“54”
Our Granddaughter, Taylor, is “The Artist”! ❤️ She created this three years ago when she was 13. Her model was a helmet I took home with me 51 years ago!
October 16, 2007
(Coach Bronco Mendenhall, in an email dated October 9, 2007, invited each
"former" BYU football player to write a letter to the current and future
players concerning the number each of us had as a student-athlete at BYU.
He indicated that he felt that this would help them to gain a feeling for
what that number has meant to those in the past. He was hopeful that they
would be motivated and encouraged to be the best representative possible of
that particular number. He encouraged us to share our feelings about being
a Cougar, then and now.)
Hey! Fifty-Four, how'd you get that number? It used to be my number (as
far as I'm concerned, it still is; but you can borrow it for a time). When
you came to BYU, did you pick your number, or just end up with it? When
they gave me number Fifty-Four in the fall of 1969, I was just happy to have
a jersey. It was my second number; (they gave me number fifty-nine in the
spring of 1969 but that number ended up going to someone else).
I'll bet you're a "Big Guy"; probably a lineman, maybe a linebacker (when
was the last time someone called you a "Skill Player"? I'm guessing,
never!). I was a linebacker (still think like one). Problem was I didn't
look like a linebacker, especially a middle linebacker (six-feet tall and
200 pounds in the program, (195 on the field)). I may not have been big,
but I was slow (forty-yards in five-seconds flat). It was no wonder BYU
didn't knock my door down trying to recruit me into their program. Truth be
known, it was probably only out of courtesy that they even returned my phone
calls. However, they did buy me lunch one day when one of their scouts was
in my neighborhood, just before they let me know that I was "too small for
their program". (That's not what I wanted to hear!)
So what if they didn't invite me to join their team. I showed up anyway!
After completing two seasons at Fullerton Junior College (undefeated
National & California State Champs in 1967, we lost one game in 1968 and
thereby spoiled our chance to repeat), as I was saying, after my two seasons
at Fullerton, and having my heart set on attending BYU, it was time for me
to take action. So, I enrolled at BYU just like any other transfer student
would, and then (after taking about a month to build up my courage) walked
into the office of Head Coach Tommy Hudspeth and asked him if he would let
me try out for his team. Here was his response, "well son, we'll give ya a
look see". He then introduced me to defensive coach LaVell Edwards. Coach
Edwards got me a locker, some equipment and a practice jersey bearing the
number fifty-nine. Now, I was in business!
After several very humbling but rewarding weeks of spring practice (did you
see the movie "Invincible"? I lived it that spring!), it was time to meet
with Coach Hudspeth to see where I stood. He was relatively positive (with
comments like, "you hit real good son, but you're not very big and you don't
run fast"), positive right up to the point where he invited me to come back
in the fall, and he even offered me free books and a job in the equipment
room that would pay $20 per month.
To me, it didn't seem like much of an offer. Mostly, it didn't seem fair!
So I turned it down. (Boy did I show him! That's when I learned what
people mean when they say, "don't cut off your nose to spite your face".)
Now I was headed back home empty handed, knowing that my friends and family
would require a full report. It was a report I didn't enjoy giving.
After a long summer working my job, saving money, and in the evenings
working out five-days a week with my former Fullerton team-mates (as if I
had some where to go play football that fall like each of them did), I
realized that free books and $20 per month was more than enough to
compensate me for my athletic services. So, I called Coach Hudspeth at the
end of the summer to let him know the good news, that I was now willing to
accept his offer. Problem was, he informed me that the offer was no longer
available. What I had turned down now belonged to someone else. Now what?
Well, I didn't have an offer to join the team the first time I showed up
either! So, I just showed up again! And once more, to my relief, Coach
Hudspeth agreed to let me have a fully stocked locker. This time they gave
me number Fifty-Four (not just a practice jersey, but this time they
included a game jersey). And believe me; I didn't plan on voluntarily
giving this number back anytime soon!
In the fall of 1969 our team won six games and lost four. I was on the
field each time we kicked off, and each time we punted (and we punted a
lot!). I also got to play a little bit at linebacker. I didn't play in the
middle where I felt most at home, but I did get to back up senior Rick Dixon
at weak-side linebacker (we played a 4-3 defense mostly). Rick was a good
player, and a better person. In my opinion he deserved his starting role.
I really enjoyed being part of the team that year, and looked forward to my
senior season since I was sure that I, as his back-up, would be the one that
would have the best chance to replace Rick Dixon.
The first day of spring practice in 1970 I received what seemed to be some
really bad news, but what turned out to be great news. That first day I was
suited up and ready to take the field when I stopped by the bulletin board
to confirm that I was first string weak-side linebacker (after all, Rick
Dixon was done). I was literally shocked to see that my name was not listed
at that position, at all. As I regained my bearings I started looking for
my name at other positions; there it was, listed at middle linebacker, in
third position behind our returning starter and behind a JC transfer who had
been a "Red Shirt" during the 1969 season. (If that was a move by the
coaching staff designed to build my confidence, it didn't work.)
Of course, the really bad news had been that I was not first string as I had
anticipated I would be, but instead I was third string. The great news was
that finally I would get to play my position, middle linebacker. Here was
my chance to show what I could do playing a position that I loved. By the
end of the spring session that year, I had moved up to second string and I
was awarded a full-ride scholarship for my senior year. It was a good
spring; I had been accepted as a member of the team, I felt like I belonged.
As I returned home that summer, I carried with me a deep feeling of
satisfaction coupled with a fierce level of determination; determination to
make the best of my senior year, whatever came my way.
As I am sure you can appreciate, my homecoming report that summer compared
to the previous year, for me, was much more enjoyable! It's no secret that
whenever a Cougar (any Cougar), returns to his home, his previous coaches,
teachers, advisors, leaders, and all those who at some time invested in his
development over the years are all big fans and want to get the inside dope
straight from the "horse's-mouth". This summer, for the first time, I was a
Cougar; I was number "Fifty-Four", and I was more than pleased to talk to my
fans.
I returned to BYU in the fall of 1970 for my senior season. Starting with
two-a-days and continuing through to the first game, Coach Edwards had me
practice at both weak-side linebacker and middle linebacker. I was second
string at middle (although I wanted his spot, in my opinion, the first
string middle linebacker earned and deserved his position) and I alternated
with Bill Dvorak at weak-side. In the first half of the opening game that
season, our first-string middle linebacker, Carl Bowers suffered a season
ending knee injury (fortunately, he was able to come back and play the
following year). For the very first time, and perhaps you could say by
default, I entered a BYU game as the first-string middle linebacker. I was
ready; and it was a wonderful feeling! I had a good game that first game
and ended up starting the remaining ten games that season and leading our
team in tackles. (Our record that season was three wins and eight losses.)
So, that's my report on what Fifty-Four was doing back in 1969 and 1970.
During those two years that I was responsible for our number, there was no
Hiesman Trophy earned, no pro-career started, I wasn't selected as an
All-American, didn't make All-Conference (not even second team). I wasn't a
"Blue-Chip" athlete and there has been no induction into the "Hall of Fame".
As far as measured achievements and bestowed honors go, the list is short.
The best I can report is that the Western Athletic Conference honored me for
one game as "Co-Defensive Player of The Week" the week we lost to Arizona
State. (During that game they credited me with eight unassisted tackles, 15
assisted tackles, a deflected pass and two blocked kicks (not bad for a
non-recruited walk-on). For the eleven-game season, Coach Edwards credited
me with 173 tackles (three tackles short of averaging 16 tackles per game)
(see footnote below).)
When Carl Bowers injured his knee, and I finally got my moment, I did my
best (most of the time) to make sure that Fifty-Four was the best Fifty-Four
that BYU could put on the field at that time, which was enough. In return,
through my football experience, I learned some of life's toughest and most
important lessons and ultimately left BYU with a deep sense of satisfaction
(which no one will ever be able to take from me) and an increased level of
preparation for my next set of challenges in life.
Whenever I "Rise and Shout", read a sports section or otherwise come in
contact with the BYU sphere, special memories and feelings are awakened
within me. In that regard, I'm thankful that I was invited to write this
letter; the process has served to intensify and help me to stay connected to
those same memories and feelings. I'm very much pleased to be a life-time
Cougar!
When you get as old as I am, you too will have license to write some
long-winded narrative like you just read. In the meantime, consider this,
BYU accepted the responsibility of selecting you to represent the number
Fifty-Four during your eligibility period; your only responsibility is a
total commitment to maximum preparation and then to try to do your best,
always (and after those times you don't do your best, simply try harder).
During your turn representing our number, endeavor to make sure that
Fifty-Four is always the best Fifty-Four that BYU can put on the field and
you will find peace of mind for many years to come, whatever the outcome
from your efforts.
With honor,
Ted D. Nelson
"54"
1969-70
BYU Football
Footnote: You won't find any of the above statistics in the 2007 Media
Guide; the method used for gathering data for the Media Guide doesn't seem
to work well for us "Old Cats". The data shared in this letter came from a
scrapbook my young bride put together back in 1970. The eleven-game
statistics were part of a document personally given to each of us defensive
players by Coach Edwards at the end of our season. The statistics for the
ASU game came from three separate collaborating newspaper articles. (I
recently (in 2014) found a website, <http://www.cougarstats.com/>
www.cougarstats.com which, if you go to ‘lists’ and then ‘defense’, collaborates the eleven-game statistics and (if you do the math) indicates that 16 tackles per game may be the school record.)
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