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Assistant Coaches
Assistant Coaches
Mark Nelson begins his first season as the
defensive line coach and special teams coordinator
at the University of Louisville.
He comes to the Derby City after serving one
season at Tulsa and as the co-defensive
coordinator and defensive line coach.
He came to Tulsa from Baylor University,
where he has spent the past three seasons as a
defensive coach and special teams coordinator. He
has coached the linebackers the past two seasons,
while coaching the defensive ends in 2003.
At Baylor, Nelson’s special team units have
ranked among the nation’s leaders in various
categories. Baylor ranked among the top-30 in four
team special teams categories — kickoff returns
(14th), net punting (16th), kickoff return defense
(21st) and punt returns (29th) — in 2005.
Prior to his stint at Baylor, Nelson coached
two seasons at Kentucky. He was the tight ends
coach in 2001 and coached the defensive ends in
2002. Nelson also served as special teams
coordinator for both seasons. In 2002, his special
team units set or tied five NCAA records, nine
Southeastern Conference marks and 10 school
records.
Nelson spent the 2000 campaign as the
defensive coordinator and defensive secondary
coach at Arkansas Tech. Tech went 7-3, including a
win over Delta State, the only loss suffered by the
eventual NCAA Division II national champion.
Before that, he spent three seasons (1997-99)
coaching at Valdosta State, where he served as
assistant head coach in his final two years.
During his tenure, Nelson served as Valdosta
State’s defensive coordinator and linebacker coach.
He also served as interim head coach from October
until the end of the 1999 season. Under his
tutelage, his defenses ranked among the best in the
Gulf South Conference each year, and ranked 13th
nationally in 1998.
Mark Nelson
Defensive Line/Special Teams
In his career as a collegiate assistant coach, two
of his players have earned national special teams
honors, while others have earned conference awards.
Kentucky’s Glen Pakulak was selected the 2002 Mosi
Tatupu Award winner as the National Special Teams
Player of the Year, and in 2004, Daniel Sepulveda
was named the Ray Guy Award winner.
In 2002, Kentucky’s Derek Abney was named
the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year. Nelson
coached the 2003 (Robert Quiroga) and 2004 (Willie
Andrews) Big XII Return Specialists.
Nelson spent five seasons (1992-96) coaching
in the Canadian Football League. He spent one year
each with the Toronto Argonauts and the San Antonio
Texans, and three seasons with the Edmonton
Eskimos. In 1993, Edmonton won the Grey Cup
Championship and he was selected as the league’s
Special Teams Coach of the Year. In his one-year
stint at Toronto, the Argonauts also won the Grey
Cup Championship in 1996.
Before that, he spent five years (1987-91)
coaching at Independence Community College,
including one year as defensive line coach, four
seasons as defensive coordinator and linebacker
coach and also the final two seasons as head coach.
Nelson began his coaching career on the prep
level in Oklahoma, when he was the defensive line
coach and special teams coordinator at Choctaw High
School in 1986.
A 1980 graduate of East Central Oklahoma,
Nelson went on to a career in the Canadian Football
League, playing for the Calgary Stampeders for six
seasons (1980-85) and spent one year (1986) with the
Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Nelson, 50 (7-25-56), earned his bachelor’s
degree in Education from East Central, and received
a master’s of science in 1988 from Pittsburg (Kan.)
State.
He and his wife, Lori, have three children: sons,
Kyle and Kolton, and daughter, Kayli.
Nelson at a Glance
PERSONAL
Birthdate: July 25, 1956
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta Canada
Alma Mater: East Central ‘80
Family: He and his wife Lori, have three children:
Kyle, Kolton and Kayli.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2007 Louisville
2006 Tulsa
2003-05 Baylor
2001-02 Kentucky
2000 Arkansas Tech
1997-99 Valdosta State
1996 Toronto (CFL)
1995 San Antonio (CFL)
1992-94 Edmonton (CFL)
1987-91 Independence CC
BOWLS AS A COACH
1993 Grey Cup
1996 Grey Cup
RECRUITING AREAS
North Florida, South Georgia, South Carolina,
Canada, Alaska, Maine
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