Bill Kern

William Franklin Kern (September 2, 1906 – April 5, 1985) was an American football player and coach. He played college football as a tackle at the University of Pittsburgh in 1925 and 1927 and then with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) in 1929 and 1930. Kern served as the head football coach at the Carnegie Institute of Technology from 1937 to 1939 and at West Virginia University from 1940 to 1942 and again in 1946 and 1947, compiling a career record of 36–35–2. In 1938, he led the Carnegie Tech Tartans to the Sugar Bowl, where they lost to the national champion TCU Horned Frogs, 15–7.

Bill Kern
Kern pictured in The Monticola 1941, West Virginia yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1906-09-03)September 3, 1906
Kingston, Pennsylvania
DiedApril 5, 1985(1985-04-05) (aged 78)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Playing career
1925, 1927Pittsburgh
1929–1930Green Bay Packers
Position(s)Tackle
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1936Pittsburgh (assistant)
1937–1939Carnegie Tech
1940–1942West Virginia
1943Del Monte Pre-Flight
1946–1947West Virginia
Head coaching record
Overall43–36–2
Bowls0–1
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
All-American, 1927
AFCA Coach of the Year (1938)
Bill Kern
Born:(1906-09-02)September 2, 1906
Kingston, Pennsylvania
Died:April 5, 1985(1985-04-05) (aged 78)
Career information
Position(s)Tackle
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight187 lb (85 kg)
CollegePittsburgh
High schoolWyoming Seminary (Kingston, PA)
Career history
As player
1929–1930Green Bay Packers

Playing career

As a player in college, he was a first team All-American tackle at the University of Pittsburgh in 1927.[1] Following college, Kern played tackle for the NFL's Green Bay Packers in 1929 and 1930.[2]

Coaching career

Kern's tenure at West Virginia was interrupted by military service during World War II. He served as a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1945.[3]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs AP#
Carnegie Tech Tartans (Independent) (1937–1939)
1937 Carnegie Tech 2–5–1
1938 Carnegie Tech 7–2L Sugar6
1939 Carnegie Tech 3–5
Carnegie Tech: 12–12–1
West Virginia Mountaineers (Independent) (1940–1942)
1940 West Virginia 4–4–1
1941 West Virginia 4–6
1942 West Virginia 5–4
Del Monte Pre-Flight Navyators (Independent) (1943)
1943 Del Monte Pre-Flight 7–18
Del Monte Pre-Flight: 7–1
West Virginia Mountaineers (Independent) (1946–1947)
1946 West Virginia 5–5
1947 West Virginia 6–4
West Virginia: 24–23–1
Total:43–36–2

See also

References

  1. Borghetti, E.J.; Nestor, Mendy; Welsh, Celeste, eds. (2008). 2008 Pitt Football Media Guide (PDF). Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh. p. 158.
  2. "Bill Kern Statistics". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2009.
  3. "Kern Resigns as West Virginia Coach". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. November 26, 1947. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.