Born in Roseville, California, Besana played college football at the University of California in Berkeley under head coach Mike White, where he was primarily a back-up to All-Americans Steve Bartkowski and Joe Roth. He started the first three games of the 1975 season.\n', '

Besana was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round (115th overall) of the 1977 NFL draft. He was active for two games in 1977 and two games in 1978, before being released by the Giants on August 13, 1979. With his NFL career effectively over, Besana returned to California and played semi-pro ball for the Twin Cities Cougars, based in Marysville, of the California Football League from 1980–1982, while he sold insurance and was a partner in a beer distributorship.\n', '

The Oakland Invaders signed Besana on January 26, 1983, and he won the starting job for the Invaders under head coach John Ralston and led them to a 9-9 record and the Pacific Division title. The Invaders lost in the first round of the playoffs to the league\'s eventual champion, the Michigan Panthers, 37–21. Besana, age 29, was the league\'s second-ranked QB, behind Michigan\'s Bobby Hebert, spreading the ball around to four receivers who caught over 50 passes; he threw 21 touchdown passes and totaled 3,980 yards. Following the season, All-League tight end Raymond Chester retired and by the start of the next season big play threat wide receiver Wyatt Henderson would also be off the team.\n', '

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