Dave Feit’s Greatest Huskers by the Numbers: 75 – Larry Jacobson and Will Shields

Nebraska’s Outland Trophy tradition and the final fumblerooski.

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 Huskers to wear 75: Larry Jacobson, Defensive Tackle, 1969 – 1971 & Will Shields, Offensive Guard, 1989 – 1992

Honorable Mention: Don Boll, Chris Dishman, Larry Kramer

Also worn by: Victory Haines, Trent Hixson, Mike Hoefler, Brandon Koch, Kyle Kollmorgen, Luke Lingenfelter, Chris Long, George Mills, Randy Poeschl, Rob Stuckey, Bob Taucher, Ray Valladao, Henry Waechter

Dave’s Fave: Will Shields, Offensive Guard, 1989 – 1992

The Outland Trophy is presented annually to the best interior lineman in college football, as voted on by the Football Writers Association of America. The trophy’s namesake (Dr. John Outland) believed that guards, tackles and centers deserved more recognition. First awarded in 1946, the Outland is one of the most prestigious college football awards.

The Outland has been presented in Omaha for over a quarter century. Although the award didn’t originate in Nebraska, it makes sense that it lives here now. Nebraska boasts more Outland Trophy awards (nine) and winners (eight) than any other school. We’re going to celebrate two of them today.

In theory, I should choose a single “best” between Larry Jacobson and Will Shields. But, honestly, how would one even do that?

Do you pick the man who won the first of Nebraska’s Outland Trophies – making him the first Cornhusker to win a major award?  Or do you go with the second Husker to ever start on the offensive line as a true freshman, and one of six linemen to be all-conference three straight years? Both were dominating players who cast a big, big shadow over their position.  In the end, I’m choosing to celebrate two Husker legends, who both happened to wear the same number. We’ll go alphabetically and chronologically.

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Larry Jacobson helps bring down a Jayhawk. / Nebraska Football Media Guide

Larry Jacobson came to Nebraska from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. His size and athleticism made him an attractive recruit to several different schools. His decision came to Nebraska and Iowa. When he told Iowa no, well … let’s just say the Hawkeyes didn’t take it well.

Iowa sent an assistant coach to Sioux Falls to essentially stalk Jacobson in the days before he could sign with Nebraska. Bob Devaney responded by sending Monte Kiffin up to run interference. In an interview with HuskerMax, Jacobson described the Iowa coach waiting outside his high school, tailing Kiffin and Jacobson through the streets of Sioux Falls and – after Kiffin lost him – parking outside the Jacobson house for over an hour. 

Jacobson finally agreed to meet one more time with the Iowa coach at his home … while Kiffin played croquet with Larry’s sisters in the backyard. After Jacobson reconfirmed his commitment to Nebraska, Kiffin breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Devaney told me I can’t come back if I don’t get your name on the paper!”

Larry Jacobson was worth the extra effort. 

Larry Jacobson in action against Colorado in 1971. / Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

At 6-foot-6, he was one of the tallest players in school history at that point. He used that size and strength to overpower offensive linemen. In 1970 – his junior season and first as a starter – Jake had 49 tackles with nine tackles for loss and a team-high three fumble recoveries. In the 1971 Orange Bowl, he forced a fumble that led to a Nebraska touchdown. Nebraska’s 17-12 win gave the Cornhuskers their first national championship. His backup in 1970 was a guy named Rich Glover, who would win the Outland the year after Jacobson.

1971 was Larry Jacobson’s best season. Arguably the best defensive player on one of the greatest college football teams of all time, Jake was an unstoppable force. He had 73 tackles, with 12 for loss and an interception. The 1971 Blackshirts finished in the top 5 in rushing defense, total defense and scoring defense. Jacobson was first-team All-Big Eight, a first-team All-American, won the Outland,* and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award. He was also an Academic All-American.

*Jacobson found out he won the Outland prior to the Oklahoma game, aka the Game of the Century. As Jacobson told HuskerMax, “(Monte Kiffin) called me at night at my apartment and told me that I won the Outland Trophy and we didn’t have any idea what the hell the Outland Trophy was,” Jacobson said. “I said, ‘Spell it for me. What the hell is it?’ Because we had never won it, so nobody knew what it was.”

Jacobson stood out in the Game of the Century. On OU’s final possession, he had a sack on third down and nearly had a sack on fourth down. The Huskers would crush Alabama in the Orange Bowl to win their second straight championship.

Larry Jacobson / Nebraska Athletics

A month later, the Cornhuskers were at the White House being honored by President Richard Nixon. That’s where Jacobson learned that he had been drafted in the first round by the New York Giants.

Surprisingly, Larry Jacobson has not been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

He is truly one of the greats of Nebraska football.

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On the other side of the line of scrimmage is another legendary #75: Will Shields.

It’s crazy to think that Shields was Nebraska football's first scholarship player from the state of Oklahoma,* ever. He was the first letterman from the Sooner state in almost 70 years (Richard Tripplett in 1920 – 1921).

*Shields, notably, did not receive a scholarship offer from Oklahoma.

Will Shields helps clear the way for I-back Derek Brown. / Nebraska Football Media Guide

Shields was just the second Husker offensive lineman to play as a true freshman, but that isn’t as surprising when you know the backstory.

Before his senior year of high school, Shields attended a Nebraska football camp where the coaches taught some of the plays and blocking schemes Nebraska used. After committing to NU, Shields spent time studying those plays. How much, I don’t know, but when he arrived on campus, he knew the correct calls better than the rest of the freshmen. That work ethic, combined with his excellent size (6-foot-1, 305 pounds) and strength, made it possible for him to play in nine games as a true freshman and forgo a redshirt season.

As a sophomore, Shields earned All-Big Eight honors – the first for an NU sophomore since Dave Rimington. Before his career was done, Shields would be first-team All-Big Eight three times, making him one of just six offensive linemen to do it.

In his junior year, Shields was a second-team All-American. In 1992, his senior season, Shields had one of the greatest seasons by a Cornhusker guard. First-team All-American. He received votes for the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year – an award that almost always went to quarterbacks and running backs. Shields won the 1992 Outland Trophy, the fifth in Nebraska’s storied history.

Shields also led the 1992 Huskers in yards per carry. He picked up 16 yards on a fumblerooski against Colorado on Halloween night. Tom Osborne called Will’s number on 3rd & 4 in 17-7 game. The NCAA banned the fumblerooski after the 1992 season, so I feel confident in saying Will Shields ran the final one.

Will Shields in action against Missouri. / Nebraska Football Media Guide

In addition to his athletic achievements, Shields was a decorated student, earning Academic All-America honors in 1992. It was important to him that he graduated before going to the NFL – a task made harder by not redshirting. Shields earned his degree before being a third-round draft pick* of the Kansas City Chiefs.

*A random factoid: Will Shields’ first agent was Kevin Warren, who would later become the commissioner of the Big Ten Conference.

In Kansas City, Shields had one of the greatest NFL careers by a Nebraska Cornhusker. Among his many accomplishments: 231 straight starts, 12 Pro Bowls and the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2003 for his work in the community.

Will Shields leads the way for Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson in 2006. / Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Will Shields was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2015, he was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame along with former Husker offensive lineman Mick Tingelhoff. Shields is just one of three Huskers (along with Bob Brown and Guy Chamberlin) to be honored in both Halls of Fame.

Shields was named to the Walter Camp All-Century team in 1999 and has been named to the all-time Nebraska team. His son Shavon was a standout player for the Nebraska basketball team from 2012 – 2016. Recently, Will Shields completed a three-year term on the College Football Playoff selection committee.

The #75 jerseys worn by Larry Jacobson and Will Shields were retired at the same time in 1994, and their names are on the north stadium façade.

A fitting way to honor two of the greatest Huskers of all time.

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