Stung by a sharp drop in earnings,...

Stung by a sharp drop in earnings, Costa Mesa-based Godfather’s Pizza abruptly replaced its chief executive Monday, just one week after its parent company, Diversifoods Inc. of Itasca, Ill., replaced its own chief executive.

Everett F. Jefferson was named chief executive of Godfather’s, replacing Charles L. Boppell, who was ousted by Diversifoods’ board of directors. Jefferson had been Godfather’s president and chief operating officer since September. Boppell is a Santa Ana resident who formerly was president of Taco Bell. He was named chief executive of Godfather’s eight months ago after he helped coax the pizza chain to move to Costa Mesa from Omaha.

A week ago, Donald N. Smith was fired as president and chief executive of Diversifoods. Instead of appointing a successor, Diversifoods created an office of the chief executive that will be jointly run by William O. Trotter II, chairman; John M. Creed, president and chief operating officer, and W. David Hanks, chief financial officer.

Godfather’s suffered a third-quarter earnings drop of 89% for the period ended Sept. 30, 1984, when income fell to $504,000, compared to $4.76 million during the same period in 1983.