The nickname “Royal Wreckers’’ didn’t catch on nationally, but UA defensive coordinator "Royal" Sharkey Price’s put together a defensive unit that was a royal pain in the backside to opposing defenses.
The Wildcats opened the year 8-1 and limited the opposition to 9.4 points per game. The publicity machine of the old Western Athletic Conference didn’t create headlines outside the Mountain West, but now, in retrospect, Nelson appears to have turned in the top individual defensive season in UA history.
Nelson, a senior from Tempe, registered 29 tackles for loss/sacks; statisticians of the time didn’t separate the two. No one in school history has topped Nelson’s 1968 season totals. He was a third team Associated Press All-American at a time All-American voters rarely looked at WAC players.
After Nelson made 28 tackles in a 16-13 victory over Indiana, and had 11 unassisted tackles in a 14-10 win over Air Force, Star sports columnist Abe Chanin wrote: "there can be no lingering doubt that Tom Nelson is the greatest defensive tackle to play for Arizona."
