Unbeatable: Tom Osborne and the Greatest Era of Nebraska Football

Unbeatable

tom osborne AND the greatest era of nebraska football henry J. cordes

Unbeatable tom osborne and the greatest era of nebraska football henry J. cordes of the

Unbeatable tom osborne and the greatest era of nebraska football by henry J. cordes

EDITOR Dan Sullivan DESIGNER Christine Zueck-Watkins PHOTO editor Jolene McHugh contributing EDITORs Duane Retzlaff, Bob Glissmann, Jim Anderson PHotographers Bill Batson, Jeff Beiermann, Jeff Bundy, James R. Burnett, Jeffrey Z. Carney, Kiley Cruse, James Denney, Rebecca S. Gratz, Rich Janda, Phil Johnson, Rudy Smith EXECUTIVE EDITOR Mike Reilly PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Terry Kroeger

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior consent of the publisher, Omaha World-Herald Co. Copyright 2012 Omaha World-Herald Co. 1314 Douglas St. Omaha, NE 68102-1811 First Edition ISBN: 978-0-615-71539-1 Printed by Walsworth Publishing Co. Marceline, MO

ii | credits

Table of Contents 1 prologue Revisiting the Past 7 9 25 39 53 61 71 79 89 99 107 115

part I 1994 season: unfinished business The Coach Touchdown Tommie A Need for Speed The Pipeline Medical Drama Double Jeopardy Just What the Doctor Ordered Brook’s Team Tommie Returns Hurricane Warning Bringing It Home

137 139 153 161 173 183 195 203 217 225 241

part II 1995 season: Back to Back Lawrence Phillips A Great Team A Brutal Attack Football’s Father Flanagan Coming to Grips A Relentless Team A Controversial Return Gator Bait?

A Fiesta in Fiesta One Final Blow

247 249 263 273 279 289 301 315 329

part III 1996-97 seasons: The final journey A Frosty Reception Debacle in the Desert Getting Hooked A Dynamic Duo Coming Up Big The Miracle at Missouri The Promise A Worthy Finish

349 Epilogue long road back

table of contents | iii

A

s soon as the kick left Byron Bennett’s unsteady right foot, it was clear it had no chance, fluttering off into the warm Miami night. Tom Osborne, who had been intently gnawing his gum and watching from the sidelines, wordlessly pursed his lips and looked away.

Once again, his Nebraska Cornhuskers had fallen excruciatingly short in the quest for a national championship. For a state and legion of fans who over two decades had longed for a title more than just about anything in life, it was another sign that their much-admired coach couldn’t win the big one.

But as Osborne sat down in a lawn chair beneath a palm tree early the next morning to tape his weekly TV show, the coach’s face radiated with satisfaction.

He had the appearance of a man who knew a secret, and looking back, he did.

Nebraska was back.

Osborne knew the Huskers now had the talent and the team to play with anyone, anywhere. At that moment, though, even Osborne could not have dreamed of the history-making success that lay just ahead for his team.

Three national championships over the next four years, a feat achieved just once before in big-time college football. Back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995, the first consensus bookend titles in nearly four decades.

A five-year record of 60-3, the best career-finishing run in history.

These were nearly unbeatable teams, and for Nebraska’s ardent fans, unbeatable times.

But beyond names, games, scores and statistics, the story of those Husker teams is a human one, played out in the real world by genuine, flawed and exceptional people.

Along the way, there would be enough drama to fill a lifetime: a star player’s life-threatening health condition, underdog heroes, valiant comebacks, indomitable spirit, crimes and punishments, controversy and condemnation, triumph and glory, gut-crushing defeat, a lucky break, a wayward native son’s redemption, and a painful, tragic death.

And it all ended in 1997 with the architect of it all secretly planning his own exit from the field — reluctantly keeping an old promise.

While most credit for that phenomenal success has rightfully fallen to Osborne, the legendary coach would be the first to say the primary players in this narrative were the young men who wore the helmets emblazoned with those iconic red N’s.

These teams were made up of a diverse and quirky mix of hardworking farm kids and slick city kids, black and white, no-name walk-ons and supposed five-star recruits, coming from every corner of the state and every region of the country.

What bound them together was a devotion to each other forged in the crucible of gridiron battles and an undying love for their coach, a man they literally shed blood for.

This is the story of the greatest era of Nebraska football.

part I: 1994 season

Unfinished Business “It will take a total effort — not just from the starters, but everybody.

If we do, we can go 12-0.”

— Tommie Frazier before the 1994 season

A Need for Speed

A

s soon as the Blackshirts recognized the play as an option right, they turned on the jets. Defensive tackle Terry Connealy, a senior from Hyannis, Nebraska, darted inside and forced the Texas Tech quarterback into an early pitch. That allowed the Husker pursuit to put a giant bull’s eye on the pitch man. Backup safety Tony Veland, one of the team’s hardest hitters, flew into the picture, slipped a block and popped the ball carrier low. And Grant Wistrom, seeing early-season action in his true freshman season, shed his blocker and cleaned it all up along the sideline. Only a generous spot allowed the runner to even get back to the original line of scrimmage.

“You try to run outside on Nebraska, and you take your life in your own hands,’’ play-by-play man Brad Nessler said during the Thursday night ESPN telecast.

“They run too well.’’

Indeed, Nebraska flashed speed all over the field on defense during its 42-16 shellacking of the Red Raiders in Lubbock. Interior linemen with the quickness to shrug off blocks and be disruptive inside. Linebackers who could run stride for stride with a wide receiver or come hard on the blitz. Cornerbacks comfortable with life on an island, able to cover the speediest wide receivers one-on-one. On this balmy Thursday night in west Texas, the Blackshirts turned out the lights on the Red Raiders, whose most effective offensive play tended to be quarterback Zebbie Lethridge scrambling for his life. “Speed, speed, speed on this football team,’’ ESPN color analyst Gary Danielson agreed.

Those words were probably quite a revelation to many viewers given the perception that Nebraska teams were big, corn-fed and plodding. During the string of bowl losses, Husker players recalled taunts like, “Country boys, go home. You’re too slow.’’ The turnabout did not come by accident. Tom Osborne and his coaches had

“It just so happens that blocking kicks is my specialty.”

— Barron Miles AFTER HIS FOURTH blocked kick of the season

A NEED FOR SPEED | 39

part II: 1995 season

Back to Back “Like I’ve said before, all we can control is how well we play. And that’s what we’re going to focus on.”

— Tom osborne before the 1995 season

A Fiesta in Fiesta

T

he way Sun Devil Stadium is laid out, it makes for an unusually long walk from the locker room to the playing field. But after Tom Osborne led his Huskers from the dim tunnel into the glare of the stadium lights, they could hardly believe their eyes. On a cool, starry night in Tempe, Nebraska’s fans had painted the buff desert landscape red. Nearly two-thirds of the seats in the 77,000-seat stadium were filled by Husker fans with their cornheads, red sweatshirts, foam No. 1 fingers and “Go Big Red’’ chants. Take away all the Tostitos logos that were prominently displayed all over the field and stadium — about 70 in all — and the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl looked a little like game day in Lincoln.

Nebraska fans would seemingly go to any length to see their team, even willing to buy a season ticket in an opposing team’s stadium to make sure they had a seat.

They weren’t about to miss the chance to see their Huskers try to become the first consensus back-to-back national champs in four decades. After all those years of playing Florida schools in Florida — seven times in its previous eight bowl games — in this one, Nebraska would finally have the home crowd advantage. “This thing is over,’’ Phil Ellis thought as he took in the scene. Indeed, it would be one long, joyous and unforgettable night in Arizona for Ellis and up to 50,000 others dressed in red. The Huskers were about to crush Florida like a corn chip under foot.

Before the game, Osborne calmly chomped his gum as he walked around under the stadium lights giving his players words of encouragement. He felt oddly relaxed.

He knew he had a confident team that was ready to play. In fact, just before the team had left the hotel, he had recited to the Huskers a Bible verse someone had just sent him, one that Osborne felt typified the character of this team.

“I had a great career at Nebraska, and there’s no better way to end it.”

— tommie frazier

A FIESTA IN FIESTA | 225

part III: 1996-97 seasons

The Final Journey “I think one of the big things we’re all going to try to do is to instill that confidence we had two years ago.’’

— jason peter before the 1997 season

A Dynamic Duo

T

om Osborne was walking across the floor of Memorial Stadium as players in shorts, T-shirts and sweat clothes went through the rigors of summer conditioning, building the sweat equity that would carry them through another grinding season. Out of the corner of his eye, Osborne suddenly saw a big guy streak across the field and tackle another player from behind. It was Jason Peter.

“What are you doing?’’ Osborne asked his standout defensive tackle.

“The guy’s loafin’,’’ Peter responded.

And that was something neither Peter nor his roommate, Grant Wistrom, would tolerate from this 1997 Nebraska team. If anyone was late for these supposedly optional workouts. If anyone wasn’t running those stadium stairs until their lungs burned. If anyone didn’t squeeze out one more rep on the bench press. They were going to hear it from Wistrom and Peter. There was only one acceptable outcome for their senior seasons. This team was going to win another national championship, their third ring in four years in the program. And no one, least of all a lackadaisical teammate, was going to screw that up. The entire Husker team came into the season motivated by the pair of losses the previous year. But arguably no Huskers were more invested in the coming year than Peter and Wistrom. They would become the heart and soul of the 1997 Huskers.

In the days after the Orange Bowl win over Virginia Tech, both players had come into Osborne’s office. The coach suspected this might be goodbye. Peter and Wistrom had worn Blackshirts for two years, and Wistrom was a first-team All-American.

Based on NFL executives Osborne had talked to, both players were projected to be possible late first-round picks if they decided to forgo their final college seasons.

“When Jason makes a play, I’m just as excited as when I make one.’’

— grant wistrom on roommate jason peter

a dyNAmic duo | 279

Long Road Back

W

hen Tom Osborne stepped in as athletic director at Nebraska in 2007, he went to work in the Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex, NU’s gleaming new home for athletic administration. Near the front door, the living legend walked past a statue of himself giving instruction to Brook Berringer, a poignant reminder of both the greatness and sadness of Nebraska football’s glory days. Osborne soon made a baffling discovery. All the portraits of Nebraska’s All-America football players — from old greats like Guy Chamberlin and Ed Weir to later heroes like Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, Tommie Frazier and Grant Wistrom — had been stashed away in a storage room. Nothing better symbolized how the Nebraska football program had somehow lost its way, almost inexplicably turning its back on its history and tradition. Both Osborne and the football program had followed tortuous paths to reach this lamentable state.

The Huskers did “keep it going’’ for a while after Osborne left. They lost four the first year under Frank Solich, including the first loss at home in 48 games, a streak dating back to 1991. But it wasn’t surprising, given the Huskers were breaking in a new quarterback, had some huge graduation losses (honor winners Wistrom, Jason Peter and Aaron Taylor among them) and suffered one of the worst seasons for injuries ever seen in Lincoln. Osborne had no doubt his record wouldn’t have been a lot better. The 1999 team very well might have been the best in the country and could have played for a national championship had its I-backs not been so fumble-fingered. A late drop at the goal line against Texas sealed the team’s only loss. Charlie McBride retired after that season, and the Blackshirts never really were the same again. That was a big reason the Huskers took a little step back in 2000.

“That legacy question is a tricky one.

I’d rather you guys wrote it than me.”

— tom osborne to reporters in 2012

long road back | 349

Index Alberts, Trev 20, 21, 47, 87, 286 Alford, Eric 92, 95, 103, 125 Alvarez, Barry 316 Anderson, Eric 156, 158, 297, 338 Bailey, Bryan 140 Banks, Tony 157, 259 Banks, Tyra 313 Baul, Reggie 24, 25, 130 Beck, Angela 206 Bell, Trumane 21, 35 Bennett, Byron iii, 21, 121, 122 Benning, Damon 48, 72, 73, 75, 89, 147, 156, 174, 207, 257, 270, 277 Berringer, Brook 17, 55, 64-69, 70, 72-76, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85, 88-97, 100-105, 118, 120-122, 124, 154, 183, 195, 240-245, 257, 270, 325 Berringer, Jan 244 Black, Ryan 323 Bohl, Craig 187, 331 Booker, Michael 44, 221, 232 Bowden, Bobby 21, 47, 177, 318 Brooks, Eddie 304 Brown, Derek 44 Brown, James 275, 276, 302 Brown, Kris 196, 233, 311 Brown, Lance 264, 307-309, 311 Brown, Mack 318 Brown, Ralph 276, 335 Brown, Ron 14, 17, 37, 41, 48, 65, 74, 81, 97, 103, 131, 145, 147, 163, 170, 178, 181, 185, 190, 192, 196, 197, 240, 244, 305, 306, 309, 324, 333, 339 Buckhalter, Correll 339 Byrne, Bill 171, 273, 315, 316, 318, 319, 321-323, 326 Calhoun, Ken 19 Callahan, Bill 350, 352 Carter, Ki-Jana 90 Casady, Tom 160 Cheatham, Kenny 305-307 Childs, Clinton 8, 73, 120, 136, 145, 149, 150, 154-156, 168, 183, 186, 191, 203, 206, 207, 257 Clare, Pat 51, 62, 124 Clinton, Bill 238 Collins, Kerry 90 Collins, Sedric 192, 193 Collinsworth, Cris 122, 127, 130 Colman, Doug 229, 230, 234 Connealy, Terry 39, 43, 49-51, 114, 115, 122, 131, 132, 153 Corso, Lee 218, 221, 237 Costa, Frank 112, 114, 115, 117, 118, 120, 122, 123, 127, 131 Crouch, Eric 349 Culpepper, Daunte 289, 290, 295, 302 Danielson, Gary 39

360 | index

Darlington, George 18, 41, 47, 51, 58, 79, 83, 94, 107, 109, 144, 145, 147, 156, 220, 230, 232, 263, 264, 303, 312, 324, 350 Davis, Aaron 99 Davison, Matt 300, 301, 306, 307, 309, 311-313 DeBerry, Fisher 344 Detmer, Koy 29 Devaney, Bob 19, 40, 45, 135, 153, 154, 317-321 Dickerson, Eric 156 Dishman, Chris 156, 158, 226 Donahue, Terry 237 Dumas, Troy 82, 91, 118, 122 Ekeler, Mike 80 Ellis, Phil 14, 55, 94, 153, 154, 185, 189-191, 196, 223, 225 Erickson, Dennis 107 Erstad, Darin 122 Evans, DeAngelo 275 Farley, Terrell 156, 157, 229, 232, 257, 274 Flanagan, Rev. Edward J. 173, 174, 176 Flutie, Doug 304 Foreman, Jay 149, 281, 286, 327, 335 Fowler, Chris 344 Frazier, Priscilla 27, 31 Frazier, Tommie 7, 9, 13, 15, 17, 21, 24-37, 43, 51, 54, 59, 60-69, 71, 72, 80, 87, 90, 94, 97-105, 107109, 117-119, 121, 122, 124, 125, 127-130, 132, 133, 136, 139-141, 154, 161-163, 180, 183, 186, 190, 191, 194-199, 201, 213, 218, 220, 224-227, 230, 233, 234, 238, 241, 242, 250, 260, 261, 268, 269, 349, 355 Frost, Carol 251, 255, 268, 304 Frost, Larry 251, 254, 255, 268 Frost, Scott 64, 162-168, 248-272, 277, 287, 288-299, 301-313, 323, 327, 329, 332, 333, 335, 337-341, 343-345, 346, 355 Frost, Steve 252, 254-256, 340 Fryar, Irving 90, 331 Fulmer, Phil 318, 329, 332 Gangahar, Deepak 62, 63, 69, 7174, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85, 100, 102 George, Eddie 220 Gill, Turner 13, 17, 19, 28, 33, 34, 61, 74, 81, 90, 119, 121, 159, 244, 251, 256, 273, 294 Gilman, Mark 55, 89, 92, 118, 190, 223, 226 Goldberg, Bernard 209, 211 Graham, Aaron 22, 52, 52-55, 58, 60, 74, 81, 92, 117, 125, 130, 132, 140, 156, 158, 190, 191, 197, 215, 221, 223, 238 Grant, Mike 31, 33, 34 Green, Ahman 156, 186, 187, 194,

195, 197, 199, 201, 206-209, 223, 230, 261, 265, 266, 270, 294, 295, 297, 302, 311, 333, 336-338 Griese, Bob 329, 331 Griese, Brian 331 Griesen, Jim 205, 206 Hanks, Ben 234 Harris, Dwayne 44, 120, 122, 123, 127, 131 Harris, Jonathan 119 Heineman, Dave 351, 352 Heskew, Josh 297 Hicks, Kerry 92 Hill, Travis 47 Holmes, Priest 275, 276 Holtz, Lou 31, 177, 285 Hoskinson, Matt 35, 57, 297, 311, 327, 335, 337 Huard, Brock 291, 295, 297, 298 Irwin, Heath 97 Jackson, Keith 201, 329 Jackson, Sheldon 333 Jackson, Vershan 333 Johnson, Clester 80, 92, 158, 201, 221 Jones, Calvin 73, 146 Jones, Chris 117 Jones, Corby 302-304, 312 Jones, Donta 121, 131 Jones, Julian 308 Kelly, Jim 112 Kelsay, Chad 312 Kinnan, Joe 29 Koch, Paul 146, 353 Kosar, Bernie 112 Kosch, Jesse 195 Lake, Jeff 306 Lake, Tobey 243 Leaf, Ryan 329 LeBlanc, Dennis 256 Lethridge, Zebbie 39 Lewis, Derek 276 Lewis, Jamal 332, 335 Lewis, Ray 109, 112, 118, 125, 127, 129, 130 Lindsay, Art 270, 292 Little, Leonard 338 London, Frankie 268, 288-291 Lott, Ronnie 253 Lubick, Sonny 344 Mackovic, John 276 Makovicka, Jeff 12, 13, 85, 199, 294 Makovicka, Joel 206, 257, 264, 294, 295, 297, 302, 327, 334, 337, 338 Manning, Peyton 330, 332, 333, 335, 337, 338 Marley, Rohan 107, 113 Martinez, Taylor 5

May, Chad 81, 82, 85, 87, 94 McBride, Charlie 14-18, 40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 51, 75, 79, 80, 82, 87, 112, 118, 120, 131, 157, 184, 185, 215-220, 229, 230, 232, 237, 261, 280-282, 286, 287, 302, 311, 318, 323, 324, 333, 335, 349 McCartney, Bill 90, 91 McElhannon, Tina 150, 166 McEwen, Kate 161-169, 174, 203, 204, 206 McFarlin, Octavious 312 Miles, Barron 10, 38, 39, 44, 46, 48, 49, 66, 72, 74, 75,82, 83, 85, 87, 112, 113, 115, 117, 127, 131, 132, 149, 232, 354 Minter, Mike 42, 43, 51, 64, 75, 257, 270, 274, 275 Mitchell, Johnny 44 Moeser, James 315-319, 323 Montana, Joe 251, 254, 290 Moss, Kareem 131, 135 Muhammad, Abdul 85, 120, 130 Musburger, Brent 304, 309 Nantz, Jim 227 Nessler, Brad 39 Neuheisel, Rick 195, 199, 200 Newcombe, Bobby 305, 325, 333 Osborne, Nancy 133, 135, 172, 173, 315, 326, 347, 349, 352 Osborne, Tom iii, iv, vi, 1-5, 8-23, 26-37, 40- 45, 47, 49, 51, 57-59, 61-69, 70-76, 79-87, 90-97, 99-105, 107, 109-113, 116135, 137, 139-151, 153-159, 161-187, 189-193, 195-201, 203-215, 217-223, 225-239, 241-245, 250-261, 263-271, 273-277, 279-287, 289-299, 300-313, 315-327, 329-347, 349-357 Ostergard, Doak 55, 122, 146 Ott, Steve 156, 158 Pagone, Ty 144, 145 Papik, Al 321 Paterno, Joe 111, 318 Pathon, Jerome 291 Pederson, Steve 350, 352 Pelini, Bo 5, 352 Perlman, Harvey 352 Pesterfield, Jason 122 Peter, Christian 44, 87, 120, 131, 135, 140, 152-154, 157, 175181, 183-186, 188-190, 192, 197, 210-213, 215, 223, 234, 235, 257, 259, 260, 281, 282, 285, 354 Peter, Damian 285 Peter, Jason 49, 149, 157, 196, 215, 233, 246, 247, 259, 260, 277287, 292, 295, 297, 306, 310, 311, 316, 317, 319, 322, 323, 335, 337-340, 343-345, 353-355 Peter, Rev. Val 181

Phillips, Lawrence vi, 1-5, 13, 15, 26, 53, 54, 59, 66, 73, 75, 77, 79, 82-86, 89, 118, 121, 124, 127, 129, 138-151, 154, 156, 160171, 173-181, 183, 185-187, 192, 195, 197, 201-213, 220, 221, 223, 226-229, 233, 238, 241, 260, 353, 354 Pierce, Jack 54 Piersey, Harold 304, 308 Plummer, Jake 264, 265, 302 Pollack, Fred 297 Ramaekers, Kevin 21 Rather, Dan 209 Rimington, Dave 58 Robinson, John 145 Rockne, Knute 345 Rodgers, Johnny 251, 313 Rozier, Mike 90, 141, 273, 294, 349 Rucker, Darius 313 Rucker, Mike 199, 220, 310, 312, 330, 337 Saban, Nick 156, 157 Salaam, Rashaan 90, 94 Saltsman, Scott 232 Samuel, Tony 198 Sanders, Barry 125 Sapp, Warren 106, 107, 109, 112, 113, 117, 121-126, 129, 130 Schlesinger, Cory 14, 105, 121, 125, 127, 128, 130 Schnellenberger, Howard 111 Shatel, Tom 63, 75, 157, 268, 325 Shaw, Matt 15, 115, 116, 127, 129, 130, 132, 355 Shelton, Chuck 187 Shields, Will 58 Simpson, O.J. 171, 174, 176 Sims, James 156, 207, 270 Smith, Jeff 19 Smith, Larry 312 Snyder, Bill 80, 81 Snyder, Bruce 264, 268 Solich, Frank 3, 17, 48, 53, 77, 142, 184, 244, 314-327, 338, 349, 350-352 Spanier, Graham 321 Spurrier, Steve 216-219, 227, 229, 230, 232, 233 Stai, Brenden 54, 55, 58, 85, 112, 117, 125, 130 Stallings, Gene 177 Stark, Jack 34, 135, 153, 163, 169, 171, 191, 193, 204, 205, 211, 212, 223, 241, 281, 287, 298, 299 Steele, Kevin 10, 27-34, 47, 61, 71, 99, 100, 118, 135, 178, 179, 355 Steinkuhler, Dean 58 Stenstrom, Steve 253 Stewart, Ed 14, 43, 82, 85, 103, 118, 149 Stewart, Kordell 90, 91, 94

Stokes, Eric 249, 275 Stoops, Bob 81 Sullivan, George 275 Switzer, Barry 91, 176 Taylor, Aaron 58, 156, 158, 218, 267, 297, 298, 337, 338, 349 Tenopir, Milt 11, 17, 23, 55, 57-59, 67, 81, 84, 85, 89, 112, 120, 129, 156, 170, 215, 219, 226, 277, 302, 324, 335, 337, 350 Testaverde, Vinny 112 Thomas, Barbara 143 Thomas, Broderick 87 Tillman, Pat 264 Tomich, Jared 44, 157, 199, 211, 215, 222, 232, 249, 259 Tressel, Jim 318 Tuiaea, Mac 293 Turman, Matt 69, 70, 74, 75, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 84, 102, 234, 257, 260, 264, 268 Varner, Woody 62 Vedral, Jon 135, 269 Veland, Tony 39, 49, 64, 105, 190, 191, 197, 215, 223, 226, 229, 230, 353 Volin, Steve 215 Vrzal, Matt 55, 58, 115, 168, 178, 186, 189, 191, 196, 197 Walsh, Bill 251-254 Ward, Charlie 20, 21, 35 Warfield, Eric 304, 335 Washington, Riley 43, 118, 175, 181, 211 Westbrook, Michael 90 Wiegert, Zach 11, 15, 22, 54, 55, 58, 59, 76, 81, 85, 111, 115, 124, 125, 129, 130 Wiggins, Shevin 301, 307-309, 311, 313, 333, 335 Wilks, Joel 52-54, 57, 58, 112, 125, 130 Williams, Jamel 44, 229-232, 275, 276 Williams, Tyrone 38, 39, 44, 127, 131, 175, 177-181, 257 Willingham, Ty 256 Wiltz, Jason 287 Wistrom, Grant 9, 38, 39, 87, 118, 140, 154, 157, 197, 206, 215, 221, 226, 269, 276, 278-287, 292, 295, 297, 298, 306, 310, 311, 312, 316, 317, 322, 327, 333, 338-340, 343-345, 354 Woodson, Charles 312 Wuerffel, Danny 218, 219, 227, 229, 230, 232, 233, 237, 259 Young, Dan 11, 17 Young, Steve 251, 253 Zane, Tony 144 Zatechka, Jon 297, 328 Zatechka, Rob 52-55, 58, 67, 115, 130

index | 361

Great Finish Tom Osborne’s final five seasons stacked up with some of the best five-year runs ever by a major college football coach. Nick Saban of Alabama entered 2012 with the chance to equal Osborne’s feat of three titles in four years, though his teams still would have lost at least four games in that span. No coach ever finished his career on a more successful run than Osborne.

YOST

ROCKNE

BIERMAN

LEAHY

BRYANT

Coaches with three national titles in five years Tom Osborne, Nebraska, 1993-97 Bear Bryant, Alabama, 1961-65 Frank Leahy, Notre Dame, 1946-50 Bernie Bierman, Minnesota, 1934-38

Record 60-3 49-5-1 40-4-3 35-5

Win % .952 .900 .883 .875

Best Career Finishes Tom Osborne, 1993-97 Fielding Yost, Michigan, 1921-26 Knute Rockne, Notre Dame, 1926-30

Record 60-3 33-3-2 40-6-1

Win % .952 .868 .862

National Titles 3 0 2

tom osborne AND the greatest era of nebraska football Over five decades, Tom Osborne compiled a long list of achievements at the University of Nebraska.

The Omaha World-Herald’s Henry J. Cordes takes an inside look at Osborne’s pinnacle in coaching: Five seasons in the 1990s when his Huskers compiled a 60-3 record with three national titles. Step into the locker room and along the sidelines to hear the voices of the people who forged this era of dominance. The coaches. The players. The memories.

Unbeatable.

$29.95

Š 2012 all rights reserved. omaha world-herald co. | omaha.com