Nebraska Cornhuskers football facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nebraska Cornhuskers football |
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| First season | 1890; 135 years ago |
| Athletic director | Troy Dannen |
| Head coach | Matt Rhule 2nd season, 11–12 (.478) |
| Stadium | Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 85,458 record: 91,585) |
| Field surface | FieldTurf |
| Location | Lincoln, Nebraska |
| NCAA division | Division I FBS |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Past conferences | WIUFA (1892–1897) Big Eight (1907–1918; 1921–1995) Big 12 (1996–2010) |
| All-time record | 923–429–40 (.677) |
| Bowl record | 26–27 (.491) |
| Claimed nat'l titles | 5 (1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997) |
| Unclaimed nat'l titles | 7 (1915, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1993) |
| Conference titles | 46 |
| Division titles | 10 |
| Rivalries | Colorado (rivalry) Iowa (rivalry) Kansas (rivalry) Kansas State (rivalry) Miami (FL) (rivalry) Minnesota (rivalry) Missouri (rivalry) Oklahoma (rivalry) Wisconsin (rivalry) |
| Heisman winners | Johnny Rodgers – 1972 Mike Rozier – 1983 Eric Crouch – 2001 |
| Consensus All-Americans | 54 |
| Current uniform | |
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| Colors | Scarlet and Cream |
| Fight song | Hail Varsity |
| Mascot | Herbie Husker Lil' Red |
| Marching band | Cornhusker Marching Band |
| Outfitter | Adidas |
| Website | huskers.com |
The Nebraska Cornhuskers football team plays for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. They are part of the Big Ten Conference. Their home games are at Memorial Stadium. The team has played there since 1923. They have sold out every game at the stadium since 1962.
Nebraska is one of the most famous college football teams. They have the eighth-most wins of all time among top-level college teams. The Cornhuskers have won 46 conference championships. They also have five national championships. These were in 1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, and 1997. Their teams from 1971 and 1995 are thought to be among the best ever. Nebraska has had three Heisman Trophy winners: Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, and Eric Crouch. These players, along with 24 others, are in the College Football Hall of Fame.
The team first became very successful in the early 1900s. From 1900 to 1916, Nebraska had five seasons without any losses. They also had a streak of 34 games without a loss, which is still a team record. Even though they won 21 conference championships in 33 seasons, they didn't win big national titles until Bob Devaney became coach in 1962. Devaney won two national championships and eight conference titles in 11 seasons. He also hired Tom Osborne as offensive coordinator in 1969. Osborne took over as head coach in 1973. For the next 25 years, he became one of the best coaches in college football. He used his special I-formation offense. He also had new programs for strength, conditioning, and nutrition. After Osborne retired in 1997, Nebraska had five different coaches. Then, they hired Matt Rhule in 2022.
Contents
Team History
The Nebraska Cornhuskers football team started playing in 1890. They have been part of different conferences over the years. These include the Western Interstate University Football Association, the Big Eight Conference, and the Big 12 Conference. Since 2011, they have been a part of the Big Ten Conference.
Coaches of the Cornhuskers
Nebraska has had 31 head coaches in its history. Five others coached for a short time. The current head coach is Matt Rhule, who started in 2023.
Seven past Nebraska head coaches are in the College Football Hall of Fame. These include Edward N. Robinson, Fielding H. Yost, Dana X. Bible, Biff Jones, Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne, and Frank Solich. Tom Osborne has the most wins for the team. His winning percentage is the fifth-highest in major college football history. Thirteen Nebraska coaches have won a conference championship. Devaney and Osborne together won five national titles.
Championship Wins
National Championships
Nebraska has won five official national championships. The first was in 1970 with coach Bob Devaney. The team had a unique quarterback system with Van Brownson and Jerry Tagge. Nebraska was ranked third before the 1971 Orange Bowl. But the top two teams lost, and Nebraska won their game. This gave them their first national title.
They won again in 1971 with Tagge as the main quarterback. This team is often called one of the best ever. They only had one close game, a 35–31 win over Oklahoma. This game was called the "Game of the Century." Nebraska beat the teams ranked second, third, and fourth that season.
Tom Osborne became coach in 1973. He won his first national title in 1994. Their star quarterback, Tommie Frazier, was out for a while with blood clots. But they still won the 1995 Orange Bowl 24–17 against Miami. The next year, with Frazier healthy, they won again. Their 62–24 win over Florida in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl was a huge victory. This team is also considered one of the best ever. Osborne's last title was in 1997. A key moment was a game-tying touchdown against Missouri, known as the "Flea Kicker." Nebraska won in overtime. They shared the national championship that year.
| Year | Coach | Record | Bowl | Result | Final AP | Final Coaches |
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| 1970 | Bob Devaney | 11–0–1 | Orange | W 17–12 vs. LSU | No. 1 | No. 3 |
| 1971 | 13–0 | Orange | W 38–6 vs. Alabama | No. 1 | No. 1 | |
| 1994 | Tom Osborne | 13–0 | Orange | W 24–17 vs. Miami (FL) | No. 1 | No. 1 |
| 1995 | 12–0 | Fiesta | W 62–24 vs. Florida | No. 1 | No. 1 | |
| 1997 | 13–0 | Orange | W 42–17 vs. Tennessee | No. 2 | No. 1 |
Other National Championships Nebraska has also been recognized for seven other national championships by different groups. However, the school does not officially claim these titles.
| Year | Coach | Record | Bowl | Result | Selector |
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| 1915 | Ewald O. Stiehm | 8–0 | – | – | BR |
| 1980 | Tom Osborne | 10–2 | Sun | W 31–17 vs. Mississippi State | FACT |
| 1981 | 9–3 | Orange | L 22–15 vs. Clemson | NCF | |
| 1982 | 12–1 | Orange | W 21–20 vs. LSU | Berryman QPRS | |
| 1983 | 12–1 | Orange | L 31–30 vs. Miami (FL) | Berryman QPRS, DeS, FACT, L, MGR, Poling System, Sagarin | |
| 1984 | 10–2 | Sugar | W 28–10 vs. LSU | L | |
| 1993 | 11–1 | Orange | L 18–16 vs. Florida State | NCF |
Conference Championships
Nebraska has won 46 conference championships. Their first wins were in the Western Interstate University Football Association. This was one of the first college football conferences. Nebraska then joined the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association, which became the Big Eight Conference. They won many titles there.
After Biff Jones left in 1941, Nebraska went 22 seasons without a conference championship. But when Devaney became coach in 1962, he made Nebraska a strong team again. He won eight conference titles. Osborne then won 13 conference championships. The games between Nebraska and Oklahoma often decided the Big Eight title. These two schools won most of the conference titles during Devaney and Osborne's time. Nebraska's most recent conference championship was in 1999 in the Big 12.
| Year | Coach | Overall | Conf. | |||||
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| WIUFA (1894–1897) | ||||||||
| 1894† | Frank Crawford | 6–2 | 2–1 | |||||
| 1895† | Charles Thomas | 6–3 | 2–1 | |||||
| 1897 | Edward N. Robinson | 5–1 | 3–0 | |||||
| MVIAA (1907–1923) | ||||||||
| 1907† | W. C. Cole | 8–2 | 1–0 | |||||
| 1910 | 7–1 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 1911† | Ewald O. Stiehm | 5–1–2 | 2–0–1 | |||||
| 1912† | 7–1 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 1913† | 8–0 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 1914 | 7–0–1 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 1915 | 8–0 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 1916 | E. J. Stewart | 6–2 | 3–1 | |||||
| 1917 | 5–2 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 1921 | Fred Dawson | 7–1 | 3–0 | |||||
| 1922 | 7–1 | 5–0 | ||||||
| 1923 | 4–2–2 | 3–0–2 | ||||||
| Big Six Conference (1928–1947) | ||||||||
| 1928 | Ernest Bearg | 7–1–1 | 4–0 | |||||
| 1929 | Dana X. Bible | 4–1–3 | 3–0–2 | |||||
| 1931 | 8–2 | 5–0 | ||||||
| 1932 | 7–1–1 | 5–0 | ||||||
| 1933 | 8–1 | 5–0 | ||||||
| 1935 | 6–2–1 | 4–0–1 | ||||||
| 1936 | 7–2 | 5–0 | ||||||
| 1937 | Biff Jones | 6–1–2 | 3–0–2 | |||||
| 1940 | 8–2 | 5–0 | ||||||
| Big Eight Conference (1963–1995) | ||||||||
| 1963 | Bob Devaney | 10–1 | 7–0 | |||||
| 1964 | 9–2 | 6–1 | ||||||
| 1965 | 10–1 | 7–0 | ||||||
| 1966 | 9–2 | 6–1 | ||||||
| 1969† | 9–2 | 6–1 | ||||||
| 1970 | 11–0–1 | 7–0 | ||||||
| 1971 | 13–0 | 7–0 | ||||||
| 1972 | 9–2–1 | 5–1–1 | ||||||
| 1975† | Tom Osborne | 10–2 | 6–1 | |||||
| 1978† | 9–3 | 6–1 | ||||||
| 1981 | 9–3 | 7–0 | ||||||
| 1982 | 12–1 | 7–0 | ||||||
| 1983 | 12–1 | 7–0 | ||||||
| 1984† | 10–2 | 6–1 | ||||||
| 1988 | 11–2 | 7–0 | ||||||
| 1991† | 9–2–1 | 6–0–1 | ||||||
| 1992 | 9–3 | 6–1 | ||||||
| 1993 | 11–1 | 7–0 | ||||||
| 1994 | 13–0 | 7–0 | ||||||
| 1995 | 12–0 | 7–0 | ||||||
| Big 12 Conference (1997–1999) | ||||||||
| 1997 | Tom Osborne | 13–0 | 8–0 | |||||
| 1999 | Frank Solich | 12–1 | 7–1 | |||||
Division Championships
Nebraska has won 10 division championships. Nine of these were in the Big 12's North Division. They played there until they moved to the Big Ten in 2011. Nebraska won one division title in the Big Ten. The Big Ten stopped using divisions before the 2024 season.
| Year | Coach | Overall | Conf. | Conf. championship game | ||||
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| Big 12 Conference (North Division) (1996–2010) | ||||||||
| 1996 | Tom Osborne | 11–2 | 8–0 | L 37–27 vs. Texas | ||||
| 1997 | 13–0 | 8–0 | W 54–15 vs. Texas A&M | |||||
| 1999 | Frank Solich | 12–1 | 7–1 | W 22–6 vs. Texas | ||||
| 2000† | 10–2 | 6–2 | Lost tiebreaker to Kansas State | |||||
| 2001† | 11–2 | 7–1 | Lost tiebreaker to Colorado | |||||
| 2006 | Bill Callahan | 9–5 | 6–2 | L 21–7 vs. Oklahoma | ||||
| 2008† | Bo Pelini | 9–4 | 5–3 | Lost tiebreaker to Missouri | ||||
| 2009 | 10–4 | 6–2 | L 13–12 vs. Texas | |||||
| 2010† | 10–4 | 6–2 | L 23–20 vs. Oklahoma | |||||
| Big Ten Conference (Legends Division) (2012) | ||||||||
| 2012 | Bo Pelini | 10–4 | 7–1 | L 70–31 vs. Wisconsin | ||||
† Co-champion
Bowl Games
Nebraska has played in 53 bowl games. They had a record of 26 wins and 27 losses. From 1969 to 2003, they played in 35 bowl games in a row. This was a record at the time.
Nebraska was invited to the second-ever Rose Bowl Game after the 1915 season, but they said no. They didn't play in their first bowl game until 1941. In 1962, Bob Devaney's first season, they won their first bowl game. It was a 36–34 win against Miami in the 1962 Gotham Bowl. During Devaney's time, Nebraska started its long streak of bowl appearances. This streak ended in 2004. The team often played in the Orange Bowl because of their conference ties. They played in the Orange Bowl 17 times between 1954 and 1997.
Memorial Stadium: The Sea of Red
Memorial Stadium is known as "The Sea of Red." It has been the home of the Cornhuskers since 1923. The stadium has an amazing record of 403 sold-out games in a row. This streak started in 1962, when Bob Devaney became coach. On game days, the stadium becomes like the "third-largest city in Nebraska." This is because its capacity is bigger than almost every town in Nebraska, except Omaha and Lincoln.
The stadium has been made bigger many times since 1923. Its official capacity is now 85,458 fans. The most people ever at Memorial Stadium was on September 20, 2014. Nebraska beat Miami that day, and 91,585 fans were there.
There are three statues outside the stadium. The oldest one, from 1997, shows six Nebraska defenders tackling a player. In 2006, a statue of Tom Osborne with quarterback Brook Berringer was added. On August 30, 2013, a bronze statue of Bob Devaney was put at the main entrance. Before Memorial Stadium, Nebraska played at Antelope Park and Nebraska Field.
Team Traditions
Game Day Traditions
Since 1993, Nebraska's home games start with the "Tunnel Walk." The team runs onto the field before the game. They usually come out to the song "Sirius" by The Alan Parsons Project. Before the Tunnel Walk, fans chant "Husker Power." Half the stadium yells "Husker" and the other half yells "Power."
Fans have released red helium balloons when Nebraska scores its first points at home games. This tradition started in the 1930s. Sometimes, due to helium shortages or environmental worries, the tradition has been paused.
Walk-on Program Nebraska started accepting "walk-ons" in the early 1960s. These are players who join the team without a scholarship. Tom Osborne started an official program for them in 1973. This was when the NCAA limited how many scholarships schools could give. Nebraska often had many walk-ons from the area. This made their team rosters very large. For example, in 2002, Nebraska had 202 players, while their opponent Miami had 107. Osborne said walk-ons helped the team prepare better. He gave them the same training and academic help as scholarship players. Even after Osborne retired, Nebraska usually kept a larger team.
Six former Nebraska walk-ons have become All-Americans. Twenty-nine have played in the National Football League.
Uniform History
Helmets
Nebraska's first helmet was red with a white stripe. Later, it was plain white with a black number. From 1967 to 1969, the helmet had a red "NU" on each side. In 1970, this changed to the "N" we see today. This change happened because there weren't enough "U" stickers. When the team won its first national championship, the single "N" stayed. The helmet design has not changed much since then, except for the facemask color.
Jerseys
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Cornhuskers wore full shoulder stripes. These were removed as new jersey styles became popular. From 1980 to 1983, Nebraska's jerseys only had a block "N" on the sleeves. Stripes and TV numbers were added back in 1984. They have gotten smaller as jersey sleeves have shortened. In 1989, a patch was added to the left shoulder to celebrate 100 seasons of Nebraska football. It later said "Nebraska Football: A Winning Tradition." Player last names first appeared on road and bowl game jerseys in the late 1970s. Home jerseys usually didn't have names, except for seniors playing their last home game. Last names were put on all jerseys permanently in 1988.
Nebraska's defense is often called the "Blackshirts." This is because starting defensive players wear black jerseys during practice. This tradition started in 1964. Coach Bob Devaney wanted an easy way to tell his different groups of players apart. The Blackshirts are often shown with a skull and crossbones.
Pants Nebraska usually wears white pants at home and red pants for away games. There are some rare exceptions. The team first wore red pants with red jerseys in 1986 against Oklahoma. They lost that game, so they stopped using that combination. Nebraska first wore all-white uniforms in 1991. They wore them again for their first three away games in 1992. They lost three of those games, so fans called them "surrender suits." They weren't used again for 10 years.
From 1968 to 1994, Nebraska's pants had two stripes on each side. These were removed in 1995. They came back in 2002. Later, during Scott Frost's time as coach, the stripes were removed again. This was a tribute to the style from when he played. They returned after he left.
Alternate Uniforms
The first time Nebraska wore different uniforms was in 1920. They had to wear blue jerseys because the visiting team accidentally brought their red home jerseys. The same thing happened in 1923 in the first game at Memorial Stadium. In 2023, Nebraska celebrated the stadium's 100th birthday. They wore blue-trimmed jerseys for the occasion.
Nebraska didn't plan to use alternate uniforms until 2009. They have used one every season since 2012. Many of these were throwback uniforms. They were worn to remember past events or championships. For example, in 2017, they honored their 1997 national championship.
Adidas has been Nebraska's official uniform sponsor since 1996. In 2017, the school and Adidas signed a big deal for uniforms.
Team Rivalries
Colorado
The rivalry between Nebraska and Colorado became stronger in the 1990s. The teams have played 71 times since 1898. Nebraska leads the series 50–21–2. The rivalry started when Colorado joined the Big Eight Conference in 1947. They were in the same conference until 2010. The teams have not played every year since 2011.
Iowa
The Iowa–Nebraska rivalry started in 1891. Since 2011, they play every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving. This game is called the Heroes Game. The winner gets the Heroes Trophy. The teams have played 53 times. Nebraska leads the series 30–21–3.
Kansas
Nebraska and Kansas share a border. They had the longest continuous rivalry in college football history, lasting 105 years. They have played 117 times since 1892. Nebraska leads the series 91–23–3. This includes 36 wins in a row from 1969 to 2004. Since Nebraska moved to the Big Ten in 2011, they have not played.
Kansas State
Nebraska and Kansas State were conference rivals from 1913 to 2010. They are only 135 miles apart. They were the closest rivals in the Big Eight and Big 12 conferences. The teams have played 95 times since 1911. Nebraska leads the series 78–15–2. This includes 29 wins in a row from 1969 to 1997. They have not played since Nebraska moved to the Big Ten in 2011.
The 1939 game was televised in Manhattan, Kansas. It was the second college football game ever shown on TV. The 1992 game was played in Tokyo.
Miami (FL)
Nebraska's games with Miami are famous "bowl rivalries." The teams have played 12 times since 1951. The series is tied 6–6.
The most famous game was the 1984 Orange Bowl. Nebraska scored late to make it 31–30. Coach Tom Osborne tried for a two-point conversion instead of an extra point. A tie would have given Nebraska the national championship. But Miami won the game and their first national title.
Minnesota
The $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy is given to the winner of the Minnesota–Nebraska game since 2014. The teams have played 61 times since 1900. Minnesota leads the series 35–25–2. Minnesota holds the trophy after winning in 2023.
Missouri
The Victory Bell is given to the winner of the Missouri–Nebraska game since 1927. The teams have played 104 times since 1892. Nebraska leads the series 65–36–3. Nebraska holds the Victory Bell after winning in 2010. They have not played since Nebraska moved to the Big Ten in 2011.
Oklahoma
Nebraska and Oklahoma have one of the greatest college football rivalries. They have played 87 times since 1912. Oklahoma leads the series 46–38–3. They did not play often after Nebraska moved to the Big Ten in 2011. But they played in 2021, with Oklahoma winning 23–16.
Nebraska won most of the early games. Then Oklahoma won 16 games in a row. Nebraska's 1959 win ended Oklahoma's 74-game conference winning streak. Nebraska won the "Game of the Century" in 1971. The two teams played 18 times when both were ranked in the top 10.
Wisconsin
The Freedom Trophy is given to the winner of the Nebraska–Wisconsin game since 2014. The teams have played 15 times since 1901. Wisconsin leads the series 12–4. Wisconsin holds the Freedom Trophy after winning in 2023. The teams play every year.
Honors and Awards
Award Winners
Winners are shown in bold.
Chuck Bednarik Award
Dick Butkus Award
Walter Camp Award
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Lombardi Award
Maxwell Award
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Davey O'Brien Award
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Outland Trophy
Dave Rimington Trophy
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
William V. Campbell Trophy
AP Player of the Year
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College Football Hall of Fame
27 former Nebraska coaches and players are in the College Football Hall of Fame.
| Name | Pos. | Years at NU | Inducted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dana X. Bible | Coach | 1926–1936 | 1951 |
| Ed Weir | T | 1923–1925 | 1951 |
| Fielding H. Yost | Coach | 1898 | 1951 |
| George Sauer | FB | 1931–1933 | 1954 |
| Biff Jones | Coach | 1937–1941 | 1954 |
| Edward N. Robinson | Coach | 1896, 1897 | 1955 |
| Guy Chamberlin | E | 1913–1915 | 1962 |
| Clarence Swanson | E | 1918–1920 | 1973 |
| Sam Francis | FB | 1934–1936 | 1977 |
| Bob Devaney | Coach | 1962–1972 | 1981 |
| Bobby Reynolds | HB | 1950–1952 | 1984 |
| Forrest Behm | T | 1938–1940 | 1988 |
| Wayne Meylan | MG | 1965–1967 | 1991 |
| Bob Brown | OT | 1961–1963 | 1993 |
| Rich Glover | MG | 1970–1972 | 1995 |
| Dave Rimington | C | 1979–1982 | 1997 |
| Tom Osborne | Coach | 1973–1997 | 1999 |
| Johnny Rodgers | WB | 1970–1972 | 2000 |
| Mike Rozier | IB | 1981–1983 | 2006 |
| Grant Wistrom | DE | 1994–1997 | 2009 |
| Will Shields | OG | 1989–1992 | 2011 |
| Tommie Frazier | QB | 1992–1995 | 2013 |
| Trev Alberts | LB | 1990–1993 | 2015 |
| Aaron Taylor | OG | 1994–1997 | 2018 |
| Eric Crouch | QB | 1998–2001 | 2020 |
| Zach Wiegert | OT | 1991–1994 | 2022 |
| Frank Solich | Coach | 1998–2003 | 2024 |
Retired Numbers and Jerseys
Nebraska has retired the numbers of three players. They have also retired the jerseys of 22 others. The first was Tom Novak, whose No. 60 was retired in 1949. Johnny Rodgers had his No. 20 retired after winning the Heisman Trophy in 1972. Bob Brown had his No. 64 retired in 2004. In 2017, the school honored eight early Hall of Fame players by retiring their jerseys. The names and numbers of these players are shown at Memorial Stadium.
| No. | Player | Pos. | Career | Retired |
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| Retired Numbers | ||||
| 20 | Johnny Rodgers | WB | 1970–1972 | 1972 |
| 60 | Tom Novak | C | 1946–1949 | 1949 |
| 64 | Bob Brown | OT | 1961–1963 | 2004 |
| Retired Jerseys | ||||
| 1 | Clarence Swanson | E | 1918–1921 | 2017 |
| 7 | Eric Crouch | QB | 1998–2001 | 2002 |
| 12 | Bobby Reynolds | HB | 1950–1952 | 2017 |
| 15 | Tommie Frazier | QB | 1992–1995 | 1996 |
| 25 | George Sauer | FB | 1931–1933 | 2017 |
| 30 | Mike Rozier | IB | 1981–1983 | 1983 |
| 33 | Forrest Behm | OT | 1938–1940 | 2017 |
| 34 | Trev Alberts | LB | 1990–1993 | 1994 |
| 35 | Ed Weir | OT | 1923–1925 | 2017 |
| 38 | Sam Francis | FB | 1934–1936 | 2017 |
| 50 | Dave Rimington | C | 1979–1982 | 1982 |
| 54 | Dominic Raiola | C | 1998–2000 | 2002 |
| 66 | Wayne Meylan | MG | 1965–1967 | 2017 |
| 67 | Aaron Taylor | OG | 1994–1997 | 1998 |
| 71 | Dean Steinkuhler | OG | 1980–1983 | 1983 |
| 72 | Zach Wiegert | OT | 1991–1993 | 1995 |
| 75 | Larry Jacobson | DT | 1969–1971 | 1994 |
| Will Shields | OG | 1989–1992 | 1994 | |
| 79 | Rich Glover | MG | 1970–1972 | 1972 |
| 93 | Ndamukong Suh | DT | 2005–2009 | 2010 |
| 98 | Grant Wistrom | DE | 1994–1997 | 1998 |
| Guy Chamberlin | HB / E | 1913–1915 | 2017 | |
Academic All-Americans
Nebraska leads the country in Academic All-America selections. This is true for football and all other sports combined. Nebraska has 70 First-Team Academic All-Americans and 108 overall. They also lead with 330 Academic All-Americans across all sports.
Nebraska Players in the NFL
368 former Nebraska players have been drafted into the National Football League. This includes 34 first-round picks. Two players were chosen first overall in the draft: Sam Francis in 1937 and Irving Fryar in 1984.
Guy Chamberlin, Nebraska's first All-American, joined the Chicago Bears in 1920. He later won four championships as a player and coach. He still has the highest winning percentage for any NFL coach with at least 50 wins.
Former Nebraska player Roger Craig was the first NFL player to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl in 1985. The next season, he was the first player with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in one season. He was named Offensive Player of the Year in 1988. Craig and Tom Rathman, another former Cornhusker, won two Super Bowls together with the San Francisco 49ers.
Vince Ferragamo, Nebraska's quarterback in 1975 and 1976, started Super Bowl XIV for the Los Angeles Rams. He is the only former Cornhusker to start as quarterback in a Super Bowl. Zac Taylor, another former Nebraska quarterback, was the head coach for the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. Nebraska had at least one player in every Super Bowl from 1993 until 2019.
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Five former Nebraska players are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
| Name | Pos. | Years at NU | Inducted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link Lyman | OT | 1918–1919, 1921 | 1964 |
| Guy Chamberlin | E | 1913–1915 | 1965 |
| Bob Brown | OT | 1961–1963 | 2004 |
| Will Shields | OG | 1989–1992 | 2015 |
| Mick Tingelhoff | C | 1959–1961 | 2015 |
Active Players and Coaches in the NFL
There are 19 former Huskers playing in the NFL. Three are also coaches.
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Players
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Coaches
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