Football
- Title:
- Running Backs Coach
Hometown: Houston, Texas
High School: St. Pius X HS
College: Central Arkansas
Family: Madison (wife)
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2025-present: SFA | Running Backs
2020-24: Central Arkansas | Running Backs / Academic Coordinator in 2024
2019-20: Central Arkansas | Offensive Graduate Assistant / Assistant Quarterbacks
2018-19: Central Arkansas | Student Assistant / Quarterbacks
2015-18: Central Arkansas | Student Assistant
Nelson Gunnell enters his second season as Stephen F. Austin’s running backs coach in 2026 after helping the Lumberjacks produce one of the most successful campaigns in program history during his first year in Nacogdoches.
In 2025, Gunnell helped SFA capture its fifth Southland Conference championship and first since 2010. The Lumberjacks completed an undefeated conference season, finished 11-3 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. SFA’s rushing attack averaged 162.8 yards per game during the regular season and ranked fourth in the Southland Conference.
Under Gunnell’s direction, Jerrell Wimbley earned first-team All-Southland honors after finishing second among conference running backs with 888 rushing yards. Wimbley averaged 5.4 yards per carry, scored nine total touchdowns and received Southland Offensive Player of the Week honors in consecutive weeks. He concluded his career ranked sixth in SFA history in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and became one of 10 Lumberjacks to accumulate more than 3,000 career all-purpose yards. Running back Richard Reese added 467 offensive yards and four touchdowns while earning second-team All-Southland recognition as a kickoff returner.
Before arriving at SFA, Gunnell spent five seasons as Central Arkansas’ running backs coach. Under his leadership, the Bears rushed for more than 2,000 yards in three consecutive seasons from 2022 through 2024. Gunnell also served as UCA’s academic coordinator in 2024 and held primary recruiting responsibilities in Houston and Northeast Arkansas. His recruiting résumé included Darius Hale, ShunDerrick Powell, Landen Chambers, Isaiah Broadway, Travelle Anderson and Trysten Smith.
Hale developed into one of the nation’s most productive freshmen under Gunnell in 2021. He rushed for 1,015 yards and 17 touchdowns, finishing second nationally in rushing touchdowns. Hale was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year, earned first-team All-ASUN honors and was selected as a first-team HERO Sports Freshman All-American. He finished second in voting for the Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award, presented to the top freshman in the FCS, after receiving 10 first-place votes.
Gunnell also coached Powell to consecutive 1,000-yard seasons at Central Arkansas. Powell rushed for 1,009 yards while averaging 7.4 yards per carry in 2023, earning second-team All-United Athletic Conference honors. He followed with 1,343 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns and 17 total touchdowns in 2024 despite battling injuries late in the season. Powell repeated as a second-team All-UAC selection and was named a second-team Stats Perform FCS All-American after earning first-team preseason All-America recognition. He finished his collegiate career with 4,014 rushing yards and 38 rushing touchdowns.
Prior to taking over UCA’s running backs, Gunnell worked with the Bears’ quarterbacks as an offensive graduate assistant and assistant quarterbacks coach. During that period, he assisted in the development of Breylin Smith, who led Central Arkansas to a share of the 2019 Southland championship. Smith set the UCA single-season record with 3,704 passing yards, tied the program record with 32 touchdown passes and earned second-team All-Southland and first-team HERO Sports Sophomore All-America honors.
Gunnell began his coaching career at Central Arkansas as a student assistant from 2015-18 before becoming the Bears’ head student assistant quarterbacks coach and later an offensive graduate assistant. He initially joined the UCA program as a linebacker in 2015, but a severe injury ended his playing career and led to his transition into coaching. Gunnell earned both his bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in health promotion from Central Arkansas.
