L.L. "Nurmi" Nelson was born Millerville, Alabama in 1903. He graduated from Etowah High School and Auburn University.

Nelson began his coaching career in Malone, Florida, in 1927. After four seasons he returned to Alabama and accepted the head coaching position at Andalusia High School in 1931.

His record is incomplete during his time in Andalusia. It is also thought he coached at Southern Military Academy sometime during the early years of his career.

Following the 1936 season, Nelson took over the football program at Gadsden High School. Over the next eleven seasons his teams finished a combined 70-17-12.

His 1940 and 1942 teams completed undefeated seasons while four other squads only lost a single game during the season.

In 1948, Nelson took off for sunny Florida when he accepted the head coaching job at Lakeland High School. His first team finished 5-4 and his second went 9-1. He would remain at Lakeland through the 1964 season, serving the last year only as the Athletic Director at the school.

Nelsons teams in Florida had an overall record of 75-68-8 over the course of sixteen years. His record in Alabama is said to have been 149-27-17. If that is accurate his overall football slate would be 224-95-25 during his 37 year coaching career in both states. The stadium at Lakeland is named in his honor. He lived in Miami following his coaching career.

Nurmi Nelson, 67, died December 12, 1970 in Miami, Florida.