Truman State University Athletics

Jack Nelson was hired as a full time assistant for wide receivers in the spring of 2020. Nelson previously was offensive graduate assistant for wide receivers at his alma mater of Winona (Minn.) State University. Nelson is in charge of Truman's video program as well. 

In 2022, 11 different receivers made receptions during the season led by Matt Hall with 38, Tate Crane with 37, Zach Zerwig with 30 and Chris Kerr with 24. Hall was selected as a first team all-GLVC tight end. The Bulldogs averaged 152 yards through the air in 2022 with a single game high of 228 coming in a road victory at South Dakota Mines. The receivers hauled in 15 touchdown passes with three each coming against SD Mines and Missouri S&T. 

In his first fall season at Truman, the Bulldog receiving corps was led by Dante Ruffin and 41 catches for 451 yards and five touchdowns. Ruffin earned all-GLVC honors following the season for the second straight year. 

Nelson started all four years, 43 consecutive games at quarterback and was the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2013 and all-NSIC in both his junior and senior seasons at Winona State. He set a new conference record of 12,007 career-passing yards and threw 102 touchdowns.

Following his collegiate career, Nelson was invited to rookie NFL minicamps of the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts and attended the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos spring minicamp in Las Vegas in 2017.

Nelson returned to Winona first as a student coach for Tight Ends & Fullbacks and later as a graduate assistant coach for Wide Receivers. During those three seasons on the sidelines, the Warriors went 26-8 with an appearance in the Division II playoffs.

Some notable players Nelson has mentored are Zach Olstad, a 2017 NSIC All-Conference back who signed a rookie contract with the Buffalo Bills in 2018. Receiver Isaiah Frandsen, who was a 2018 all-NSIC performer with 43 receptions and 740 yards and nine touchdowns and Jake Balliu, a 2019 NSIC all-conference returner and receiver with 50 catches for 637 yards and seven scores.