Spike Nelson

For the Degrassi character named "Spike" Nelson, see Christine Nelson.

Emerson William "Spike" Nelson^[1] (April 2, 1906 – October 20, 1998)^[2][3] was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Mississippi State College, now Mississippi State University, in 1938 and at Yale University in 1941, compiling a career head coaching record of 5–13. He played college football as a tackle at the University of Iowa and was selected as a first-team tackle by the New York Sun on its 1926 College Football All-America Team.^[4] He was also selected as a second-team All-American by the Associated Press and Central Press.^[5][6][7]

Spike Nelson

Biographical details
Born	(1906-04-02)April 2, 1906 Cherokee, Iowa, U.S.
Died	October 30, 1998(1998-10-30) (aged 92) Laguna Hills, California, U.S.
Playing career
1925–1927	Iowa
Position(s)	Tackle
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1931	Iowa (line)
1932–1937	LSU (line)
1938	Mississippi State
1939–1940	Yale (line)
1941	Yale
1942	Saint Mary's Pre-Flight (assistant)
1943	Saint Mary's Pre-Flight
Head coaching record
Overall	8–17–1
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Second-team All-American (1926) First-team All-Big Ten (1926) Second-team All-Big Ten (1927)

Nelson was also an All-American hammer thrower and discus thrower for the Iowa Hawkeyes track and field team, finishing third in the hammer throw at the 1926 NCAA Track and Field Championships.^[8]

Head coaching record

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Mississippi State Maroons (Southeastern Conference) (1938)
1938	Mississippi State	4–6	1–4	11th
Mississippi State:		4–6	1–4
Yale Bulldogs (Independent) (1941)
1941	Yale	1–7
Yale:		1–7
Saint Mary's Pre-Flight Air Devils (Independent) (1943)
1943	Saint Mary's Pre-Flight	3–4–1
Saint Mary's Pre-Flight:		3–4–1
Total:		8–17–1