| Position(s) as player: Quarterback |
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| Date of birth: July 5, 1979 | |
| Place of birth: Honolulu, Hawaii | |
| Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | Weight: 163 lb (74 kg) |
| Arena Football debut | |
|---|---|
| 2006 for the Utah Blaze | |
| Final Arena Football season | |
| No regular season or postseason appearances | |
| Career history | |
| College: Washington State | |
Teams:
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| Current status: Retired | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Jason John Gesser (Born May 31, 1979), 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.[1]
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Gesser attended Saint Louis School 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.[2] tml]
Gesser played college football 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.[3] He has the most wins of any quarterback in Washington State history.[4]
He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted in April 2003.[5] 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.[6] He was released after the 2004 preseason.[7]
On May 5, 2005, Gesser was signed by the Calgary Stampeders. He started the season as Henry Burris' backup, but took over the starting role when Burris tore a ligament in his left thumb.[8] He only started two games, both victories, before spraining his ankle. [1] He finished the season completing 23 of 42 passes for 356 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.[9]
In 2006 Gesser signed with the AFL's Utah Blaze. 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.[10] Gesser saw little playing time behind a healthy Germaine in 2007, completing two of three passes for 28 yards and a touchdown.
Gesser says his ultimate goal is coaching at the college level, preferably at Washington State.[11] During the 2006 off-season he was a quarterbacks coach at Federal Way High School in Federal Way, Washington. In 2007 he was offensive coordinator at Parkland's Franklin Pierce High School.[12] 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.[13] That job eventually went to Offensive Coordinator Todd Sturdy.[14]
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. [15]
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