Emerson William "Spike" Nelson (April 2, 1906 – October 20, 1998) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Mississippi State College, now Mississippi State University, in 1938 and at Yale University in 1941, compiling a career college football record of 5–13. He played college football as a tackle at the University of Iowa and was selected as a first-team tackle by the New York Sun on its 1926 College Football All-America Team. He was also selected as a second-team All-American by the Associated Press and Central Press. Head coaching record References External links 1906 births 1998 deaths American football tackles Iowa Hawkeyes football coaches Iowa Hawkeyes football players LSU Tigers football coaches Mississippi State Bulldogs football coaches Saint Mary's Pre-Flight Air Devils football coaches Yale Bulldogs football coaches United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy officers People from Cherokee, Iowa Military personnel from Iowa