View source for Al Molde

{{Short description|American football coach and college athletics administrator}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2012}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Al Molde
| image = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1943|11|15}}
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| alma_mater = 
| coach_years1 = 1971–1972
| coach_team1 = [[Sioux Falls Cougars football|Sioux Falls]]
| coach_years2 = 1973–1979
| coach_team2 = [[Minnesota–Morris Cougars football|Minnesota–Morris]]
| coach_years3 = 1980–1982
| coach_team3 = [[Central Missouri Mules football|Central Missouri State]]
| coach_years4 = 1983–1986
| coach_team4 = [[Eastern Illinois Panthers football|Eastern Illinois]]
| coach_years5 = 1987–1996
| coach_team5 = [[Western Michigan Broncos football|Western Michigan]]
| coach_years6 = 2013
| coach_team6 = [[Saarland Hurricanes]]
| admin_years1 = 1981–1983
| admin_team1 = [[Central Missouri Mules and Jennies|Central Missouri State]]
| admin_years2 = 1997–2012
| admin_team2 = [[Gustavus Adolphus Gusties|Gustavus Adolphus]]
| overall_record = 168–104–8 (college)
| bowl_record = 0–1
| tournament_record = 2–3 (NCAA Div III playoffs)<br>1–2 (NCAA Div I-AA playoffs)
| championships = 4 [[Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference|NIC]] (1975–1978)<br>2 [[The Summit League|Mid-Continent]] (1983–1984)<br>1 [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|Gateway]] (1986)<br>1 [[Mid-American Conference|MAC]] (1988)
| awards = [[Mid-American Conference football awards#Coach of the Year|MAC Coach of the Year]] (1988)
| coaching_records = 
}}

'''Al Molde''' (born November 15, 1943) is a former [[American football]] coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at [[University of Sioux Falls|Sioux Falls College]] (1971–1972), the [[University of Minnesota Morris]] (1973–1979), [[University of Central Missouri|Central Missouri State University]] (1980–1982), [[Eastern Illinois University]] (1983–1986), and [[Western Michigan University]] (1987–1996), compiling a career [[college football]] coaching record of 168–104–8 ({{winpct|168|104|8}}). Molde retired as the [[athletic director]] at [[Gustavus Adolphus College]] in [[St. Peter, Minnesota]] on June 1, 2012, having held the position since 1997. Under his guidance, the Golden Gusties finished in the top 20 in the [[NCAA Division III]] [[NACDA Director's Cup]] standings several times. In 2013, Molde briefly returned to coaching with the [[Saarland Hurricanes]] of the [[German Football League]].

==Coaching career==
Molde's collegiate coaching career has included stops at [[University of Sioux Falls|Sioux Falls College]] (1971–1972), [[University of Minnesota Morris]] (1973–1979), and [[University of Central Missouri|Central Missouri State University]] (1980–1982), as well as the schools listed below.

===Eastern Illinois===
Molde was the 20th head football coach at [[Eastern Illinois University]] in [[Charleston, Illinois]] and he held that position for four seasons, from 1983 until 1986. His career coaching record at Eastern Illinois was 32–15 ({{winpct|32|15}}) and he guided his 1983 and 1986 teams into the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, with the latter team finishing the season with a record of 11–2 and one of the most prolific passing offenses in the nation.<ref>[http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_iaa/ohiovalley/eastern_illinois/coaching_records.php Eastern Illinois Coaching Records<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071122094010/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_iaa/ohiovalley/eastern_illinois/coaching_records.php |date=November 22, 2007 }}</ref> While the head coach at Eastern, he tutored current [[Denver Broncos]] head coach [[Sean Payton]].

===Western Michigan===
Prior to his tenure at Gustavus, he was the head football coach at [[Western Michigan University]] from 1987 through 1996, where he is tied with [[William H. Spaulding]] as the winningest coach in school history (62–47–2, {{winpct|62|47|2}}) and led the Broncos to the [[Mid-American Conference]] [[List of Mid-American Conference champions#Football|championship]] in 1988. At the time of his departure, he was also among the top 10 winningest coaches in college football, with 168 wins during his 26-year career.

Western Michigan University inducted Molde into its Athletics Hall of Fame in a ceremony on October 31, 2008. Molde earned Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year honors in guiding WMU to its first outright MAC championship and a California Bowl berth in 1988. Among other highlights during his 10-year career at WMU, Molde boasts the highest home winning percentage (37–16, {{winpct|37|16}}) in school history, is tied with [[William H. Spaulding]] for the most career wins (62), coached 22 of the 100 players on WMU's "All Century Team," has the eighth-most victories among all-time MAC football coaches, and his teams led the MAC in passing offense five times (1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994), total offense three times (1988, 1990, 1992), scoring offense once (1988), and rushing defense and scoring defense once (1994). During his tenure, WMU notched notable non-conference wins over Wisconsin (the school's first win over a Big Ten team), Iowa State, Army, Temple and battled TCU to a tie. Molde had a winning record against seven of the nine other MAC schools and his teams finished third or better in 6 of his 10 seasons coaching in the league.

===Saarland Hurricanes===
Molde returned to coaching in the fall of 2012 and took over the reins of the [[Saarland Hurricanes]] ([[Saarbrücken]], [[Germany]]) of the [[German Football League]] for the 2013 season.

==Head coaching record==
===College===
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name      = [[Sioux Falls Cougars football|Sioux Falls Braves]]
| conf      = [[Tri-State Conference (1960–1981)|Tri-State Conference]]
| startyear = 1971
| endyear   = 1972
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1971 NAIA Division II football season|1971]]
| name         = Sioux Falls
| overall      = 0–8–1
| conference   = 0–5
| confstanding = 6th
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1972 NAIA Division II football season|1972]]
| name         = Sioux Falls
| overall      = 5–4
| conference   = 1–4
| confstanding = T–5th
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name       = Sioux Falls
| overall    = 5–12–1
| confrecord = 1–9
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name      = [[Minnesota–Morris Cougars football|Minnesota–Morris Cougars]]
| conf      = [[Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference|Northern Intercollegiate Conference]]
| startyear = 1973
| endyear   = 1979
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1973 NAIA Division I football season|1973]]
| name         = Minnesota–Morris
| overall      = 3–6
| conference   = 2–4
| confstanding = T–4th
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1974 NAIA Division I football season|1974]]
| name         = Minnesota–Morris
| overall      = 3–7
| conference   = 2–4
| confstanding = T–5th
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year         = [[1975 NAIA Division I football season|1975]]
| name         = Minnesota–Morris
| overall      = 8–1
| conference   = 6–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year         = [[1976 NAIA Division I football season|1976]]
| name         = Minnesota–Morris
| overall      = 8–1–1
| conference   = 7–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year         = [[1977 NCAA Division III football season|1977]]
| name         = Minnesota–Morris
| overall      = 10–2
| conference   = 7–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname     = [[NCAA Division III Football Championship|NCAA Division III Semifinal]]
| bowloutcome  = L
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year         = [[1978 NCAA Division III football season|1978]]
| name         = Minnesota–Morris
| overall      = 11–1
| conference   = 8–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname     = [[NCAA Division III Football Championship|NCAA Division III Semifinal]]
| bowloutcome  = L
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1979 NCAA Division III football season|1979]]
| name         = Minnesota–Morris
| overall      = 9–3
| conference   = 6–2
| confstanding = 3rd
| bowlname     = [[NCAA Division III Football Championship|NCAA Division III Quarterfinal]]
| bowloutcome  = L
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name       = Minnesota–Morris
| overall    = 52–21–1
| confrecord = 38–10
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name      = [[Central Missouri Mules football|Central Missouri State Mules]]
| conf      = [[Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association|Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association ]]
| startyear = 1980
| endyear   = 1982
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1980 NCAA Division II football season|1980]]
| name         = Central Missouri State
| overall      = 6–3–1
| conference   = 3–3
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1981 NCAA Division II football season|1981]]
| name         = Central Missouri State
| overall      = 4–3–3
| conference   = 2–2–1
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1982 NCAA Division II football season|1982]]
| name         = Central Missouri State
| overall      = 7–3
| conference   = 3–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name       = Central Missouri State
| overall    = 17–9–4
| confrecord = 8–7–1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name      = [[Eastern Illinois Panthers football|Eastern Illinois Panthers]]
| conf      = [[The Summit League|Mid-Continent Conference]]
| startyear = 1983
| endyear   = 1984
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year         = [[1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1983]]
| name         = [[1983 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team|Eastern Illinois]]
| overall      = 9–3
| conference   = 3–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname     = [[NCAA Division I Football Championship|NCAA Division I-AA First Round]]
| bowloutcome  = L
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year         = [[1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1984]]
| name         = [[1984 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team|Eastern Illinois]]
| overall      = 6–5
| conference   = 2–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name      = [[Eastern Illinois Panthers football|Eastern Illinois Panthers]]
| conf      = [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|Gateway Football Conference]]
| startyear = 1985
| endyear   = 1986
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1985]]
| name         = [[1985 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team|Eastern Illinois]]
| overall      = 6–5
| conference   = 2–3
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year         = [[1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1986]]
| name         = [[1986 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team|Eastern Illinois]]
| overall      = 11–2
| conference   = 5–1
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname     = [[NCAA Division I Football Championship|NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal]]
| bowloutcome  = L
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name       = Eastern Illinois
| overall    = 32–15
| confrecord = 12–5
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name      = [[Western Michigan Broncos football|Western Michigan Broncos]]
| conf      = [[Mid-American Conference]]
| startyear = 1987
| endyear   = 1996
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1987 NCAA Division I-A football season|1987]]
| name         = [[1987 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan]]
| overall      = 5–6
| conference   = 4–4
| confstanding = 5th
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year         = [[1988 NCAA Division I-A football season|1988]]
| name         = [[1988 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan]]
| overall      = 9–3
| conference   = 7–1
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname     = [[California Bowl]]
| bowloutcome  = L
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1989 NCAA Division I-A football season|1989]]
| name         = [[1989 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan]]
| overall      = 5–6
| conference   = 3–5
| confstanding = 6th
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1990 NCAA Division I-A football season|1990]]
| name         = [[1990 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan]]
| overall      = 7–4
| conference   = 5–3
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1991 NCAA Division I-A football season|1991]]
| name         = [[1991 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan]]
| overall      = 6–5
| conference   = 4–4
| confstanding = T–5th
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1992 NCAA Division I-A football season|1992]]
| name         = [[1992 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan]]
| overall      = 7–3–1
| conference   = 6–3
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1993 NCAA Division I-A football season|1993]]
| name         = [[1993 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan]]
| overall      = 7–3–1
| conference   = 6–1–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1994 NCAA Division I-A football season|1994]]
| name         = [[1994 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan]]
| overall      = 7–4
| conference   = 5–3
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1995 NCAA Division I-A football season|1995]]
| name         = [[1995 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan]]
| overall      = 7–4
| conference   = 6–2
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1996 NCAA Division I-A football season|1996]]
| name         = [[1996 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan]]
| overall      = 2–9
| conference   = 2–6
| confstanding = 9th
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name       = Western Michigan
| overall    = 62–47–2
| confrecord = 50–32–1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall  = 168–104–8
| bowls    = no
| poll     = no
| polltype = 
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Sioux Falls Cougars football coach navbox}}
{{Minnesota–Morris Cougars football coach navbox}}
{{Central Missouri Mules football coach navbox}}
{{Eastern Illinois Panthers football coach navbox}}
{{Western Michigan Broncos football coach navbox}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Molde, Al}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Central Missouri Mules and Jennies athletic directors]]
[[Category:Central Missouri Mules football coaches]]
[[Category:Eastern Illinois Panthers football coaches]]
[[Category:Gustavus Adolphus Golden Gusties athletic directors]]
[[Category:Minnesota Morris Cougars football coaches]]
[[Category:Sioux Falls Cougars football coaches]]
[[Category:Western Michigan Broncos football coaches]]
[[Category:Gustavus Adolphus College alumni]]
[[Category:German Football League coaches]]