John Martin Vesser (October 1, 1900 – March 20, 1996) was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator.[1] He served as the head football coach at Idaho State University for nine seasons, from 1941 to 1951.
![]() Vesser, c. 1942 | |
Biographical details | |
---|---|
Born | Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, U.S. | October 1, 1900
Died | March 20, 1996 Pocatello, Idaho, U.S. | (aged 95)
Playing career | |
Football | |
1922–1925 | Idaho |
1926 | Los Angeles Wildcats |
1927 | Chicago Cardinals |
1930–1931 | Chicago Cardinals |
Position(s) | End |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
Football | |
1934–1936 | Lewiston HS (ID) |
1937–1940 | Idaho Southern Branch (assistant) |
1941–1951 | Idaho Southern Branch / Idaho State |
Basketball | |
1944–1946 | Idaho Southern Branch / Idaho State |
1947–1948 | Idaho State |
Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
1952–1965 | Idaho State |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 41–27–6 (college football) |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Awards | |
Biography
editVesser was born in 1900 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.[2] He played college football for Idaho, and was on the West squad for the inaugural East–West Shrine Game in December 1925.[3][4] Vesser then played professionally for the Los Angeles Wildcats and the Chicago Cardinals.
Following his playing career, Vesser became a coach, first at the high school level, then joined the Idaho Southern Branch Bengals football team as an assistant coach in 1937. In 1941, Vesser succeeded Guy Wicks as head coach;[5] the school was renamed as Idaho State College in 1947. Vesser spent 11 years as head coach, during which the team competed in nine football seasons, as no teams were fielded in 1943 or 1945 due to World War II, compiling an overall record of 41–27–6 (.595).
Vesser also served as head coach of the Idaho State Bengals men's basketball team for several seasons, and was athletic director at the college from 1952 to 1965. He was inducted to the North Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame in 1974,[6] and the athletics hall of fame at Idaho State in 1979.[7] Vesser died in 1996 in Pocatello, Idaho.[2]
Head coaching record
editCollege football
editYear | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Idaho Southern Branch / State Bengals (Independent) (1941–1949) | |||||||||
1941 | Idaho Southern Branch | 5–1–2 | |||||||
1942 | Idaho Southern Branch | 4–2 | |||||||
1943 | No team—World War II | ||||||||
1944 | Idaho Southern Branch | 4–5 | |||||||
1945 | No team—World War II | ||||||||
1946 | Idaho Southern Branch | 4–3–1 | |||||||
1947 | Idaho State | 3–5–1 | |||||||
1948 | Idaho State | 6–1–1 | |||||||
1949 | Idaho State | 6–2–1 | |||||||
Idaho State Bengals (Rocky Mountain Conference) (1950–1951) | |||||||||
1950 | Idaho State | 4–4 | 3–2 | T–2nd | |||||
1951 | Idaho State | 5–4 | 3–2 | T–2nd | |||||
Idaho Southern Branch / Idaho State: | 41–27–6 | 6–4 | |||||||
Total: | 41–27–6 |
References
edit- ^ "John Vesser". Pro-Football-Reference. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ^ a b "John Vesser Stats". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- ^ "All-time Lettermen". Idaho Vandals Football Media Guide. 2011. p. 142. Retrieved March 22, 2022 – via Issuu.
- ^ "Stars Gather for Football Clash". Tacoma Daily Ledger. Tacoma, Washington. December 19, 1925. p. 10. Retrieved March 22, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Idaho SB Squad Opens Grid Drills". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. AP. September 11, 1941. p. 14. Retrieved March 20, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "John Vesser". nihof.org. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- ^ "John Vesser". isubengals.com. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- ^ "Coach Records". isubengals.com. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
External links
edit- Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference
- John Vesser at Find a Grave