The Rampage Spring 2019

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bc Rampage.com

BC Football Recruit Beats Odds to Earn Scholarship A t just 5’6” tall, William Nelson wasn’t expected by many plays for the New Orleans Saints of the National by Richard Tougeekay Communication Class of 2022

to play football beyond the high school level. But don’t tell him that. A running back for Wilde Lake High School in Howard County, MD, Nelson over- came the odds, earning a scholarship to play football for Bluefield College and proving that success on the field is sometimes more about the size of a player’s heart and less about the size of his stature. “I got recruited by Coach Rod (White, assistant coach for BC football), and I was blessed enough to get an offer being 5 foot 6 inches and playing the running back position,” Nelson said. “He helped me get into this school, and he talked to the coaches and discussed it and helped me with the money and gave me the offer.” High school actually came easy for Nelson, whose cousin Mark Ingram, Jr.

Football League. He said he was always focused in high school and set goals to help him stay on task. “I tried to get straight As and Bs and make Honor Roll and do good,” said Nelson, who also has three brothers and two sisters. And that same work ethic he applied in the classroom, he also applied on the football field.

than 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns his senior season. He also earned the team’s Most Valuable Player award, leading the squad to a record of 7-4. “My goal was just to rush for over 500 yards or more and get bigger,” said Nelson, “and try to make it to the next level and play Division I football.” And although he didn’t earn an NCAA Division I football scholarship, he did beat the odds and secure a scholarship to BC. “On the field, football is just something I love,” Nelson said, “and not

“I realized that everyone is not blessed with God-given size,” said Nelson, a native of Baltimore, MD. That’s why I always tried to outwork the next man. I just

started working out and exercising and becoming more confident to play on a higher level of football.” As a result, Nelson led his high school team in rushing. In fact, he rushed for more

trying give up on it I want to keep going with it and work hard to get where I need to be no matter what.”