Lee Nalley
![]() | |
Vanderbilt Commodores – No. 25 | |
---|---|
Position | Halfback, safety |
Personal information | |
Born: | Nashville, Tennessee | March 15, 1925
Died: | September 14, 2003 Rocky Mount, North Carolina | (aged 78)
Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
Weight | 161 lb (73 kg) |
Career history | |
College | Vanderbilt (1947–1949) |
High school | Central |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Lee "Long Gone" Nalley (March 15, 1925 – September 14, 2003) was a college football player for the Vanderbilt Commodores football team from 1947 to 1949. A prominent halfback and safety man, he broke an NCAA record with 791 punt return yards in 1948.[1][2][3] Nalley broke the record in the game against Maryland.[4] He also had the record for return yardage in a career.[5] He was chosen as the return man for an Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1920–1969 era.[6]
Nalley graduated from Nashville's Central High School in 1943. He then spent two years in the Navy due to World War II before entering Vanderbilt University in 1946.[7] Due to his small size, he had to make the football team as a walk-on. "I ran the 100 in 9.9 seconds, which was pretty fair for that time, and I had a good change of pace" recalled Nalley.[7]
See also[]
- List of NCAA major college yearly punt and kickoff return leaders
References[]
- ^ "Vanderbilt Back Ready To Crack Punt Runback Mark". Ludington Daily News. November 12, 1948.
- ^ "Vanderbilt Ace May Set Punt Return Record". Ellensburg Daily Record. November 11, 1948.
- ^ "Nally Honored by Vanderbilt". St. Petersburg Times. May 19, 1949.
- ^ "Vanderbilt Romps Over Maryland". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. November 21, 1948.
- ^ "Vanderbilt Commodores Football, Basketball, and Recruiting Front Page". scout.com.
- ^ "All-Time Football Team Lists Greats Of Past, Present". Gadsden Times. July 27, 1969.
- ^ a b "Nalley perfected punt returns, shattered records". vucommodores.com.
- American football halfbacks
- American football safeties
- Vanderbilt Commodores football players
- American football return specialists
- 1925 births
- 2003 deaths
- Players of American football from Nashville, Tennessee