Don Nehlen, West Virginia University Head Football Coach, Papers , A&M 4312

West Virginia and Regional History Center

1549 University Ave.
P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown, WV 26506-6069
Business Number: 304-293-3536
wvrhcref@westvirginia.libanswers.com
URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu

Grace Musgrave

Repository

West Virginia and Regional History Center

Identification

A&M 4312

Title

Don Nehlen, West Virginia University Head Football Coach, Papers 1988-2021, undated

Quantity

1.7 Linear Feet, 1 ft. 7 1/2 in. (3 document cases, 2 1/2 in. each); (1 index card box, 12 in.)

Quantity

4.29 Gigabytes, 25 files, formats include .tif, .iso, and .rw2

Creator

Nehlen, Don

Location

West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/

Language

English

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.

Conditions Governing Access

No special access restriction applies.

Researchers may access born digital materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia & Regional History Center reference department at https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc.

Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Don Nehlen, West Virginia University Head Football Coach, Papers, A&M 4312, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Biographical / Historical

Don Nehlen was born January 1, 1936 in Mansfield, Ohio. He was a star athlete in high school and at Bowling Green State University. After college, Nehlen began coaching at Canton area high schools, moving on to assistant coach positions in college football before taking the head coaching job at Bowling Green in 1968 where he compiled a 53-35-4 record over nine years. In 1977, Bo Schembechler hired him as the quarterbacks coach at the University of Michigan. Two years later, West Virginia University named Don Nehlen as the Mountaineers' head coach. Over his 21 year career at WVU, 1980 to 2000, Don Nehlen compiled a 149-93-4 record which includes two perfect regular season records. He retired before the 2001 season with career record of 202 wins, at the time the 17th winningest college football coach in the history of the game. Don Nehlen was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Content Description

Papers of Donald Nehlen, Hall of Fame head football coach for the West Virginia University Mountaineers, 1980-2000. The collection includes correspondence, memorabilia, ephemera and the 2000 season Mountaineer offense playbook. There are also several reproductions, both digital and prints, of photographs from several events celebrating his career, and images of awards and honors presented to Coach Nehlen for his contribution to college football.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Football coaches
Nehlen, Don
West Virginia University - Football.

Series 1. Photographs (Box 1)

Mixed Materials Box: 1 1988-2021

Scope and Contents

This series consists of photographs of awards given to Coach Nehlen, photos from the 1988 Walter Camp Awards, and Coach Nehlen's 2001 Tribute party among others.

Awards - Box 1 - Folder 1
1988 Walter Camp Awards - Box 1 - Folders 2-6
2001 Tribute party - Box 1 - Folders 7-22
"House That Don Built" collage - Box 1 - Folder 23
Note from Gaston Caperton - Box 1 - Folder 24
Photos of newspaper clippings - Box 1 - Folder 25
Photos of Don Nehlen's watch and ring collection - Box 1 - Folder 26

All of these photos have been digitized for preservation. For digital versions see Series 8. Digital Files.

Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1
Photos of Awards
1988-2021
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
Walter Camp Awards Event, (contains photos of Don Nehlen, Alan Page, Y.A. Tittle, Andy Robustelli, Ernest C. Williams, Troy Aikman, and Mark Messner among other famous football players) photos 1-4 of 20
1988
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 3
Walter Camp Awards Event, (contains photos of Mark Messner, Troy Aikman, Deion Sanders, and Don Nehlen among other famous football players) photos 5-8 of 20
1988
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 4
Walter Camp Awards Event, (contains photos of Barry Sanders, Don Nehlen, and Ernest C. Williams among others) photos 9-12 of 20
1988
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Walter Camp Awards Event, (contains photos of Ernest C. Williams, Don Nehlen, Richard DeMayo, Y.A. Tittle, Barry Sanders, Alan Page, Andy Robustelli, and Deion Sanders among others) photos 13-16 of 20
1988
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Walter Camp Awards Event, (contains photos of Don Nehlen, Y.A. Tittle, Barry Sanders, Andy Robustelli, Alan Page, Troy Aikman, Deion Sanders, and Mark Messner among other famous football players) photos 17-20 of 20
1988
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Don Nehlen, Gaston Caperton, Glen Hiner, and Gene Budig among others) photos 1-5 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 8
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Don Nehlen, Gene Budig, Glen Hiner, Gregg Bronk, Gary White, James Harless, and Lawson Hamilton) photos 6-10 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Don Nehlen, Richard Adams, Gary White, Lawson Hamilton, and James Harless) photos 11-15 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Don Nehlen, Lawson Hamilton, John Curry, Gaston Caperton, Mike Wilcox, Johnny Fahlgren, Al Johnson, Glen Hiner, Smoot Fahlgren, and Gene Budig) photos 16-20 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Don Nehlen, Smoot Fahlgren, Glen Hiner, and Johnny Fahlgren among others) photos 21-25 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of John Curry, Don Nehlen, Richard Adams, Jeff Hostetler, Smoot Fahlgren, and Johnny Fahlgren among others) photos 26-30 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 13
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Smoot Fahlgren, Don Nehlen, Johnny Fahlgren Jeff Hostetler, Dan Nehlen, and Don Poluszek among others) photos 31-35 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 14
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Mike Wilcox, Don Nehlen, Dwight Wallace, and Gregg Bronk among others) photos 36-40 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Don Nehlen, Gregg Bronk, Gaston Caperton, and Glen Hiner) photos 41-45 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 16
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Smoot Fahlgren, Gaston Caperton, Don Nehlen, Johnny Fahlgren, Al Johnson, and Glen Hiner among others) photos 46-50 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 17
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Don Nehlen, Dwight Wallace, Gaston Caperton, James Harless, Hank Barnette, Smoot Fahlgren, and Glen Hiner) photos 51-55 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 18
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Glen Hiner, Gaston Caperton, Hank Barnette, Jeff Hostetler, Dwight Wallace, John Curry, and Russell Issacs among others) photos 56-60 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 19
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Don Nehlen, Russell Issacs, and Hank Barnette among others) photos 61-65 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 20
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Don Nehlen, Gaston Caperton, Smoot Fahlgren, and Glen Hiner among others) photos 66-70 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 21
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Smoot Fahlgren, Don Nehlen, Glen Hiner, Marty Becker, and Mike Wilcox among others) photos 71-75 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 22
"Coach Don Nehlen Tribute - 21 Club," (includes photos of Glen Hiner, Don Nehlen, Gaston Caperton, and Hank Barnette among others) photos 76-80 of 80
2001 March 30
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 23
"The House That Don Built," collage
2010 September 29
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 24
Note from former Governor Gaston Caperton
1996 July 11
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 25
Photographs of Newspaper clippings
ca. 2000s
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 26
Photographs of Don Nehlen's watch and ring collection
undated

Series 2. Printed Material (Box 2)

Mixed Materials Box: 2 2000-2005 December 6

Scope and Contents

Series consists of the playbook for the 2000 West Virginia University football team. Also includes material related to the 48th Annual National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame's Awards Dinner.

Box 2 - Folders 1-15

Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 1
WVU Football Playbook - Offense, pgs 1-50
2000
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 2
WVU Football Playbook - Offense, pgs 51-100
2000
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 3
WVU Football Playbook - Offense, pgs 101-150
2000
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 4
WVU Football Playbook - Offense, pgs 151-201
2000
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 5
WVU Football Playbook - Offense, pgs 202-250
2000
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 6
WVU Football Playbook - Offense, pgs 251-277
2000
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 7
WVU Football Playbook - Defense, pgs 1-51
2000
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 8
WVU Football Playbook - Defense, pgs 52-100
2000
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 9
WVU Football Playbook - Defense, pgs 101-151
2000
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 10
WVU Football Playbook - Defense, pgs 152-201
2000
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 11
WVU Football Playbook - Defense, pgs 202-225
2000
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 12
College Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement passes
2006 August 10-12
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 13
National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame 48th Annual Awards Dinner seating list
2005 December 6
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 14
National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame 48th Annual Awards Dinner program
2005 December 6
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 15
Newspaper clipping, "Nehlenisms"
undated

Series 3. Biographical (Box 3)

Mixed Materials Box: 3 2019 July 28

Scope and Contents

Series contains a Wikipedia article detailing the life of Don Nehlen.

Box 3 - Folder 1

Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 1
Wikipedia entry for Don Nehlen
2019 July 28

Series 4. Correspondence (Box 3)

Mixed Materials Box: 3 2001

Scope and Contents

Correspondence series includes retirement letters sent to Don Nehlen from various NCAA and NFL coaches and team owners, such as Pete Carroll, Bill Cowher, and Lou Holtz, among others. Also includes messages written for Coach Nehlen from his retirement party guestbook.

Box 3 - Folders 2-8

Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 2
Letters, re: Retirement (1 of 2)
2001
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 3
Letters, re: Retirement (2 of 2)
2001
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 4
Retirement guestbook with notes, pgs 1-20 (Senator John Hunter pg. 11)
2001
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 5
Retirement guestbook with notes, pgs 21-40
2001
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 6
Retirement guestbook with notes, pgs 41-60
2001
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 7
Retirement guestbook with notes, pgs 61-80
2001
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 8
Retirement guestbook with notes, pgs 81-104
2001

Series 5. Writings (Box 3)

Mixed Materials Box: 3 undated

Scope and Contents

Comprised of notes/outlines written by Don Nehlen for various speeches regarding leadership, success, the importance of education, and religion, among other topics.

Box 3 - Folder 9

Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 9
Notes/Outlines for speeches
undated

Series 6. Digital Materials

Mixed Materials Box: 3 2005 December 6

Scope and Contents

Contains one DVD from the 48th Annual National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame's Awards Dinner (box 3, folder 10); four awards that were digitized and returned to Nehlen; Photographs of Don and Cath Nehlen and Championship Rings, Watches, and Award; and Photographs of Framed Newspaper, Photograph, Signed Longhorn Football, and Letter.

Conditions Governing Access

Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 10
48th Annual National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame Awards Dinner DVD
2005 December 6

Series 7. Artifact (Box 4)

Mixed Materials Box: 4 undated

Scope and Contents

The artifacts series contains one miniature football with one quarter panel depicting Jeff Hostetler and his signature.

Mixed Materials Box: 4 Item: 1
Miniature Jeff Hostetler football
undated