Dave Feit's Greatest Huskers by the Numbers: 29

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 29: Jim Pillen, Defensive Back, 1975-1979

Honorable Mention: Elmer Greenberg, Edward "Blue" Howell

Also worn by: Scott Baldwin, Todd Brown, Bryan Carpenter, Jordan Congdon, Kellen Huston, Cooper Jewett, Ardell Johnson, Gregg List, Ben Miles, Kareem Moss, Graham Nabity, Collins Okafor, Austin Rose

Dave's Fave: Scott Baldwin, I-back, 1989-1991

For the most part, this has been a very #StickToSports countdown. We've intentionally kept the focus on the field and mostly away from things after a player's career ended - good or bad.

But today, we're going to dip our toe into politics.

Over the years, several Huskers have sought elected office after their playing careers. Since name recognition is critically important in an election, being a former Husker - especially a standout player - often helps with a candidate's chances of being elected.

Former Husker George Dern served two terms as Utah's governor before being appointed secretary of war by President Franklin D — Former Husker George Dern was elected to two terms as Utah's governor before being appointed secretary of war by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. | State of Utah

Here is a quick (and definitely not complete) list of Husker players who sought and/or won an elected office.

George Dern, a team captain in 1894 from Scribner, Neb., was the governor of Utah and secretary of war under Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Max Towle, the starting quarterback in 1911 and 1912, served as the Lancaster County Attorney.
Ernie Hubka, a fullback from 1917-1920, and his younger brother Ladimer, a guard in 1923 and 1924, each served two terms in the Nebraska Legislature.
Andrew Schoeppel, an end in the early 1920s, was the governor of Kansas and a United States senator.
Clarence Swanson, a College Football Hall of Fame end in the 1920s, was elected to the Lincoln school board in 1937 and served on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents from 1954-1966.
Sam Schwartzkopf, a tackle in the late 1930s, was the mayor of Lincoln from 1967 to 1975.
Ed Schwartzkopf, Sam's younger brother and a guard who played before - and after - World War II, served three terms as a University of Nebraska regent starting in the 1960s
Preston Love, an end in the early 1960s and member of the Magnificent Eight, ran for the U.S. Senate in 2020 and 2024.
Jim McFarland, a tight end in the 1960s, was appointed to the Nebraska Legislature in 1986. He ran for governor in 1998.
Brett Lindstom, a quarterback from 1999-2003, served two terms in the Nebraska Legislature (2014-2022) and is currently seeking a seat in Congress.

Husker players were not the only ones to go into politics after football. After retiring as head coach, Tom Osborne served three terms in the House of Representatives (2000-2006). In his first general election, Osborne won 83% of the vote. That was a nail-biter compared to his re-elections in 2002 (93%) and 2004 (87%).

In 2006, Osborne ran for governor of Nebraska. In the Republican primary - which, in very red-state Nebraska, is often the only race that matters - Osborne faced off against Dave Heineman, who became governor when Mike Johanns resigned to become the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Many outsiders assumed Osborne would breeze to victory on his reputation and name recognition. But Osborne lost to the incumbent Heineman by 6 points.

Jim Pillen vs. Alabama in 1977. | Nebraska Football Media Guide

2006 was not the only gubernatorial election to feature a Cornhusker candidate. In 2022, Brett Lindstrom finished third in the Republican primary. The winner - and current governor of Nebraska - is Jim Pillen.

Pillen, who also served 10 years on the NU Board of Regents, is originally from Monroe, Neb. He attended school in nearby Columbus. Jim followed his brother Clete to Lincoln to play for the Huskers. Clete was a standout linebacker, earning All-Big Eight honors as a senior in 1976, Jim's sophomore season. The younger Pillen would earn All-Big Eight honors as a defensive back in 1977 and 1978.

Jim Pillen had his most memorable moment in the 1978 game against #1 ranked Oklahoma. With the Huskers clinging to a three-point lead late in the game, the Sooners were driving. At the NU 20 with 3:45 to play, the Sooners ran a play from their classic wishbone formation. A fake to the fullback. Quarterback Thomas Lott looked like he was going to keep it before flipping it to Billy Sims streaking around the right end.

Jim Pillen pursues Oklahoma's Billy Sims during the Huskers' 17-14 win in 1978. | Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

Sims - who would win the Heisman Trophy in 1978 - was at full speed and headed for the end zone. At the seven, Jeff Hansen hit Sims, knocking the ball free. Jim Pillen dived on the ball at the three. It was his second fumble recovery of the day. The Huskers ran out the clock on a victory that changed the trajectory of Osborne's career.*

*Coming into the 1978 game against the Oklahoma, Osborne was 0-5 against Barry Switzer's Sooners and was hearing about it from fans and boosters. This was around the time Osborne gave serious consideration to leaving Nebraska for the head coaching job at Colorado.

After breaking through in 1978, Osborne would go 4-7 against Switzer and 12-8 overall against the Sooners during the rest of his Hall of Fame coaching career.

It's way too simplistic to say that one football game in 1978 led to both Osborne and Pillen being elected to political office in Nebraska.

But it sure didn't hurt.

***

In the 1980s, Nebraska had one amazing I-back after another.

Jarvis Redwine, Roger Craig, Mike Rozier, Doug DuBose, Keith Jones, Ken Clark and more. In 1990, Leodis Flowers led the team with 940 yards. That year, Scott Baldwin ran for 579 yards and five touchdowns. He was ninth in the Big Eight in rushing and earned honorable mention All-Big Eight honors. With Flowers graduating, Baldwin was poised to be the next great Husker I-back in 1991.

But fate had other plans.

In the 1991 season opener against Utah State, lightning struck. Literally* and figuratively.

*The game was delayed for 19 minutes in the third quarter as a thunderstorm passed over the stadium. That was the first Nebraska game in the modern era to be delayed by weather, and one of just three to date. The others were a 2001 game at Baylor and the 2023 Louisiana Tech game. I was at all three games.

For the Utah State game, I was in the top row of south stadium that day. At halftime, we saw Bob Devaney - then the athletic director - get into his red Cadillac and leave as very dark clouds rolled in behind us. During the weather delay, dozens of students came onto the field and entertained the crowd by turning the soaked AstroTurf into giant, green Slip 'N Slide.

That was one of the moments where I knew I wanted to go to college in Lincoln.

Scott Baldwin runs past a Missouri defender. | Nebraska Football Media Guide

Before the storms came, Scott Baldwin put on a show of his own. On Nebraska's first drive, he had three carries for 47 yards and scored a 29-yard touchdown. In the stands, we high-fived, confident that Baldwin was going to be a Heisman contender. But, on the touchdown, Baldwin suffered a severely sprained ankle. Just 3:38 into the season and Baldwin's year was essentially over. He would play in just two more games, gaining 33 yards on six carries.

At the end of the 1991 season, Baldwin traveled with the team to Miami for the Orange Bowl but did not play. Baldwin later testified that he began to spiral into a state of deep depression. A few weeks later, Baldwin suffered a psychotic episode. Naked, he brutally attacked a woman he did know, leaving her with severe injuries. It took at least three police officers to detain him. Baldwin had no drugs or alcohol in his system.

Diagnosed with manic depression and schizo effective disorder, Baldwin was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He was ordered to receive outpatient psychiatric care and take antipsychotic medication. Baldwin was allowed to continue school at UNL but was not a member of the football team. However, Baldwin retained hope that he would be allowed to rejoin the team in the future.

Late August 1992. Baldwin was working out on his own, trying to stay ready for a possible return to football. But he felt the side effects of his antipsychotics (nausea and cramping) were interfering with his workouts. He stopped taking his meds.

On Sept. 5, Nebraska opened the 1992 season with a decisive 49-22 win over Utah. Derek Brown - who replaced Baldwin in 1991, rushing for a team-high 1,313 yards - had 15 carries for 105 yards. Baldwin did not attend the game. He went to Omaha with a former teammate. That night, Baldwin suffered another episode.

When Omaha police officers arrived, they found Baldwin naked and trying to hurl himself through a plate glass door. During the officers' attempt to handcuff Baldwin, he fought and wrestled with them. One officer believed Baldwin was reaching for her gun. The other officer shot Baldwin in the side. The bullet lodged near his spinal cord, paralyzing him from the waist down.

Why bring up Scott Baldwin? Why talk about the sad incidents that left him paralyzed and an innocent women injured?

I believe mental health - in all shapes and forms - is important, and worthy of discussion.

During the 1980s and '90s, the majority of men's mental health - especially in a macho environment like a football team - was either ignoring the signs or telling a depressed person to "get over it." Back then, depression would be seen as a sign of weakness. Football players are supposed to be strong and tough. Talking about your feelings was for sissies.

Even today, stigmas around mental health, depression and related issues exist. It can be hard for those in need to get support from the resources available to them - especially if they lack insurance. Our law enforcement officers are often the first responders when somebody is in a mental health crisis. It is essential that they have the training and support they need to de-escalate situations to ensure the safety of everybody involved.

Scott Baldwin's injury was the start of a tragic decline for the Nebraska I-back. | Nebraska Football Media Guide

I'm in no way suggesting Baldwin should be absolved of his crimes, nor questioning why he was shot. I do not have the background or training to make those judgments. In reading the case documents, it is clear that everything that happened on Sept. 5, 1992, could have played out much differently. That is what makes it so tragic for everybody involved.

Removing stigmas from mental health issues, and having resources available to those who need them, benefits all of us.

Complications from a 2015 surgery left Baldwin in a coma and on life support. He died a few days later at the age of 45. It was a tragic end to a once promising life.

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