He was a Quarterback at Bowling Green and led the team to a Mid-American Conference championship. Nehlen then began his coaching career in 1958 at Mansfield High School. He served as head coach at Canton South and Canton McKinley high schools and then was an assistant coach at University Of Cincinnati , Bowling Green, and University Of Michigan .
Nehlen received the 2002 Distinguished West Virginian Award from the West Virginia Broadcasters Association.http://www.collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?id=90101
Since retirement, he has been a spokesman for the Coal industry. He has been urged to run as a Republican for several political offices, but as of 2005 he has declined to do so. He is a supporter of the FBI's childhood fingerprint identification campaign.
After being inducted into the College Football Hall Of Fame , Nehlen published a book called " Don Nehlen's Tales From The West Virginia Sideline ". The Autobiographical book recalled Nehlen's greatest moments, players, and more from his 21-years as the head coach at West Virginia.
Nehlen had been quarterback's coach for Bo Schembechler , University Of Michigan 's coach, before taking the job at West Virginia. Nehlen became West Virginia's 29th football coach December 7 , 1979 . Nehlen replaced Frank Cignetti after four losing seasons.
Nehlen assembled what he called a "perfect staff". Nehlen first hired Gary Tranquill as the offensive coach. Trying to resemble the Michigan defense, Nehlen hired Dennis Green. Nehlen also hired some of the coaches he worked with at Bowling Green. Also, Nehlen hired Donnie Young , Cignetti's former assistant head coach, as the recruiting coach for the last three months of recruiting. During Nehlen's tenure at West Virginia, he only had to let two coaches go that he had hired. Gary Tranquill left after three years to take the head coaching position at the United States Naval Academy , taking a grad assistant Steve Dunlap with him. Dunlap would return and became West Virginia's defensive coach. One of Nehlen's most famed coaches was Doc Holliday , who was the assistant head coach and recruiting coach for almost 20 years before leaving to be assistant coach at North Carolina State . Holliday was sent to Florida every year to find recruits. Holliday found many talented recruits in the Florida area, including linebacker Steve Grant .
When Nehlen arrived at West Virginia University, he introduced their first "home and away uniforms" and WVU's helmet logo, which turned out to be West Virginia athletics new official logo. Nehlen's first season, 1980 , went 6-6. In 1981 , led by quarterback Oliver Luck , West Virginia went 8-3 and upset the Florida Gators in the Peach Bowl 26-6. In 1983 , led by Jeff Hostetler , West Virginia started the season with an upset over #9 Oklahoma Sooners and a win in 1983 against the University Of Pittsburgh . The 1984 season had wins against Doug Flutie 's Boston College and Penn State . The Penn State win marked West Virginia's first win against them since {Link without Title} .
The 1986 season marked the beginning of the Major Harris era in West Virginia. In Harris' sophomore season, 1988 , West Virginia went undefeated and played Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl . West Virginia lost the game 34-21, after Major Harris' injury on the third play of the game.
In 1993 , Nehlen led West Virginia to another undefeated regular season, but Florida enacted revenge in the Sugar Bowl , winning 41-7. The 1994 team started with a 1-4 record, but Nehlen managed to take West Virginia to the Carquest Bowl , but lost to the University Of South Carolina 24-21.
In 1998 , Nehlen had future NFL players Marc Bulger , Amos Zereoue , Anthony Becht , Gary Stills , Barrett Green , and John Thornton to make up what he called "his best West Virginia...squad". West Virginia opened the season with a loss to Ohio State , but finished the season with an 8-4 record, losing in the Insight Bowl to University Of Missouri 34-31.
Following a loss to Syracuse University , Nehlen announced that the 2000 season would be his final. Nehlen's final home game was against ECU . Nehlen's final game was against Ole Miss in the Music City Bowl . After winning three of his first four bowls, Nehlen's bowl resume had been below average. But West Virginia handled the Rebels 49-38, let by the offensive attack of quarterback Brad Lewis , tailback Avon Cobourne , wide receiver Antonio Brown , and fullback Wes Ours .
Nehlen is West Virginia's all time leading coach in terms of victories. His career record there is 149-93-4. He coached 15 first team All-America ns, 82 all-conference players, and 80 NFL players. He received ''Coach of the Year'' honors from Kodak . In 1993, he won the ''Big East Coach of the Year'' award. In 1988, he led earned AFCA Coach of the Year honors. Nehlen was inducted into the College Football Hall Of Fame in 2005 .
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Bowling Green
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MAC
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1968
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1976
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1968
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Bowling Green
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6-3-1
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3-2-1
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1969
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Bowling Green
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6-4
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4-1
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1970
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Bowling Green
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2-6-1
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2-3
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1971
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Bowling Green
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6-4
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4-1
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1972
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Bowling Green
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6-3-1
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3-1-1
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1973
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Bowling Green
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7-3
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4-3
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1974
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Bowling Green
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6-4-1
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2-3
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1975
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Bowling Green
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8-3
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4-2
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1976
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Bowling Green
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6-5
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4-3
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Bowling Green
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53-35-4
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30-19-2
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West Virginia
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Independent (1980-1990), Big East (1991-present)
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1980
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2000
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1981
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West Virginia
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9-3
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Peach Bowl
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Florida
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W, 26-6
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17
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1982
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West Virginia
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9-3
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Gator Bowl
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Florida State
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L, 12-31
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19
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1987
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West Virginia
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6-6
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Sun Bowl
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Oklahoma State
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L, 33-35
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1988
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West Virginia
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11-1
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Fiesta Bowl
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Notre Dame
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L, 21-34
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5
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1989
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West Virginia
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8-3-1
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Gator Bowl
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Clemson
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L, 7-27
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21
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1991
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West Virginia
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6-5
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3-4
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4
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1992
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West Virginia
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5-4-2
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2-3-1
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5
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conference
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1993
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West Virginia
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11-1
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7-0
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1
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Sugar Bowl
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Florida
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L, 7-41
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7
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1994
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West Virginia
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7-6
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4-3
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3-T
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Carquest Bowl
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South Carolina
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L, 21-24
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1995
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West Virginia
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5-6
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4-3
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4-T
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1996
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West Virginia
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8-4
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4-3
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4
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Gator Bowl
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North Carolina
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L, 13-20
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1997
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West Virginia
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7-5
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4-3
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3-T
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Carquest Bowl
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Georgia Tech
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L, 30-35
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1999
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West Virginia
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4-7
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3-4
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4-T
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2000
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West Virginia
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7-5
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3-4
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5-T
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Music City Bowl
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Mississippi
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W, 49-38
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West Virginia
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149-93-4
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39-29-1
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http://www.wvu.edu/~sports/hall_fame/don_nehlen.htm
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