Coaching Newberry’s secondary under Hall of Fame head coach Fred Herren from 1968-72, Harold Wheeler was the architect of one of the finest defensive units in college football history. Wheeler’s secondary had its best year in 1971, when the Indians’ 42 interceptions set an all-time NAIA record that still stands today. The mark is believed to be the best single-season total at any level of college football. Newberry followed up that performance with another 29 interceptions in Wheeler’s final year on staff in 1972.
Wheeler’s work with the secondary played a large role in the Indians’ 14-6-2 record in 1971 and 1972, which set a school record for wins in a two-year period that would not be eclipsed until 2006.
Wheeler was preceded in the Hall of Fame by Herren (inducted in 2011) and three players he coached during his tenure: Saylor Fox (1991), David Sanders (1997), and Keith McAlister (2016).
A four-year letterwinner at Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State), Wheeler came to Newberry after two years as a graduate assistant at Georgia. After departing Newberry, Wheeler worked as an assistant coach at Furman, Ole Miss, Memphis, Washington State, Appalachian State, Houston, Northwestern State, and finished his career on staff at Newberry High School. He helped Peru State to an NAIA Division II national championship in 1990 and spent three seasons piloting Western New Mexico to a 15-12 stretch that included a 7-3 season in his final year as a head coach.
