 He was born to Maryland state forester Frederick Wilson Besley and Bertha née Simonds on November 9, 1902 in Washington, D.C. Besley attended the University of Maryland where he gained his first football experience at any level with the varsity team.He played as a halfback in 1922 and 1925 and as a quarterback in 1923 and 1924.Besley received from Maryland a Bachelor of Science degree in 1923, a Master of Science degree in 1924, and in 1931, a Doctor of Philosophy degree with a dissertation on "The Effect of Ozone on the Vitamin Content of Cod Liver Oil."