Don Nehlen Inducted Into National HS Football HOF Inaugural Class

Former West Virginia football head coach Don Nehlen is being inducted into the inaugural National High School Football Hall of Fame class. Nehlen will be enshrined on July 30 at 3 p.m. in Canton, Ohio.

Congrats to coach Don Nehlen on being inducted into the inaugural class of the 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙚 🏅🏆

Coach will be enshrined on July 30 in Canton, Ohio

🔗 https://t.co/VNjsNRyaov#HailWV pic.twitter.com/WDQMMpwIaz

— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) July 21, 2023

Nehlen will join Jim Brown, Archie Griffin, Archie, Peyton, Eli and Cooper Manning, Chris Spielman, Bernie Kosar, Marion Motley, Marcus DuPree, Paul Brown, Ted Ginn Sr. and Thom McDaniels in the inaugural class.

Before his known coaching experience at the college level, Nehlen started at Canton South High School in 1959. Nehlen coached at the high school level for a few seasons until he was hired by the University of Cincinnati as an assistant in 1963. Nehlen returned to the high school level after one year at UC as he took the Canton McKinley job, a well-known job.

Nehlen once again went back to coaching student-athletes in college at Bowling Green and then eventually as West Virginia’s head coach in 1980. Nehlen won 149 games over 21 seasons, taking the Mountaineers to 13 bowl games. Nehlen’s tenure is most recognized for the 1988 team that went to the Fiesta Bowl and the 1993 team that appeared in the Sugar Bowl.

Coach Nehlen has had great success at the college level but will be recognized for his high school coaching career next weekend in Canton.