Kent Kessinger

Kent Kessinger is an American retired college football coach. He was the head football coach at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas, from 2004 to 2021, compiling a record of 108–85.

Kent Kessinger

Kessinger and his team preparing to take the field
Playing career
1988–1991	Bethany (KS)
Position(s)	Offensive lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1995–2003	Augustana (SD) (OC)
2004–2021	Ottawa (KS)
Head coaching record
Overall	108–85
Tournaments	1–6 (NAIA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
4 KCAC (2009, 2011–2012, 2014)
Awards
2× KCAC Coach of the Year (2009, 2011)

Playing career

Kessinger is a graduate of Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas, where he played offensive line under his father, Ted Kessinger.^[1]

Coaching career

Part of Kessinger's coaching style was to encourage athletes to participate in more than one sport. "It breaks up the year, it gives them something to compete with when they're in the offseason, and if they really love to play it, then we encourage them to keep on doing it," he said^[2]

Head coaching record

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	NAIA#
Ottawa Braves (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (2004–2021)
2004	Ottawa	3–7	3–6	T–8th
2005	Ottawa	5–5	4–5	T–5th
2006	Ottawa	1–9	1–8	10th
2007	Ottawa	4–6	3–6	T–7th
2008	Ottawa	8–2	7–2	T–2nd		22
2009	Ottawa	11–1	9–0	1st	L NAIA Quarterfinal	5
2010	Ottawa	9–2	8–1	2nd	L NAIA First Round	10
2011	Ottawa	9–3	9–0	1st	L NAIA First Round	10
2012	Ottawa	8–3	8–1	1st	L NAIA First Round	16
2013	Ottawa	8–4	7–2	T–2nd	L NAIA First Round	14
2014	Ottawa	9–3	8–1	1st	L NAIA First Round	13
2015	Ottawa	6–4	6–3	4th
2016	Ottawa	4–7	4–5	5th
2017	Ottawa	3–8	3–6	T–7th
2018	Ottawa	8–2	8–2	2nd
2019	Ottawa	2–8	2–8	10th
2020–21	Ottawa	5–5	2–5	T–5th
2021	Ottawa	5–6	4–6	7th
Ottawa:		108–85	96–67
Total:		108–85
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
#Rankings from final NAIA Coaches' Poll.

References

1. Victory Sports Network Archived March 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Ottawa University
   - Bethel College Athletic News^{[permanent dead link]} "Threshers to open season against Ottawa", Mark Schnabel, September 18, 2004
   - Topeka Capital-Journal^{[permanent dead link]} "Sports Front", Ken Corbitt, September 5, 2005
2. Michael Ashford (March 21, 2007). "Bravest Of The Braves". Emporia Gazette. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013.