Dave Feit's Greatest Huskers by the Numbers: 1 - Clarence Swanson

One of the most influential figures in Nebraska football's history, plus the tragic life of Lawrence Phillips.

Counting down the greatest Nebraska football players by jersey number. | HuskerMax

Dave Feit is counting down the days until the start of the 2025 season by naming the best Husker to wear each uniform number, as well as one of his personal favorites at that number. For more information about the series, click here. To see more entries, click here.


Greatest Husker to wear 1: Clarence Swanson, End, 1918-1921

Honorable Mention: Dale Klein, Lawrence Philips

Also worn by: Zack Bowman, Chris Brooks, John Brown, Ray Coleman, Thunder Collins, Khiry Cooper, Josh Davis, Mike Grant, Billy Kemp IV, Adi Kunalic, Tyjon Lindsey, Frankie London, Lornell McPherson, Wan'Dale Robinson, Jordan Westerkamp

Dave's Fave: Lawrence Phillips, I-back, 1993-1995


Nebraska's 1921 game at Pittsburgh was a notable affair. It was one of Nebraska's earliest trips east of Minnesota. The game marked the start of a recurring series with Pittsburgh, who would become one of Nebraska's most-played nonconference opponents. The Cornhuskers defeated Pop Warner's Panthers 10-0, one of just six NU wins over Pitt in 24 tries.

And, notable to our purposes today, the Nov. 5, 1921, game was the first live radio broadcast of a Nebraska Cornhuskers football game. (The first commercial radio broadcast of any college football game happened four weeks earlier.)

Unfortunately, that didn't matter much to the folks in Nebraska. Pittsburgh station KDKA aired the game, but the signal didn't reach the Midwest. Even if it had been possible to simulcast the game locally, there were no commercial stations in Nebraska in 1921, and very few citizens owned radios. But it was the genesis of bringing the sights and sounds of Nebraska football to fans throughout the country.

Aside from an early stretch in the late 1920s and 30s when schools selfishly restricted radio broadcasts to protect in-person attendance, radio has been a constant.

Bob Zenner was one of the voices of Husker football during a time when listeners had several options to choose from. | KLIN

For a long time, multiple stations would broadcast Husker games with their own announcers. KFOR (Dick Perry), KLIN (Bob Zenner, Don Gill, Tim Moreland, Tom Hedrick, Ray Scott) and WOW (Russ Baldwin).

But KFAB was the most notable. It had the strongest signal, and it had Lyell Bremser, who called Nebraska games for 42 seasons. Eventually, KFAB would obtain sole rights and create a network of syndicates across the state and region that would air Nebraska games.

When Bremser retired, Kent Pavelka took over behind the microphone. A change in the KFAB contract led to Pavelka being replaced by Warren Swain, and then Jim Rose. When Rose was unable to call a game in 2007, Greg Sharpe, a broadcaster with Kansas State ties, was brought in. Sharpe held the coveted "Voice of the Huskers" title until he passed away in 2025.

In the 2025 season, Kyle Crooks will take over as Nebraska's "Voice." Crooks has previously worked on broadcasts with the Florida Gators.

Clarence Swanson | Nebraska Athletics

One other notable tie-in to that 1921 Pitt game: Nebraska's lone touchdown was scored by Clarence Swanson, who caught a 63-yard pass from fullback Harold Hartley. Swanson scoring the game-winning points makes sense. He predicted the victory at the train station before the team left for Pittsburgh. "We are going into the game to win and will win," the team captain said. "The East will recognize us as the 'Fighting Nebraskans.'"

Clarence Swanson was one of the first Cornhusker superstars. Few - if any - former players can match his impact on the program or simply being there for milestone events. There are so many ties, it's hard to know where to start.

We'll begin in tiny Wakefield, Nebraska, Swanson's hometown. Swanson - 5'7" and 167 pounds - was a standout on the football, baseball and basketball teams. In his first two seasons at Nebraska, the Cornhuskers played as an independent team. As a junior in 1920, Swanson earned third-team All-America honors.

Clarence Swanson | Nebraska Athletics

In 1921, Swanson's senior season, Nebraska joined the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MVIAA), the predecessor of what would become the Big Eight. The 1921 squad went 7-1, with the only loss to 10-1 Notre Dame. In his final game, against Colorado State, Swanson caught three touchdown passes, setting a record that still stands (now tied with eight other players).

Swanson set numerous school receiving records, many of which stood for 50 years until Johnny Rodgers came along. Swanson is still tied for fifth in touchdown receptions in a season (nine) with Maurice Purify and Trey Palmer and is fifth all time in career TD receptions (18), tied with Jordan Westerkamp. Swanson earned All-MVIAA honors and was a second-team All-American.

After graduation, Swanson served as an assistant coach for one season. But he was not done impacting the program.

Fast-forward 40 years to 1961. Head coach Bill Jennings has been fired, and a search for his replacement is ongoing. Clarence Swanson - now president of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents - is being kept up to date on Athletic Director Tippy Dye's search. With a couple of Dye's preferred candidates unavailable, Dye expressed interest in hiring the head coach from Wichita State,* who had previously reported to Dye.

Swanson felt that Nebraska could - and should - do better and find a coach with more experience. He went to Nebraska Chancellor Clifford Hardin and said that unless Nebraska made a better hire, they were doomed to keep repeating the misery of the 1940s and 1950s. Hardin called his friend - and Michigan State head coach - Duffy Daugherty. Daugherty was not interested in the Nebraska job, but he did recommend one of his former assistants who was doing a fine job out in Wyoming: Bob Devaney.

*The Wichita State coach Dye was interested in hiring - Hank Foldberg – ended up at Texas A&M job. In his three seasons in College Station, he went 6-23-1 and never coached again.

Nebraska might never have landed Bob Devaney without Clarence Swanson's intervention | Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

It is safe to say that without Clarence Swanson stepping in and lobbying for Daugherty's recommendation, Bob Devaney does not become Nebraska's head coach. In 1966, Devaney said Swanson was "one of the important reasons I came to Nebraska. And he's one of the big reasons I have stayed in Nebraska. He has an understanding of the athletic problems and has been a big help to us."

"(Swanson) should go down as one of the greatest men in the history of the University of Nebraska."

Clarence Swanson died in December 1970, less than a month before Devaney won Nebraska's first national championship.

But Swanson's impact on the program was still not done.

His children - a son and daughter - were adding branches to a Husker family tree that has spanned generations.

Bo Ruud and his brother Barrett are great-grandsons of Clarence Swanson. | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Jaime Swanson - one of Clarence's granddaughters - married Husker all-conference linebacker Tom Ruud. Their two sons - Barrett and Bo - were standout linebackers in the 2000s, with Barrett also serving as an assistant coach.

Another granddaughter - Sheri - married former Husker All-American Bob Martin. Their son Jay also played in the 2000s.

Today, the Clarence E. Swanson Memorial Award honors individuals "for outstanding contributions to the University of Nebraska and the Husker athletic department through personal service, personal support of athletic department programs and dedication to the Husker football program and intercollegiate athletics."

Clarence Swanson was inducted posthumously into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1973.

* * *

One of my core beliefs is that multiple, seemingly conflicting things can be true at the same time.

My favorite player to wear the No. 1 jersey at Nebraska - Lawrence Phillips - offers an opportunity to put this belief into action.

Phillips was a very conflicting person.

Lawrence Phillips may have been the greatest running back Nebraska has ever had.

I don't say that lightly. Nebraska has been blessed with several amazing backs over the years. I've watched every back from Mike Rozier to Ahman Green to Ameer Abdullah (and everyone in between). L.P. might be the best back I've seen in the scarlet and cream.

His 1994 season was amazing. Nebraska struggled with quarterback injuries and depth for much of the season. Tom Osborne's solution was "give the ball to Lawrence." In 1994, Phillips had a school-record 286 carries for 1,722 yards (then the second-most all-time). He scored 16 touchdowns. He had more than 100 yards rushing in 11 straight games. He was the personification of the "refuse to lose" slogan.

Lawrence Phillips carries the ball for some of his 206 yards against Michigan State in 1995. | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Former NU assistant George Darlington - who recruited Phillips out of California - once relayed a story from legendary coach Nick Saban: "Nick said there were two backs that he’d seen in person who impressed him the most," Darlington said. "One was Eric Dickerson, the other was Lawrence Phillips."

Saban, then the coach of Michigan State, had a front-row seat for one of L.P.'s best games, versus the Spartans in 1995: 22 carries for 206 yards and four touchdowns. All in just three quarters of action.

After the first two games of the 1995 season, Phillips had 359 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, averaging over 10 yards per carry. He was the early front runner for the Heisman Trophy.

But that night, many lives were forever changed.

I will not attempt to justify, excuse, or condone what Phillips did, (but context is helpful).

There are a lot of rumors and allegations about what happened on that fateful September night in 1995. Some are true, others are not. I have heard a detailed accounting of the events of that night from somebody I trust (they covered it for a local media outlet).

But I'm not going to share any of the dirt.

The only truth that matters is that a young woman was brutally attacked. I have no desire to participate in anything that could be construed as victim shaming. There is absolutely nothing she could have said or did to warrant the assault she suffered. Period. Who else may have been in the apartment (or whose name was on the lease) does not change anything.

Lawrence Phillips committed a horrendous crime against a woman.

Fast-forward to 2015. Phillips was serving a lengthy prison sentence for assault with a deadly weapon, when he was accused of murdering his cellmate. After these charges were announced, local radio host Damon Benning spoke about Phillips, his former Husker teammate. It is a segment that has stuck with me because Benning was equally eloquent and emotionally raw.

At one point, Benning says he is trying to "tell the story without excuses." It's a tough task.

Lawrence and I were born a few months apart. I grew up in a safe and stable home with two loving parents. He did not.  Phillips grew up a victim of abuse, bouncing in and out of foster homes and witnessing domestic violence firsthand. I cannot imagine what he was going through in the years when I was watching Sesame Street on the couch under a comfy blanket.

Or maybe I just don't want to think about it.

Lawrence Phillips dives for a touchdown against Michigan State in 1995. | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Again, none of this excuses or justifies the crimes Phillips committed during his life. It is easy to attack, dismiss, and/or write Phillips off as a thug or a piece of garbage. Certainly, that is your right, especially if you feel that Phillips did irreparable damage to Nebraska and/or Tom Osborne.

The main thing I took from Benning’s words is it can be hard to understand who the man is, where he came from, and how he processes life. Benning describes Phillips as a smart yet complex person built on a "shaky foundation."

Benning then said something that has stayed with me for over a decade: "Hurt people hurt people."

Hindsight clouds our perspective on how his punishment was handled.

Today, it is impossible to imagine a world where violence against women was not treated as the serious offense it is. Following the scandals at Penn State, Baylor and other schools, it is hard to believe coaches used to have the ultimate authority to determine if, when, and how their players would be punished for their crimes or infractions.

But 30 years ago, things were different.

I don't want to suggest that violence against women was tolerated back then. Trust me, there was a ton of outrage over the idea that Phillips might not be kicked off the team. But I will say that - thankfully - society looks more harshly against such acts today.

As for Osborne, he was not the only college football coach who had the unquestioned power to decide what would happen to players who were arrested. Today, a decision on a player's status would be made by the athletic director, if not somebody higher up within the university.  While the players on the Unity Council often provided recommendations and the input on behalf of the team, Osborne - and his largely sterling reputation - had the final say.

After Phillips was arrested on suspicion on third-degree assault, Tom Osborne said, "We will do everything we can to help him get his life back together. But he is dismissed from the football team, effective immediately."

Eight days later, Osborne suggested that Phillips could return - if - specific conditions were met. "I think it's important that he have football out there," Osborne said. "Football is what holds everything together for him."

Phillips remained probationally enrolled at UNL as his case went through the legal system. He pleaded no contest and was found guilty of misdemeanor assault.

On Oct. 24, 1995, Osborne announced that Phillips was reinstated to the team and would be eligible to play against Iowa State on Nov. 4.

Lawrence Phillips carries the ball during the Huskers' demolition of Florida in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl. | Nebraska Athletics

The 1995 Huskers did not need Lawrence Phillips to win a championship.

After Phillips was reinstated, the "win at all costs" narratives were everywhere. But they could not be further from the truth.

Tom Osborne or Nebraska did not need Lawrence Phillips to win the 1995 national championship. That team would have been considered one of the greatest teams of all time with Ahman Green, Clinton Childs, Damon Benning, Jay Sims, or any of a dozen other players as the feature back.

To argue otherwise displays complete ignorance about that team’s talent, and the dominance they displayed throughout the season. Yes, Phillips is one of the greatest backs in school history. But, on the very first play in NU’s first game without Phillips, Childs scored a 65-yard touchdown (against a respectable Arizona State team a year away from a top-five ranking and Rose Bowl berth).

If Osborne had truly been trying to win at all costs, Phillips would have played in back-to-back games against top-10 opponents (Oct. 21 vs No. 8 Kansas State, and Oct. 28 at No. 7 Colorado). Phillips did not suit up for either game. Without him, the Huskers dominated those games by 24 and 23 points, respectively.

Look: if Osborne's biggest concern was winning a championship by whatever means necessary, he would have banished Phillips, washed his hands of him, and continued to hang 50 points on everybody in their path.

Even in an age before social media, when "going online" was a relatively new concept requiring a dial-up modem and an AOL account, Phillips was a gigantic distraction. Every week brought another new hit piece against Osborne or the "thugs" on his roster. A CBS reporter ambushed one of Osborne's weekly press conferences asking what the coach would do if Phillips had attacked his daughter.

The drama was everywhere. It only stopped for three hours on Saturdays when the Huskers would win by an average of five touchdowns. Then, in the postgame press conference, a question would be asked, and the cycle would start again.

Phillips ended up missing six games in 1995. He returned for the Iowa State game. He had 12 carries for 68 yards and a touchdown. Nebraska won 73-14.

Tom Osborne did what he thought was best, not what was easiest.

I truly believe Osborne felt that the best chance for Lawrence Phillips to become a successful human being was to remain in the structured and supportive environment of the Nebraska football program. I have no doubt that Osborne, a devout Christian, believed he could help turn Phillips’s life around. I believe Osborne not only felt he could help Lawrence Phillips but had a Christian obligation to not abandon him.

In the moment, Osborne knew what he was getting himself into.

"I don't think the university or the football program has done the easy thing," Osborne said when Phillips was reinstated. "The easy thing could have been to dismiss him, but after examining all the factors involved we didn't feel it was the right thing to do."

"I really, really tried to do the right thing. I'm prepared to live with it," Osborne said. "But if it doesn't, then I'll take the heat."

He certainly did.

Lawrence Phillips came off the bench and rushed for 137 yards as a true freshman against UCLA in 1993. | Long Photography-Imagn Images

The Phillips decision will be a major chapter in Tom Osborne's legacy.

Hindsight makes it easy to say that Osborne was wrong. We know how the story ends.

But what if Lawrence Phillips had left Nebraska, gone to the Rams and put together an average NFL career? What if Phillips had gone through the last 30 years without arrest, professional insubordination, or anything worse than a parking ticket? Would national pundits still take shots at Osborne’s "integrity"?

Or would they laud him for helping to turn around a troubled kid?

Hindsight makes me wish Osborne had kept Phillips in the program but not reinstated him until after the Fiesta Bowl. Give him the team structure without opening the door to the "win at all costs" narratives that tarnished the reputations of Osborne and Nebraska. But there are flaws in that plan too.

Regardless, the extra chance(s) did not work out. Lawrence Phillips will always be a blemish on Osborne's Hall of Fame career.

In the years since Phillips left Nebraska, Osborne had said that you can't save everyone.

I wonder what Osborne would do if he got to make that decision again? My guess is he would still try to help Phillips.

Lawrence Phillips left a confusing and conflicting legacy.

In my Husker fandom, I've often been able to separate (some might say "compartmentalize") the on-field successes of certain players from the negative things that have happened elsewhere. As we talked about way back at 87 with the fallacy of "Once a Husker, always a Husker" I can appreciate what Trev Alberts, Scott Frost, and others did while wearing the N on their helmet - even if I have strong feelings about things that happened after the helmet came off.

But Lawrence Phillips offers a different and more difficult test of that concept. Can I - should I - continue to look fondly on the playing career of a guy who inflicted so much pain and suffering on innocent women and children? On a far, far less significant note, he also did irreparable damage to the legacies of Tom Osborne, the University of Nebraska, and the greatest college football team of all time. Should one of my self-proclaimed personal favorites really be a man accused of murder? (Phillips claimed self-defense.*)

Tom Osborne shakes hands with Tony Zane, Lawrence Phillips' high school coach, as they arrive for Phillips' funeral in San Dimas, Calif., in 2016. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

*In "The Final Fateful Days of Lawrence Philips," sportswriter (and Nebraska native) Lars Anderson raises questions over the circumstances of the murder charge. Per Phillips, his cellmate attacked him because Phillips refused to join a prison gang. Phillips claimed he put his cellmate in a chokehold to subdue him until the guards could intervene. The coroner ruled Phillips's cellmate died from strangulation.

Anderson also suggests that some guards had it out for Phillips, refusing to deliver his mail and confiscating items from his cell - including legal documents containing privileged information. The guard that Phillips clashed with the most led the investigation into his cellmate's death.

In a preliminary hearing on the murder charge, the judge ruled there was enough evidence to move forward. Phillips was placed in solitary confinement. The next morning, Phillips was found dead in his cell. His death was officially ruled a suicide. Many people close to Lawrence - including his lawyer and several former Husker teammates - believe he was murdered. A note found on Phillips's body is not believed to be his handwriting.

Phillips was 40 years old.

It is all so conflicting and messy.

It would definitely be easier to wash my hands of Phillips. Easier - and safer - to pick a different Husker for this spot. Jordan Westerkamp caught the Hail Mary! The memory of being in the stadium for that moment is something I'll always cherish. He would be a great choice.

But I cherish my memories of the 1994 and 1995 teams more. Those were my college years and some of the best times of my life. Lawrence Phillips - for better and for much worse - was a big part of those teams and the memories I have. I completely understand and respect the opinion of anybody who objects to seeing his name in this spot. Hell, my wife was not thrilled with my choice.

Like I said, it would be easier to cast him aside and move on.

And yet, I just can't do it.

Lawrence Phillips carries the ball during the 1994 Kickoff Classic against West Virginia. | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

It would be trite - and highly inaccurate - to infer that my decision here is inspired by what Osborne did 30 years ago. Tom Osborne is a good Christian man. I'm just a guy writing a history book about a football program. The biggest thing I have in common with Osborne is that we usually sit in the same section of the congregation on Sunday mornings.*

*Well, the Sundays that we make it to church…

When I see Osborne sitting a few rows from me, I don't see the legendary head coach who won 255 games. I see an 88-year-old man who sometimes dons thick black glasses to read the words on the video screens. I don't see the man who placed his nearly spotless reputation on the line to help one of his players. I see a man who really, really tried to do the right thing - and has lived with the knowledge that it failed.

After his death, some of Lawrence Phillip's prison correspondence was published in an article. This excerpt - from a 2014 letter to his high school coach - seems like a fitting way to close.

"(Other inmates) say when they get out they will not come back. I tell them of course you will. You are doing the same thing that got you locked up. Of course they do not want to hear that. It is like speaking to a brick wall.

"Now I understand how people must have felt talking to me."

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