 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1913-06-30)June 30, 1913 Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Died | August 7, 1998(1998-08-07) (aged 85) Amherst, New York, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1933–1935 | Colgate |
| Baseball | |
| 1934–1936 | Colgate |
| 1939 | Harwich Mariners |
| Position(s) | Halfback (football) Catcher,outfielder (baseball) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1936–1945 | Kenmore HS (NY) |
| 1946–1954 | Colgate (freshmen) |
| 1955–1965 | Buffalo |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 58–37–5 (college) 50–7 (high school) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1Lambert Cup (1958) 3Niagara Frontier League (1943–1945) | |
Richard William Offenhamer (June 30, 1913 – August 7, 1998) was anAmerican football andbaseball player and football coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Buffalo—now known as theUniversity at Buffalo, from 1955 to 1965, compiling a record of 58–37–5. Offenhamer playedcollege football andcollege baseball atColgate University.
A native ofBuffalo, New York, Offenhamer starred in football as ahalfback and in baseball as acatcher atBennett High School and atColgate University inHamilton, New York. At Colgate, he started at right halfback on the1934 football team, which lost only toOhio State, and again on the successful1935 team. For the Colgate baseball team, Offenhamer hit .380 as a senior, playing as both a catcher and anoutfielder. He was also intramurallight heavyweight boxing champion all four years.[1]
After graduating from Colgate in 1936, he was an English teacher and the head football coach at Kenmore High School inBuffalo, New York. In 1939, he played summer baseball in theCape Cod Baseball League, playing catcher for the league'sHarwich Mariners.[2][3][4] From 1936 through 1946, his Kenmore teams compiling an outstanding record of 50–7 capturingNiagara Frontier League championships in 1943, 1944 and 1945.
From 1946 until 1955, he was the head coach of the freshmen football team at Colgate.
In 1955, Offenhamer was recruited byUniversity of Buffalo President Dr.Clifford C. Furnas to revive the school's football team.[5] Offenhamer went on to serve as the head football coach at Buffalo from 1955 to 1965, compiling a record of 58–37–5. His1958 team won theLambert Cup as the top-rated small school in the East. Offenhamer was named byUnited Press International as Coach of the Week after the Bulls upset highly regardedColumbia University 34-14 on October 25, 1958.[6] Offenhamer’s program at U.B. produced several individuals who went on to distinguished professional careers, includingGerry Philbin, a member of the1968 Super Bowl champion New York Jets, andBuddy Ryan who was on Offenhamer's staff as the defensive line coach.[7]
In 1984, Offenhamer was inducted in the University of Buffalo Athletics Hall of Fame, and in 1985, he was inducted in the Colgate Athletics Hall of Fame for baseball. In 1998, he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. Offenhamer died at age 85, on August 7, 1998, at Millard Suburban Hospital inAmherst, New York.[8]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bulls([Independent)(1955–1961) | |||||||||
| 1955 | Buffalo | 4–4–1 | |||||||
| 1956 | Buffalo | 5–3 | |||||||
| 1957 | Buffalo | 5–4 | |||||||
| 1958 | Buffalo | 8–1 | |||||||
| 1959 | Buffalo | 8–1 | |||||||
| 1960 | Buffalo | 4–6 | |||||||
| 1961 | Buffalo | 4–5 | |||||||
| Buffalo Bulls(NCAA University Division independent)(1962–1965) | |||||||||
| 1962 | Buffalo | 6–3 | |||||||
| 1963 | Buffalo | 5–3–1 | |||||||
| 1964 | Buffalo | 4–4–1 | |||||||
| 1965 | Buffalo | 5–3–2 | |||||||
| Buffalo: | 58–37–5 | ||||||||
| Total: | 58–37–5 | ||||||||