Quick Facts
Biography
Franklin Gene Bissell (April 12, 1926 – January 28, 2016) was an American football player and coach in the United States.
Playing career
Bissell entered Heidelberg College and graduated after three years. While at Heidelberg, he was played defensive tackle and also was a punter under head coach Paul Hoernemann. Bissell started for three-years and was co-captain of the undefeated 1948 Ohio Conference championship team. Bissell also lettered in basketball two years and pitched for the baseball squad.
Coaching career
A graduate of Heidelberg College, Bissell started his career at Kansas Wesleyan University as an assistant football coach in 1950. In 1952, he was named the 13th head football coach for the Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes located in Salina, Kansas, and he held that position until 1978, covering 26 seasons. He also coached track and was an assistant basketball coach, in addition to teaching a full academic schedule. His record as the head football coach at Kansas Wesleyan was 116 wins, 119 losses, and 7 ties. His Coyotes won four KCAC championships. As of the conclusion of the 2013 season, he was ranked first at Kansas Wesleyan in total wins.
He died on January 28, 2016 at the age of 89.
Head coaching record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1952–1961) | |||||||||
| 1952 | Kansas Wesleyan | 5–4 | 2–4 | ||||||
| 1953 | Kansas Wesleyan | 3–5–1 | 3–3–1 | ||||||
| 1954 | Kansas Wesleyan | 5–3–1 | 4–2–1 | ||||||
| 1955 | Kansas Wesleyan | 6–3 | 5–2 | ||||||
| 1956 | Kansas Wesleyan | 8–1 | 7–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1957 | Kansas Wesleyan | 8–1 | 6–1 | 1st | |||||
| 1958 | Kansas Wesleyan | 4–4–1 | 3–4 | ||||||
| 1959 | Kansas Wesleyan | 3–5–1 | |||||||
| 1960 | Kansas Wesleyan | 4–4–1 | 4–4–1 | ||||||
| 1961 | Kansas Wesleyan | 5–4 | 5–4 | ||||||
| Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1963–1978) | |||||||||
| 1963 | Kansas Wesleyan | 3–6 | 3–6 | ||||||
| 1964 | Kansas Wesleyan | 3–6 | 3–6 | ||||||
| 1965 | Kansas Wesleyan | 3–6 | 3–6 | ||||||
| 1966 | Kansas Wesleyan | 2–7 | 2–7 | ||||||
| 1967 | Kansas Wesleyan | 6–3 | 6–3 | ||||||
| 1968 | Kansas Wesleyan | 7–2 | 7–2 | ||||||
| 1969 | Kansas Wesleyan | 8–2 | 5–0 (KCAC North) | KWU def. Sterling 34-21 KCAC Championship Game | |||||
| 1970 | Kansas Wesleyan | 7–2 | 3–2 (KCAC North) | ||||||
| 1971 | Kansas Wesleyan | 8–1 | 8–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1972 | Kansas Wesleyan | 3–5–1 | 3–4–1 | ||||||
| 1973 | Kansas Wesleyan | 2–8 | 1–7 | ||||||
| 1974 | Kansas Wesleyan | 2–8 | 2–6 | ||||||
| 1975 | Kansas Wesleyan | 5–5 | 5–3 | ||||||
| 1976 | Kansas Wesleyan | 3–7 | 2–6 | ||||||
| 1977 | Kansas Wesleyan | 2–7–1 | 2–5–1 | ||||||
| 1978 | Kansas Wesleyan | 1–9 | 1–7 | ||||||
| Kansas Wesleyan: | 116–119–7 | ||||||||
| Total: | 116–119–7 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title | |||||||||