William Franklin Kern (September 2, 1906 – April 5, 1985) was an American football player and coach.

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.

[1] Following college, Kern played tackle for the NFL's Green Bay Packers in 1929 and 1930.

[2] Kern's tenure at West Virginia was interrupted by military service during World War II.