Richard Cresson Harlow (October 19, 1889 – February 19, 1962) was an American football player and coach, as well as an oologist. Harlow served as the head coach at Pennsylvania State University (1915–1917), Colgate University (1922–1925), Western Maryland College (1926–1934), and Harvard University (1935–1942, 1945–1947). He is credited with pioneering modern defensive schemes. Often fielding undersized teams, Harlow coordinated stunts to avoid blockers, rather than trying to overpower them. His offensive style utilized shifts, reverses, and lateral passes. Harlow was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1954. Early years A native of Philadelphia, Harlow attended Pennsylvania State University, where he played football for the Nittany Lions, under Bill and Jack Hollenback. As a tackle, Harlow distinguished himself during the 1910 and 1911 seasons. In the latter year, the team went undefeated and won the national title. A two-year letterman, he also was a member of the baseball and track and field teams, as well as the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. Coaching career Penn State Upon graduation from Penn State, Harlow remained with the Nittany Lions as an assistant football coach for three seasons, under his former coach Bill Hollenback. Harlow succeeded him as head coach in 1915, and hired Lawrence Whitney as an assistant. After compiling a combined 20–8 record in three seasons, Harlow entered the United States Army in 1918, and was stationed at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he was an assistant coach for Charles A. Bernier. After an honorable discharge, Harlow returned to Penn State in the following year, again as an assistant, but this time under coach Hugo Bezdek. Harlow also became the boxing coach at that time. Colgate Harlow left Penn State to become the 20th head coach at Colgate University from 1922 to 1925, succeeding Ellery Huntington Jr. For the first two seasons, Harlow hired Punk Berryman as assistant. Harlow coached the team to a 55–0 victory over Niagara University, where players refused to tackle any Colgate players, leading to many scores. Harlow's overall coaching record at Colgate was 24–9–3. Western Maryland Harlow moved from Colgate to become the head coach at Western Maryland College from 1926 to 1934, succeeding Ken Shroyer. There, Harlow coached the Green Terror to a 60–13–7 record with three undefeated seasons. In 1934 Western Maryland was invited to play in the inguinal Orange Bowl. Seeing it as not much of a