Dave Feit’s Greatest Huskers by the Numbers: 72

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 72: Zach Wiegert, Offensive Tackle 1991 – 1994

Honorable Mention: Mike Fultz, Scott Raridon, Carel Stith, Daryl White

Also worn by: Javario Burkes, Ben Gessford, Mark Goodspeed, Tim Green, Zach Hannon, Nash Hutmacher, Justin Jackson, Rob Maggard, Glenn Patterson, Rodney Picou, Carlyle Staab, Jerry Wheeler

Dave’s Fave: Wiegert

On Jan. 1, 1994, Byron Bennett made a 27-yard field goal to give No. 2 Nebraska a 16-15 lead in the Orange Bowl over No. 1 Florida State.

If the Huskers could stop Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward and the Seminoles for one minute and sixteen seconds, Tom Osborne would win his first national championship.

The kickoff dribbled out of bounds. FSU ball on the 35. As the Seminole offense came onto the field, NBC sideline reporter O.J. Simpson noted that Ward was having shoulder stiffness.

On 4th and 1, William Floyd barely picked up the first down. The next play was a 21-yard completion to Warrick Dunn that was made worse by a late-hit penalty on Barron Miles. FSU first down on the Nebraska 18. A pass interference penalty on Toby Wright gave FSU first and goal at the 3. FSU ran one play, called a timeout and kicked a 22-yard field goal with 21 seconds left.*

*It’s stunning to see how poorly Florida State managed the clock. Once the Seminoles got into field goal range, they threw it twice and left the Huskers with time for one last shot. Bobby Bowden didn’t even make Osborne burn his final timeout.

The Huskers had life, but it would take a miracle. Tommie Frazier and Trumane Bell got the ball into field goal range with one second on the clock. But Bennett’s 45-yard field goal attempt was wide left.

Pain.

To the players on that team, it did not matter they had easily covered the 17½-point spread. They didn’t blame Bennett. The missed calls* were frustrating, but the players knew they let a golden opportunity slip away.

*The two biggest missed calls: 1) a phantom clip that erased a Corey Dixon punt return touchdown in the first quarter, and 2) a fumble by FSU fullback William Floyd as he dived near (but not over) the goal line. It was ruled a touchdown, and replay reviews did not yet exist in college football.

That night, a group of Huskers sat together in the team hotel and talked about the game. The underclassmen felt terrible for the seniors who were leaving empty-handed. More importantly, they realized they did not want to experience the same thing. In Paul Koch’s “Anatomy of an Era,” offensive tackle Zach Wiegert recalled saying “You know what, next year we’re working our way back here and we’re gonna be undefeated and we’re not going to leave it up to some field goal kicker.”

The 1994 team motto of “Unfinished Business” was born.

Throughout the offseason, the scoreboards in Memorial Stadium were set to display the time left (1:16) and the final score (18-16) as a reminder. An extra 1:16 was added to every summer workout. The 1994 captains – Ed Stewart, Rob Zatechka, Terry Connealy and Wiegert – kept the team steady through injuries and other turmoil. The team’s “refuse to lose” mentality served them well on multiple occasions.

At the heart of it was Zach Wiegert.

Zach Wiegert | Nebraska Football Media Guide

The anchor of the vaunted “Pipeline” offensive line, he was a dominating tackle. Coming into the 1994 season, Wiegert had already earned All-Big Eight twice, as well as second team All-America honors in 1993. But his 1994 season was special: a unanimous All-American, winner of the Outland Trophy, finalist for the Lombardi, and recipient of a first-place vote for the 1994 Heisman Trophy (he finished tied for ninth). Wiegert had 113 pancake blocks in 1994 en route to winning national lineman of the year honors by UPI and the Touchdown Club of Columbus (Ohio).

Wiegert played in 46 career games, starting 37 straight at right tackle. He allowed just one sack in his career. In 2022, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Wiegert was a second-round draft pick and played 12 years in the NFL. But as Wiegert told Paul Koch, he would have remained a Cornhusker for much longer: “If they would’ve paid my rent and gave me as much food and beer that I wanted, I would have played there until I couldn’t play anymore.”

***

“We’re running the ball right here. Go ahead and try and stop it.”

Zach Wiegert said these words – probably on multiple occasions* – to the defensive player across the line from him.

*I absolutely believe it happened a few times. I’ve read some quotes from teammates that in 1994, it happened “about every third play of every single game.” That where reality starts to shift over to mythology for me. But the truth is that nobody knows for sure what happens deep down in the trenches. And I’m not going to call a 300-pound lineman a liar.

Zach Wiegert vs. Miami's Kenny Holmes in the 1995 Orange Bowl. | Nebraska Athletics

Imagine the confidence you need to have in yourself and your teammates to tell your opponent what play is coming. Is that a player being cocky, or one who is confident? How can you tell the difference?

The 1994 team averaged 340 rush yards and 477.8 yards of total offense per game and allowed just six sacks. Who would blame them if they needed a little extra challenge now and then?

A lack of confidence was never a concern for Zach Wiegert during this playing career.

Near the end of the 1994 Orange Bowl, there was confusion as the clock mistakenly expired. As Tom Osborne tried to get the officials to spot the ball correctly, several Florida State players were cursing at Osborne. Wiegert looks ready to fight them all to protect the honor of his coach.*

*The coach–player connection between Osborne and Wiegert went deeper than most. Wiegert’s grandfather was one of Osborne’s coaches at Hastings College.

In the 1995 Orange Bowl, Miami players – especially the defenders – talked a lot of trash. Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, even Bob Marley’s son Rohan ran their mouths for most of the game … except for the final drive of the fourth quarter.

After Tommie Frazier runs for 25 yards on third-down option keeper, Wiegert motions emphatically for a first down four straight times.

1995 Orange Bowl timeout, Nebraska offensive line — The 1995 Orange Bowl timeout with 3:14 left. | Nebraska Athletics

There’s a famous picture taken during a timeout with 3:14 left in the game. The Pipeline is standing, ready to play. Sapp and other members of the Miami defense are on a knee, trying to catch their breath. What the picture doesn’t show is Wiegert clapping back, asking why the Hurricanes aren’t talking anymore.

The difference between being confident and cocky is the ability to back it up. Zach Wiegert always backed it up.

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