Jason Gesser
Encyclopedia
Jason John Gesser formerly an American football
quarterback
for the Utah Blaze
of the Arena Football League, is the running backs coach for the University of Idaho Vandals. He is the grandson of Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
member Joseph "Red" Dunn.
and played football for Cal Lee
. In his junior year he was named to the All-State team and led the Crusaders to a State championship. In his senior year, St. Louis ranked as high as fourth in the National Prep poll and won a second straight State title. He was All-West pick by Prep Star and an academic All-American choice by Prep Star. The Crusaders were 24-0 in games Gesser started. tml]
at Washington State University
. He is the only player in Cougar
history to be elected as captain three consecutive years. Gesser led WSU to two straight 10 win seasons from 2001-2002. He finished seventh in the 2002 Heisman Trophy
race. In 2002, he and Carson Palmer
were named Pac-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year. He has the most wins of any quarterback in Washington State history.
as an undrafted in April 2003. He spent the entire season with the team but did not see any playing time behind Steve McNair
, Billy Volek
, and Neil O'Donnell
. In February 2004, he was arrested and charged with suspicion of drunken driving. He was released after the 2004 preseason.
. He started the season as Henry Burris
' backup, but took over the starting role when Burris tore a ligament in his left thumb. He only started two games, both victories, before spraining his ankle. http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=roster&func=display&ros_id=179 He finished the season completing 23 of 42 passes for 356 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.
. He was the backup at the beginning of the season before replacing the injured Joe Germaine
. He completed 89 of 145 passes for 1,092 yards, 23 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. After going winless in four starts, he was replaced by Andy Kelly
. Gesser saw little playing time behind a healthy Germaine in 2007
, completing two of three passes for 28 yards and a touchdown.
in Federal Way, Washington
. In 2007 he was offensive coordinator
at Parkland's
Franklin Pierce High School
. He and fellow ex-Cougar Ryan Leaf
both campaigned for the position of quarterbacks coach at WSU when it became available after the 2007 season. That job eventually went to Offensive Coordinator Todd Sturdy.
Gesser was the Head football coach of Eastside Catholic School in Sammamish, WA. This was after then head coach Bill Marsh resigned from the head coaching spot.
Currently Jason is the running backs coach for the University of Idaho Vandals, where he recruits the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Utah Blaze
Utah Blaze
The Utah Blaze is a professional arena football team based in Salt Lake City, Utah and competes in the West division of the Arena Football League. Home games are played at the EnergySolutions Arena.-The original Utah Blaze :...
of the Arena Football League, is the running backs coach for the University of Idaho Vandals. He is the grandson of Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame was the first hall of fame built to honor a single professional American football team. After receiving approval from coach Vince Lombardi, William L. Brault, a Green Bay restaurateur and Packers fan, founded the Hall of Fame in 1966...
member Joseph "Red" Dunn.
High school years
Gesser attended Saint Louis SchoolSaint Louis School
Saint Louis School, located in the town of Kaimuki in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a historic Roman Catholic college preparatory school for boys founded in 1846 to serve the needs of early Hawaiian Catholics in the former Kingdom of Hawaii...
and played football for Cal Lee
Cal Lee
Cal Lee is the assistant head coach for the University of Hawaii football team. Lee was a renowned high school football coach prior to joining the staff at the University of Hawaii in 2003.-High school coaching career:...
. In his junior year he was named to the All-State team and led the Crusaders to a State championship. In his senior year, St. Louis ranked as high as fourth in the National Prep poll and won a second straight State title. He was All-West pick by Prep Star and an academic All-American choice by Prep Star. The Crusaders were 24-0 in games Gesser started. tml]
College career
Gesser played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
. He is the only player in Cougar
Washington State Cougars
The Washington State Cougars are the athletic teams at Washington State University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Washington State University is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I...
history to be elected as captain three consecutive years. Gesser led WSU to two straight 10 win seasons from 2001-2002. He finished seventh in the 2002 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
race. In 2002, he and Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
were named Pac-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year. He has the most wins of any quarterback in Washington State history.
National Football League (NFL)
He was signed by the Tennessee TitansTennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
as an undrafted in April 2003. He spent the entire season with the team but did not see any playing time behind Steve McNair
Steve McNair
Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....
, Billy Volek
Billy Volek
John William Volek is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Fresno State.-Early years:Volek attended Clovis West High School in...
, and Neil O'Donnell
Neil O'Donnell
Neil Kennedy O'Donnell is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 14 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, and Tennessee Titans...
. In February 2004, he was arrested and charged with suspicion of drunken driving. He was released after the 2004 preseason.
Canadian Football League (CFL)
On May 5, 2005, Gesser was signed by the Calgary StampedersCalgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
. He started the season as Henry Burris
Henry Burris
Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...
' backup, but took over the starting role when Burris tore a ligament in his left thumb. He only started two games, both victories, before spraining his ankle. http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=roster&func=display&ros_id=179 He finished the season completing 23 of 42 passes for 356 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.
Arena Football League (AFL)
In 2006 Gesser signed with the AFL's Utah BlazeUtah Blaze
The Utah Blaze is a professional arena football team based in Salt Lake City, Utah and competes in the West division of the Arena Football League. Home games are played at the EnergySolutions Arena.-The original Utah Blaze :...
. He was the backup at the beginning of the season before replacing the injured Joe Germaine
Joe Germaine
-St. Louis Rams:Germaine was selected in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. He won a Super Bowl ring as a backup to Kurt Warner as a rookie. Germaine appeared in only three games, completing nine passes, and was cut at the end of the 2000 season.-Kansas City...
. He completed 89 of 145 passes for 1,092 yards, 23 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. After going winless in four starts, he was replaced by Andy Kelly
Andy Kelly
Andy Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the Arena Football League. He played in the AFL for fifteen seasons. He also played for two seasons for the Rhein Fire of the former World League of American Football....
. Gesser saw little playing time behind a healthy Germaine in 2007
2007 Arena Football League season
The 2007 Arena Football League season was the 21st season of the Arena Football League. The regular season began play on March 1, 2007 and concluded on June 25...
, completing two of three passes for 28 yards and a touchdown.
Coaching
Gesser says his ultimate goal is coaching at the college level, preferably at Washington State. During the 2006 off-season he was a quarterbacks coach at Federal Way High SchoolFederal Way High School
Federal Way High School is located in Federal Way, Washington. It was originally built in 1938.-Academics:* Advanced Placement courses: Calculus, Statistics, U.S...
in Federal Way, Washington
Federal Way, Washington
Federal Way is a city in King County, Washington, United States. Federal Way is located between Seattle and Tacoma. Its western boundary is Puget Sound. It is bordered by Des Moines on the north, Kent, unincorporated King County, and Milton on the east and Tacoma and Fife on the south...
. In 2007 he was offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Parkland's
Parkland, Washington
Parkland is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,053 at the 2000 census and grew to 35,803 as of the 2010 census...
Franklin Pierce High School
Franklin Pierce High School
Franklin Pierce High School in Midland, Washington is named after the fourteenth US President, Franklin Pierce, who was president when the Washington Territory was formed in 1853.-Music:Music at Franklin Pierce High School has a rich history...
. He and fellow ex-Cougar Ryan Leaf
Ryan Leaf
Ryan David Leaf is a former American football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League for four seasons...
both campaigned for the position of quarterbacks coach at WSU when it became available after the 2007 season. That job eventually went to Offensive Coordinator Todd Sturdy.
Gesser was the Head football coach of Eastside Catholic School in Sammamish, WA. This was after then head coach Bill Marsh resigned from the head coaching spot.
Currently Jason is the running backs coach for the University of Idaho Vandals, where he recruits the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii.