Tribute to Don Veller

By Jim Joanos

Thank you, Don Veller, for the class that you brought to FSU.

Don Veller

Florida State University lost one of its most historically important people recently when Don Veller died at age 94. From 1948 through 1952, Veller was the head football coach at FSU. In that capacity, he led FSU to its first football victories since 1904, its first conference championships, its first undefeated season, and its first bowl appearance and victory. It was also during Veller's tenure that Doak S. Campbell Stadium came into being.

After his football coaching years, Veller went on to serve FSU in other important ways. He continued his teaching and taught hundreds, maybe thousands of students. For many years, he served as FSU's golf coach. In that capacity, he coached some of FSU's most famous golfers including Kenny Knox, Hubert Green, Paul Azinger, and Jeff Sluman. Two years ago, in 2004, the FSU golf course was renovated and named for Veller.

Throughout his life, Veller has been a leader who led by example. Born into a coal mining family, he was not only an all round high school sports star but an outstanding student. He was president of his high school sophomore, junior and senior classes. At the University of Indiana, he was a star halfback and received numerous academic awards. Following college, Veller became a very successful high school football coach in Elkhart, Indiana. His coaching career was interrupted by World War II. He spent the war years in the U.S. Army. By the end of the war, he had attained the rank of major.

After his military duty, Veller spent one year as athletic director, head football and track coach at Hanover College in Indiana. He then served a year as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Indiana.

Then FSU came calling. Before FSU hired him, he had already obtained a Master's Degree and was finishing up his Doctor of Philosophy program at Indiana. In 1948, FSU's coaches were required to teach. His main job was to teach in the physical education department as an associate professor. He was also to serve as Chairman of FSU's Division of Athletics.

When Veller was hired, FSU had just completed its first football season since 1904. In an abbreviated schedule, the Seminoles had gone zero and five.

In 1948, with Veller as the new coach, the attitude toward Florida State's football team took on an increased air of enthusiasm. On Saturday night, October 9, 1948, Florida State won its first football game since 1904 by beating Cumberland University 30 to 0 before 6,500 fans at Tallahassee's Centennial Field. The FSU team lost its next game at Erskine College 6 to 14, but then went on to win its last six games and the Dixie Conference championship, the first conference championship in FSU's football history.

The second year under Veller was even better. The team went 9-1 concluding the season with a 19-6 victory over Wofford in FSU's first bowl game ever, The Cigar Bowl in Tampa.

In Veller's third year, FSU had its first undefeated football season in the university's history when it went 8-0. The team also won the Dixie Conference for the third year in a row. It was also the first year that FSU played in Campbell Stadium. In addition, during the year, Veller became Dr. Don Veller, as he received his PhD from Indiana University and became a full professor at FSU.

In 1951, Veller had another good season, going 6-2.

Thus, in Veller's first four years as head coach, FSU had gone 30-4 and established a winning tradition. But time had run out. The mature military veterans that FSU had depended upon so much had graduated. FSU had moved to a major college schedule. The step to the big time was too soon. FSU had only since 1951 begun to offer football scholarships. FSU's team was now quite young. The older programs had been at it a long time. The result was a disastrous 1952 season with FSU going 1-8-1.

The 1952 football season was the last that Don Veller served as head football coach. In January of 1953, he voluntarily stepped aside. However, the roots that he set held firm and during the years that came later FSU went on to become a major football program. Further, Veller continued to be an FSU supporter in every way and took great pride in the accomplishments of the team under the leadership of the coaches that followed him.

In short, Don Veller made a major impact on FSU's athletic and academic programs. His 58 years of service has brought considerable luster to the shine of Florida State University.