While playing high school ball at Masten Park High, now City Honors School, in Buffalo, New York, he led his team to three consecutive Harvard Cup championships, which denoted Buffalo city champions.

While playing Columbia's backfield, Koppisch was teammates with future New York Yankee Lou Gehrig.

However, the newly established New York Giants were seeking a well-known player which they could build a team around, and Koppisch was the top name on their list.

According to Harry March, in his book Pro Football: Its Ups and Downs (the accuracy of which is disputed), the Giants stopped pursuing Koppisch at the request of the Bisons.

While expectations were high for the Bisons in 1925, the reality was that the team needed to undergo a rebuilding process.

These players included mainstays Tommy Hughitt, Benny Boynton, Pete Calac, and Eddie Kaw.

The News carried its grudge against the Bisons for the entire season, publishing only a few very small articles about the team.

The team began the season with back-to-back losses against the Frankford Yellow Jackets and Pottsville Maroons.

He received some bad cuts and bruises on his legs, and was advised to sit out a few games to allow his injuries to heal.

The Bisons ended their 1925 season with losses to the Providence Steam Roller and eventual champions the Chicago Cardinals.

The franchise suffered from years of declining attendance, which in turn meant little money with which the team could sign decent players.