Richard Peters (American football)

Richard Peters
Biographical details
Born(1920-04-07)April 7, 1920
Valley Falls, Kansas, U.S.
DiedMay 26, 1973(1973-05-26) (aged 53)
Manhattan, Kansas, U.S.
Playing career
1943–1945Kansas State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1946–1948Ottawa (KS) (assistant)
1949–1952Ottawa (KS)
1953–1956SMU (assistant)
1957–1971Ottawa (KS)
1972–1973Kansas State (assistant)
Head coaching record
Overall129–42–3
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
8 KCAC (1950, 1960–1961, 1964–1966, 1970)
1 KCAC North Division (1970)
Awards

Richard Peters (April 7, 1920 – May 26, 1973) was an American college football player and coach He served two stints as the head football coach Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas, from 1949 to 1952 and 1957 to 1971, compiling a record 129–42–3 (.741). His teams with eight Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) titles.

Between his two tenures at Ottawa, Peters was an assistant coach at Southern Methodist University (SMU) under Woody Woodard, who had coached against Peters at McPherson College. After his second stint at Ottawa, Peters went to Kansas State University and served as an assistant coach under Vince Gibson until his death, in 1973, of an apparent heart attack. Peters served as President of the NAIA Football Coaches Association from 1964 until 1966 and was inducted into the NAIA Football Hall of Fame in 1973.