Herman N. "Buck" Neilson (December 21, 1907 – September 14, 1978) was an American college football, college basketball, and tennis coach. He served as the head football coach at Florida A&M University from 1943 to 1944 and Hampton Institute—now known as Hampton University, compiled a career college football head coaching record of 14–17–2.
 Neilson pictured in Massasoit 1930, Springfield College yearbook | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 21, 1907 |
| Died | September 14, 1978 (aged 70) Hampton, Virginia, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1927–1929 | Springfield |
| Basketball | |
| 1928–1930 | Springfield |
| Track and field | |
| 1927–1930 | Springfield |
| Position | Halfback (football) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1930–1939 | Hampton (assistant) |
| 1940 | Lincoln (MO) (assistant) |
| 1942 | Florida A&M (assistant) |
| 1943–1944 | Florida A&M |
| 1945–1946 | Hampton |
| Basketball | |
| 1941–1942 | Florida A&M (assistant) |
| 1942–1945 | Florida A&M |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 14–17–2 (football) |
| Bowls | 0–2 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 1 SIAC (1944) | |
A native of Hackensack, New Jersey, and attended Hackensack High School, where he played baseball, football and ran track, in addition to receiving academic honors.[1][2] He went on to Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he lettered in football, basketball, and track and field, before earning a Bachelor of Physical Education degree in 1930.[3] Neilson later received a master's degree from Springfield in physical education and a doctorate in education from New York University.[2]
Neilson began his coaching career in 1930 at Hampton.[4] In addition to assisting Gideon Smith with the football team, he coached track and field, baseball, boxing, tennis, and wrestling at Hampton over the next decade.[5][2] In 1940, Neilson was appointed assistant professor of physical education and assistant coach at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri.[6][7] Neilson succeeded William M. Bell as head football coach at Florida A&M in 1943.[8] He returned to Hampton as the head football coach in 1945.[9]
Neilson died on September 14, 1978, at Hampton General Hospital in Hampton, Virginia, after suffering a heart attack.[5][2]
Head coaching record
editFootball
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida A&M Rattlers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1943–1944) | |||||||||
| 1943 | Florida A&M | 1–4–2 | 1–1–2 | 4th | L Orange Blossom Classic | ||||
| 1944 | Florida A&M | 7–3 | 5–0 | 1st | L Orange Blossom Classic | ||||
| Florida A&M: | 8–7–2 | 6–1–2 | |||||||
| Hampton Pirates (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1945–1946) | |||||||||
| 1945 | Hampton | 2–6 | 2–6 | 11th | |||||
| 1946 | Hampton | 4–4 | 4–4 | 10th | |||||
| Hampton: | 6–10 | 6–10 | |||||||
| Total: | 14–17–2 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
References
edit- ↑ "Neilson Coach for Hampton", Daily Press, October 4, 1945. Accessed April 15, 2026, via Newspapers.com. "A native of Hackensack, N. J., Neilson graduated from Hackensack high school, where he was a football, basketball, and track star, as well as a member of the honor society."
- 1 2 3 4 "Herman Neilson, 71; professor and coach". The Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. October 10, 1978. p. B25. Retrieved April 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com
. - ↑ Netter, L., ed. (1930). "Massasoit 1930". Massasoit. Springfield, Massachusetts: Junior Class of Springfield College: 59. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
- ↑ "Hampton-Lincoln Annual Game At Yankee Stadium". The New York Age. New York, New York. September 13, 1930. p. 6. Retrieved April 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com .
- 1 2 Hirsch, Alan (September 16, 1978). "Dr. Herman Neilson, Coach-Teacher, Dies". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. pp. 22, 25. Retrieved April 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com .
- ↑ "Thirteen New Instructors To Lincoln U." The Call. Kansas City, Missouri. October 18, 1940. p. 12. Retrieved April 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com .
- ↑ "Assistant Coach and Captain Discuss Thorobreds". The Call. Kansas City, Missouri. October 25, 1940. p. 40. Retrieved April 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com .
- ↑ Kidd, A. L. (October 16, 1943). ""Buck" Neilson Succeeds "Bill" Bell As Head Coach At Florida A. &. M. College". Atlanta Daily World. Atlanta, Georgia. p. 5. Retrieved April 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com .
- ↑ "Neilson Returns As Pirate Mentor". The Washington Afro-American. Washington, D.C. July 7, 1945. p. 27. Retrieved April 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com .
- ↑ "NCAA Statistics; Coach; Herman Neilson". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
