Hall of Fame
Upon his arrival in Baton Rouge in 1993, Richardson ushered in the golden era of Southern University Football compiling 128 wins during a 17-year career. He is currently the second winningest coach in Southern football history in wins and winning percentage.
Richardson, affectionately known as “Coach Pete” led Southern football to five Southwestern Athletic Conference titles (1993, 97, 98, 99 and 2003), including a three-peat from 1997-99 (the school's first consecutive SWAC titles since 1959-60). His teams also claimed four Black college national titles (1993, 1995, 1997 and 2003) in route to birthing one of the greatest fan bases in college athletics, The Jaguar Nation.
Richardson’s teams won four Heritage Bowl titles and went 12-5 in the Bayou Classic. He owns the distinction of being the only coach to go undefeated against Grambling’s iconic coach Eddie Robinson. He was also named the SWAC Coach of the Year five times (1995, 97, 98, 99 and 2003).
His winning percentage of 68.4 percent in 17 seasons (134-62) at the school is second behind only College Football Hall of Fame coach A.W. "Ace' Mumford's 70.4 percent (176-60-14). Prior to his arrival, Southern had last won the SWAC in 1966 and 1975.
Richardson is a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, Winston Salem State University Hall of Fame and most recently the Black College Football Hall of Fame. In 2021, the field inside A.W. Mumford Stadium was re-named Pete Richardson Field. The first Southern home football game of every season is designated the "Pete Richardson Classic".