Tacoma, Washington, Godfrey played college football at the State College of Washington—now known as Washington State University—Was a guard. He first lettered in 1942 during Babe Hollingbery's final year as head coach of the Washington State Cougars. Godfrey served as an infantryman in the United States Army during World War II, in New Guinea, the Philippines, and Japan. He returned to Washington State after the war and played two more seasons for the Cougars under head coach Phil Sarboe. Godfrey was co-captain of the 1947 Washington State Cougars football team and played in the Hula Bowl in 1948.

Godfrey began his coaching career in 1948 as an assistant football coach at the Punahou School in Honolulu. After two years as line coach at Punahou under head coach Fritz Minuth, Godfrey was appointed head football coach at Honolulu's Farrington High School. Godfrey spent 1951 on active military service duty and resumed coaching in 1952 as head football coach at Punahou.[1] Godfrey returned to the Washington in 1954 as head football coach at Bellingham High School in Bellingham.[2] He moved on to Whittier in 1957 and served as an assistant football coach under Don Coryell for three seasons before succeeding him as head coach in 1960.[3]

Godfrey died on September 14, 2008, in Tualatin, Oregon, from complications of Parkinson's disease.[4]

  1. ^ "John Godfrey Plans To Use T and Single Wing". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Honolulu, Hawaii. January 2, 1952. p. 17. Retrieved December 2, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ^ "Godfrey Accepts New Grid Post". The Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu, Hawaii. February 13, 1954. p. 8. Retrieved December 2, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  3. ^ "John Godfrey New Whittier Football Coach". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. February 3, 1960. p. 70. Retrieved December 2, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. ^ Sprague, Mike (September 29, 2008). "Ex Whittier College football coach dies". Pasadena Star-News. Pasadena, California. Retrieved December 2, 2020.