| Ernie Godfrey | |
| Birth Date: | 19 April 1892 |
| Birth Place: | Dover, Ohio, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Player Years1: | 1912–1914 |
| Player Team1: | Ohio State |
| Player Positions: | End, center |
| Coach Sport1: | Football |
| Coach Years2: | 1915 |
| Coach Team2: | Wooster HS (OH) |
| Coach Years3: | 1916 |
| Coach Team3: | Wittenberg |
| Coach Years4: | 1919–1928 |
| Coach Team4: | Wittenberg |
| Coach Years5: | 1929–1961 |
| Coach Team5: | Ohio State (assistant) |
| Coach Sport6: | Basketball |
| Coach Years7: | 1916–1917 |
| Coach Team7: | Wittenberg |
| Coach Years8: | 1918–1928 |
| Coach Team8: | Wittenberg |
| Overall Record: | 63–24–8 (college football) 95–65 (college basketball) |
| Championships: | Football 2 Buckeye (1927–1928) |
| Cfbhof Year: | 1972 |
| Cfbhof Id: | 1450 |
Ernest R. Godfrey (April 19, 1892 – June 12, 1980) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. Godfrey was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1972.[1]
Godfrey was born in Dover, Ohio graduating from Dover High School in 1911. [2] Godfrey played college football at Ohio State from 1912–1914.
Godfrey served as head football coach at Wittenberg University for 11 seasons beginning in 1916, interrupted for the next two seasons due to World War I where he served at a 1st Lt in the U.S. Army, returning to coaching in 1919. Over his coaching tenure, Wittenberg achieved a 63–24–8 record, including two league titles in 1927 and 1928. Godfrey also coached the men's basketball team, earning a 95–65 record.
In 1929, he returned to his alma mater, Ohio State University, as an assistant football coach.[3] [4] He served at Ohio State for 33 years under seven head coaches—Sam Willaman, Francis Schmidt, Paul Brown, Carroll Widdoes, Paul Bixler, Wes Fesler, and Woody Hayes. He was the line coach for 19 years, defensive backfield coach for four years, and freshman coach for ten years.[5]