Dave Nelson (1986) - University of Michigan Hall of Honor

Dave Nelson

Induction:
1986
Class:
1942

David Nelson, a Detroit Northwestern H.S. three-sport star, accomplished a boyhood goal in 1938 enrolling at the University of Michigan. An outstanding student and athlete, the 5-7 and 155-pound Nelson played halfback in the same U-M backfield as tailback Tom Harmon, quarterback Forest Evashevski and fullback Bob Westfall. Coached by the legendary Fritz Crisler, Nelson led the team in rushing during his senior year, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. While Nelson did play football for the University of Michigan, his exploits after graduation developed him into one of the most recognized and admired names in all of college football. From 1951 until 1966, Nelson established a gridiron dynasty as head coach at University of Delaware. The Blue Hens won three Lambert Cups and the UPI National Small College championship in 1963. The smart, innovative head coach developed the Winged-T offense. Evashevski was not only a teammate and friend, he was one of the many football coaches that adopted the strategy and credited Nelson with providing him the formation leading Iowa to Rose Bowl wins in 1957 and 1959. He was a nationally recognized expert on intercollegiate football rules, serving on the NCAA Football Rules Committee for 35 years and as the committee's Secretary Editor from 1962 until his death in 1991. He also was a gifted author of books and columns when it came to the sport of football. Not only is he a member of the U-M Hall of Honor, he was honored with the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Distinguished American Award (1984), inducted as a coach into the National Football Hall of Fame (1987), the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame (1978) and the American Football Coaches Association Amos Alonzo Stagg Award (1988).