Jeff Mills Season 1989

Honors & Awards

• First-Team All-Big Eight (AP, Coaches, 1988)
• Second-Team All-Big Eight (UPI, 1988)
• Honorable-Mention All-Big Eight (1987)
• Team Captain (1989)
• Third-Round NLF Draft Pick (San Diego Chargers, 1990)
• Four NFL Seasons (San Diego, Denver)

1989 (Senior)
A first-team All-Big Eight selection by both the Associated Press and conference coaches as a senior at left outside linebacker in 1989, Jeff Mills started all 11 regular-season games and the 1990 Fiesta Bowl against Florida State. A three-year letterwinner and one of four team captains in 1990, Mills started every game for the Blackshirts during his final two seasons in Lincoln. He finished third on the team with 58 total tackles, including 33 solos as a senior. Mills added eight tackles for 28 yards lost, including three sacks for 16 yards. He added 10 quarterbacks that included a team-leading two interceptions caused. He also forced two fumbles and recovered another, while adding a pair of pass breakups. Mills, who helped the Blackshirts rank eighth nationally in total defense (274.1 ypg) was Nebraska’s nominee for Big Eight Defensive Player of the Week in wins over both Minnesota and Kansas. He had six tackles, including a pair of sacks, in NU’s 48-0 shutout of the Gophers, while notching seven tackles to help the Huskers bounce back from their only regular-season loss (at Colorado) on their way to a 10-2 season. Mills also produced a career-high nine tackles in a win over Iowa State.

Over his three-year career, Mills totaled 115 tackles, including 59 solos. He had 13 TFLs (44 yards), including five sacks (24 yards). A fierce pass rusher, Mills notched 20 quarterback hurries and forced four interceptions. He added four PBUs, forced two fumbles and recovered another. He was selected in the third round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers (57th overall pick). He was the first of five Huskers chosen in the draft, joining Kent Wells, Ken Clark, Gerry Gdowski and Richard Bell. Mills played in five games for the Chargers as a rookie before joining the Denver Broncos midseason. He played two games for the Broncos to close his NFL rookie year. He spent three more seasons (1991, 1992, 1993) with the Broncos. He played 46 career NFL games (41 with Denver), including three starts for the Broncos in his second season in 1991.

1988 (Junior)
Mills earned honorable-mention All-Big Eight accolades from the conference coaches while starting at the right outside linebacker position opposite of All-American Broderick Thomas. Mills finished as Nebraska’s fifth-leading tackler with 50 stops, including five TFLs (16 yards). He added 10 quarterback hurries, including two that resulted in interceptions. Mills started all 12 regular-season games and the 1989 Orange Bowl against Miami. Mills helped the Huskers lead the Big Eight in rushing defense (127.9 ypg), pass defense (134.8 ypg) and total defense (262.8 ypg). The Blackshirts also ranked sixth nationally against the pass and seventh in total defense. He notched a season-high seven tackles in NU’s 63-10 win over Kansas, and he was a key factor in the Big Red’s late-season wins over Colorado (7-0) and Oklahoma (7-3) to clinch the Big Eight title.

1987 (Sophomore)
Mills played 10 of Nebraska’s 11 games and the 1988 Sunkist Fiesta Bowl as the backup to All-American Broderick Thomas at left outside linebacker. Mills finished with seven tackles and one breakup during the regular season.

1986 (Freshman)
Mills was one of the leading tacklers on Nebraska’s 4-1 freshman team, totaling 20 stops, including five tackles for 23 yards in losses.

Montclair High School
An all-state player and team captain for Coach Jack Davies at Montclair High School in New Jersey, Mills was named to the regional U.S. Army Reserve junior all-star football squad. As a senior, Mills recorded 86 tackles, including 52 solos, while breaking up four passes. He also registered 14 sacks, recovered three fumbles and blocked three punts. As a tight end, he added five receptions. He also lettered in basketball and track.

Personal
The son of Cynthia Mills, Jeff was born in Montclair, N.J. He was a business administration major at Nebraska.