While a student at Provo High School, Gifford Nielsen was a shining example of athletic prowess: all-state in football, all-state and state most valuable player in basketball, and all-region in golf. It's not surprising that he was named the Outstanding Athlete in Utah his senior year (1972-73).

Coming to BYU, Gifford continued with both basketball and football, playing on the varsity squad for both sports his first two years. After that, it was football all the way. The first game in which he started, in the quarterback position, was BYU's Centennial game in October, 1975, where he led the Cougars to a 28-14 homecoming victory over the Air Force Academy.

During that season and the first half of the next Gifford led the nation in three passing categories, broke thirteen school records, and set thirteen Western Athletic Conference records. He came in sixth nationally in the voting for the Heismann Trophy his junior year, and was a good bet for winning it the next when an injury in a game against Oregon State in 1976 ended his collegiate career. His support and coaching of replacement quarterback Marc Wilson was recognized as a great example of sportsmanlike behavior, and contributed to his being named by the NCAA as a member of the College Athletics' Top Five in 1978, one whose "contributions to society go well beyond the playing field."

Other honors garnered by Gifford during his years at BYU were the WAC Rookie of the year, WAC all-academic and all-WAC quarterback, the Dale Rex and Ed Stein Awards, the Sports Writers All-American Team, and the UPI All-American 2nd Team - the frst native Utahn to be named all-American.

Drafted by the NFL's Houston Oilers, Gifford played with them for six years.