Tom Osborne

The playing field at Memorial Stadium is called Tom Osborne Field in honor of a man, who in 25 seasons as Nebraska head coach, built a total program based on more than winning.

Osborne was named Nebraska's head coach following the 1972 season and under his direction, the program achieved remarkable success, exceeding any in its rich history. Osborne's 25-year coaching career came to a poetic end in the 1998 Orange Bowl. In his final game, the Huskers defeated No. 3 Tennessee, 42-17, giving Osborne a share of a third national title in four seasons. The victory left Osborne as the first coach in college football history to retire as a reigning national champion. He also left the sideline with the nation's best active winning percentage (.836, 255-49-3), a mark that still ranks sixth all-time among Division I coaches.

Osborne guided the Huskers to back-to-back national titles in 1994 and 1995, then capped his career by sharing the 1997 title with Michigan. Nebraska's back-to-back national titles in 1994 and 1995 made Osborne the first coach to accomplish that feat since Bear Bryant in 1978-79.

Under Osborne, Nebraska became just the second school all time to post back-to-back perfect national championship seasons. In fact, Osborne's last five Nebraska teams put together the best five-year run in college football history with an amazing 60-3 record, including five consecutive 11-win seasons.

Osborne-coached Nebraska teams captured 13 conference crowns, including six of his final seven seasons as head coach. All 25 of his Husker teams won at least nine games and played in a bowl, with 15 of his Husker teams winning 10 or more games. Osborne's 255 career victories are the eighth-most all-time among major college football coaches.

His achievements were so highly regarded that the National Football Foundation waived its three-year waiting period so that he could be inducted into its Hall of Fame in December of 1998. He is one of only four coaches in history to have the mandatory three-year waiting period waived.

In the classroom, Osborne’s teams were just as successful as they were on the field. Under Osborne’s guidance, the Husker football program totaled 65 CoSIDA Academic All-America awards in 25 years, averaging more than two selections per season. To put Osborne’s dedication to developing complete student-athletes in perspective, he accumulated more football Academic All-Americans in his 25 years as coach than any other football program in the nation has produced in its history, as Notre Dame has produced the second-most football academic All-Americans all-time, totaling 50 selections dating back to 1952.

Prior to becoming head coach, Osborne spent five seasons under Devaney, helping the Huskers win back-to-back national championships in 1970 and 1971. In 1973, Osborne succeeded Devaney, who also served as Nebraska’s Athletic Director from 1967 to 1993.

Devaney put Osborne in charge of the offense that won two national titles and allowed him to concentrate on three areas he thought were important – a strong academic program for student-athletes, a strength and conditioning program and a more formalized program to attract walk-on players.

Holder of master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Nebraska in educational psychology, Osborne said he probably would not have considered coaching if he had not met Devaney, who convinced him to become a volunteer graduate assistant on his staff.

"Bob epitomized the value of loyalty, and I will always be grateful for the confidence he showed in me," Osborne said. "Because of his leadership and empowerment as a coach and an athletic director, I was fortunate to serve 25 years as head coach."

Osborne returned to his roots on Oct. 16, 2007, to become the 13th athletic director at the University of Nebraska. Tom Osborne accepted the position at the time because, Osborne said, "Harvey Perlman asked me."

Perlman, UNL’s chancellor, asked Osborne to lead the program where he had served so productively as head football coach. Two months later, on Dec. 20, 2007, he announced that the word "interim" had been removed from Osborne’s title.

Within months of his appointment, Osborne quietly re-established an athletic department mission based on five core values – integrity, trust, respect, teamwork and loyalty. Nebraska fans across the country and around the world expressed confidence in Osborne’s experience, his understanding of Nebraska and his desire to elevate the program back among the nation’s elite.

After retiring from football in 1997, Osborne found several ways to stay active in his home state. His most visible post-coaching foray came in the political arena, as he served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from Nebraska’s 3rd congressional district from 2000 to 2006. He also made a gubernatorial bid in 2006 before turning to academia.

A native of Hastings, Neb., Osborne served as a senior lecturer at Nebraska in the College of Business Administration, teaching leadership and business ethics, in the fall of 2007. He completed the fall semester while working in the athletic department. Osborne also worked as a consultant for local college athletic departments.

"I’ve spent the majority of my life working with the athletic department at the university and I want to do what I can at this point to continue in the pursuit of excellence that has been previously established," Osborne said when he was appointed athletic director.

Widely known for his leadership, integrity, honor and compassion, Osborne has poured time and effort into building a unique mentoring program within the state. The TeamMates program, founded by Tom and his wife, Nancy, started with 22 football players in 1991, provides support and encouragement to school-aged youth with the goal of seeing children graduate from high school and pursue a post-secondary education. TeamMates celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2022 and has expanded into more than 10,000 matches in a five-state region.

Osborne still actively provides leadership in the college football ranks. He served on the College Football Playoff Committee in 2014 and 2015, and had previously been a voter on the coaches poll for the Master Coaches Poll.

Osborne and his wife, Nancy, have three adult children, Mike, Ann and Suzanne and five grandchildren.

Administrative Experience

• Nebraska, Athletic Director 2007-2012
• U.S Congress, Third District (Nebraska) 2000-06
• Nebraska, Head Football Coach 1973-97
• Nebraska, Assistant Head Football Coach 1972
• Nebraska, Assistant Football Coach 1967-71
• Nebraska, Academic Coordinator/Educational Psychology Professor, 1965
• Nebraska, Graduate Assistant Football Coach, 1962-64

Educational Ledger

• Nebraska, Ph.D. in Educational Psychology 1965
• Nebraska, M.A. in Educational Psychology 1963
• Hastings College, B.A. in History 1959

Personal Information

• Date of Birth Feb. 23, 1937
• Family Wife: Nancy; Son: Mike; Daughters: Ann and Suzanne

Tom Osborne's Coaching Record

                                     

Year	Won	Lost	Tied	Pct.	Bowl	Highlights
1973	9	2	1	.792	Cotton
1974	9	3	0	.750	Sugar
1975	10	2	0	.833	Fiesta	Big Eight co-Champs
1976	9	3	1	.731	Bluebonnet
1977	9	3	0	.750	Liberty
1978	9	3	0	.750	Orange	Big Eight co-Champs
1979	10	2	0	.833	Cotton
1980	10	2	0	.833	Sun
1981	9	3	0	.750	Orange	Big Eight Champions
1982	12	1	0	.923	Orange	Big Eight Champions
1983	12	1	0	.923	Orange	Big Eight Champions
1984	10	2	0	.833	Sugar	Big Eight co-Champs
1985	9	3	0	.750	Fiesta
1986	10	2	0	.833	Sugar
1987	10	2	0	.833	Fiesta
1988	11	2	0	.846	Orange	Big Eight Champions
1989	10	2	0	.833	Fiesta
1990	9	3	0	.750	Citrus
1991	9	2	1	.792	Orange	Big Eight co-Champs
1992	9	3	0	.750	Orange	Big Eight Champions
1993	11	1	0	.917	Orange	Big Eight Champions
1994	13	0	0	1.000	Orange	National Champions
1995	12	0	0	1.000	Fiesta	National Champions
1996	11	2	0	.846	Orange	Big 12 North champs
1997	13	0	0	1.000	Orange	National Champions
Totals	255	49	3	.836	25 straight	13 conference titles
Bowls	12	13	0	.480		three national titles

Tom Osborne's Honors and Accomplishments