Reginald Nelson
enters his seventh season as the offensive line coach after serving as the offensive line and offensive coordinator in 2018.
The 2018 Tiger offense averaged 383.7 yards per game, 5.5 yards per play and scored 39 touchdowns. In addition last season, Nelson took over an offense that was tops in the conference the previous two years in scoring offense. Nelson’s 2017 unit helped foster the backfield for an offensive attack that led the conference in scoring, averaging 31.2 points per game. The Tigers produced 4,775 total yards of offense in 2017, averaging 367.3 yards a contest
Junior guard William Waddell has started every game since his freshman year at right guard. The past two seasons, he as earned First Team All-SWAC and BOXTOROW All-American honors for his play. In 2017, Nelson mentored Trenton Scott, who signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Rams. Scott was a First Team All-SWAC performer in 2017 and Second Team All-SWAC performer in 2016.
In 2016, Nelson’s offensive line helped to pave the way for more than 2,000 rushing yards, which led to the Tigers to averaging 203 rushing yards per game. The unit also allowed Devante Kincade to average 283 passing yards per game and anchored an offense that averaged 39.8 points per game.
A native of Alexandria, La., Nelson was a four-year letter winner as an offensive lineman at McNeese State from 1995-98 and later served on the Cowboys coaching staff for five years. Nelson coached the offensive line at McNeese State from 2007 to 2011.
As the offensive line coach at Grambling State University, Nelson helped to develop 2016 All-American offensive lineman Justin Miller and All-SWAC tackle Trent Scott. During his five years at McNeese State, Nelson developed two first team All-Americans and seven first-team all-conference players and two second-team all-conference players. Offensive tackle Kyle Link signed with the New York Jets in 2009 but was forced to end his career due to injury.
As a player at McNeese State, Nelson was selected as the team captain, awarded the Senior Scholastic Award and was a Consensus AP All-American in 1998. Additionally, he was a two-time AFCA All-American (1997,1998), two-time Sports Network All-American (1997, 1998), two-time ESPN News All-American (1997,1998), Three-time All Louisiana pick (1996,1997, 1998), three-time All-Southland Conference team member (1996, 1997, 1998) and a two-time All-Southland Conference Academic Team award recipient (1997,1998). Nelson started an NCAA record 52 consecutive games at McNeese State University. Nelson was also selected to the Southland Conference’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Football Team in 2013.
Following his career at McNeese State, Nelson was drafted in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers. Nelson spent his entire rookie season with the Chargers. His second year was spent between the Minnesota Vikings for the first five weeks of the season and the Jacksonville Jaguars for the remainder of the 2000 season. He was allocated to the Frankfurt Galaxy during the spring of 2001, played for the Barcelona Dragons during 2002 and was on the preseason roster of the Green Bay Packers in 2002. In 2005, Nelson played offensive tackle for the Ottawa Renegades of the CFL.
Nelson graduated from McNeese State in 1998 and then followed with a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology in 2005. He is married to the former Nikki Hunter and has two children Reggie (17) and Noah (15).
