Wikipedia

Ken Visser

Ken Visser (born c. 1946 or 1947) is an American former college football coach. He was the head football coach for Servite High School from 1974 to 1978, Whittier College from 1991 to 1993, and Chapman University from 1994 to 2005.

Ken Visser
Biographical details
Bornc. 1946 or 1947 (age 76–77)
Westminster, California, U.S.
Playing career
1963–1964Orange Coast
1965–1966Occidental
Position(s)Linebacker
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1967Occidental (GA)
1968–1971Occidental (LB)
1972–1973Servite HS (CA) (DC)
1974–1978Servite HS (CA)
1979–1980Long Beach State (DB)
1981–1986Long Beach State (DC/LB)
1987–1990Long Beach State (AHC/DC)
1991–1993Whittier
1994–2005Chapman
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1972–1978Servite HS (CA)
Head coaching record
Overall59–77–1 (college)
37–14–1 (high school)

Early life and playing career

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Visser grew up in Westminster, California, and attended Westminster High School.[1] After graduating high school he enrolled at Orange Coast where he played linebacker.[1] With Orange Coast, he was a member of the 1963 team that won the Junior Rose Bowl—now known as the Pasadena Bowl.[2] He transferred to Occidental after two years.[1]

Coaching career

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After Visser graduated from Occidental, he rejoined the football team as a graduate assistant. In 1968, he was promoted to linebackers coach.[3] After a total of five years with the team as a coach he left to become the defensive coordinator for Servite High School.[4] In 1974, he was promoted to head football coach.[5][6] In five years as head coach, he led the team to a 37–14–1 record, one conference championship, and five consecutive playoff appearances.[7] During his tenure, he won 23 of his 37 games by shutout.[2] He also served as the school's athletic director.[2]

In 1979, Visser was hired from the high school ranks as the defensive backs coach for Long Beach State.[8][9] In 1981, he was promoted to defensive coordinator and transitioned to coaching the linebackers.[10][11] He was retained in 1984 when Dave Currey left the team and Mike Sheppard was hired. When Sheppard left and Larry Reisbig was hired, Visser was once again retained, but this time was promoted to assistant head coach.[12] He survived a fourth head coaching change in his last season in 1990 when George Allen was hired.

In 1984, Visser was hired as the head football coach for Redlands.[2] He later declined the position and returned to Long Beach State as an assistant.[2] In 1985, he was a finalist for the head coach position for Northern Colorado, but Ron Simonson was chosen instead.[13] A year later in 1986, he was a finalist for the head coach position for his junior college alma mater, Orange Coast, but ultimately stayed with Long Beach State.[1][2]

In 1991, Visser was hired away from Long Beach State to become the head football coach for Whittier.[14] He took over a program that had not won a game in the previous season and led them to a 3–6 record in his first year.[1] With Whittier, he ran an multi-option i-bone offense and a 4–4 defense.[15] In his last year he led the team to its best record since 1987 when they finished 4–5. In three seasons as head coach, Visser amassed an overall record of 10–17.

In 1994, Visser was hired to restart the Chapman football program which had been dormant since 1932.[1][16][17] In the team's first three years since restarting they recorded a combined 21–5–1 record as an NCAA Division III independent. Over thirteen years as head coach, he guided the team to an overall record of 49–60–1. He finished his tenure without recording a winning season in his last six seasons. He retired after the 2005 season.[18]

Head coaching record

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College

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Whittier Poets (Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1991–1993)
1991 Whittier 3–6 2–3 4th
1992 Whittier 3–6 2–4 T–5th
1993 Whittier 4–5 3–3 T–3rd
Whittier: 10–17 7–10
Chapman Panthers (NCAA Division III independent) (1994–2005)
1994 Chapman 6–2–1
1995 Chapman 8–1
1996 Chapman 7–2
1997 Chapman 4–5
1998 Chapman 2–7
1999 Chapman 5–4
2000 Chapman 2–7
2001 Chapman 3–6
2002 Chapman 3–7
2003 Chapman 3–7
2004 Chapman 4–5
2005 Chapman 2–7
Chapman: 49–60–1
Total: 59–77–1

High school

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Servite Friars () (1974–1978)
1974 Servite 7–2–1 4–1 1st
1975 Servite 8–2 4–1 2nd
1976 Servite 8–2 4–1 2nd
1977 Servite 5–4 2–2 3rd
1978 Servite 9–4 3–2 3rd
Servite: 37–14–1 17–7
Total: 37–14–1
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Beck, Martin (December 2, 1993). "Poets' Visser to Coach Chapman Football : Colleges: He will get school's Division III program off the ground". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Hamilton, Tom (March 11, 1986). "OCC Narrows Potential Coaches to 3 Finalists". The Los Angeles Times. p. 78. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  3. ^ "Bengal footballers hold scrimmage Saturday nite". Eagle Rock Sentinel. September 5, 1968. p. 4. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  4. ^ "Servite Should Survive New Look". Anaheim Bulletin. September 6, 1972. p. 25. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  5. ^ Hamilton, Tom (September 20, 1974). "Sixteen Grid Coaches Make County Debut". The Los Angeles Times. p. 21. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  6. ^ "Visser Named Football Coach at Servite High". The Los Angeles Times. May 11, 1974. p. 10. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  7. ^ "Ken Visser". Servite Football. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  8. ^ Roberts, Rich (May 11, 1979). "New-Look 49ers Debut Saturday". The Los Angeles Times. p. 19. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  9. ^ Roberts, Rich (August 14, 1979). "Currey Haunted by 'Ghost' of Howard". The Los Angeles Times. p. 35. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  10. ^ "49ers' Visser Promoted". The Los Angeles Times. March 17, 1981. p. 44. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  11. ^ "Ken Visser". The Los Angeles Times. August 31, 1984. p. 65. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  12. ^ McLeod, Paul (January 8, 1987). "New Long Beach Coach Sees Prosperity Ahead Despite Off-Season Uncertainty". The Los Angeles Times. p. 62. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  13. ^ Farber, Stan (January 23, 1985). "Simonson leaves UPS to take Northern Colorado job". The News Tribune. p. 25. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  14. ^ McLeod, Paul (September 26, 1991). "New Coach, a Victory Make Believers Out of College Team". The Los Angeles Times. p. 156. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  15. ^ "Cal Lutheran vs. Whittier". Thousand Oaks Star. November 2, 1991. p. 24. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  16. ^ Di Rado, Alicia (August 19, 1994). "Reheating the Gridiron". The Los Angeles Times. p. 14. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  17. ^ Beck, Martin (November 12, 1994). "Chapman Ready to Cap Eventful First Season". The Los Angeles Times. p. 203. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  18. ^ "Chapman's Visser plans to retire". Orange County Register. February 21, 2006. Retrieved July 5, 2024.


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