Mitch Sherman on Nebraska Football’s Most Important QBs of All Time

The Common Fans’ summer series is officially underway, and the boys are starting in the most obvious place: quarterbacks.

This summer, the Common Fans are working to build the definitive Nebraska Football Mount Rushmore. Not just the four “best” names by stats alone, but the most important, most consequential figures in Husker history. Impact, championships, leadership, cultural significance, defining moments – everything will be considered.

For episode one, Mitch Sherman from The Athletic and the Locked On Nebraska podcast joins the show, along with Brandon Vogel from the Counter Read newsletter, who will be part of every episode in the series.

First up: the Mount Rushmore of Nebraska quarterbacks.

Who is the first face on the mountain?

There was no debate here. Tommie Frazier is the obvious starting point.

Two national championships. A 33-3 record as a starter. The stolen Heisman. The swagger. The standard. The mentality.

More than anything, Frazier helped define what Nebraska football became at its absolute peak. The guys discuss how his toughness and leadership shaped the entire program, and why he remains the clearest, easiest choice in this whole exercise.

How much weight do championships carry?

That question comes up quickly as the conversation turns to Jerry Tagge, Scott Frost, and the other quarterbacks who played a part on national championship teams.

Tagge’s case is built around the first two championships in program history, including the Game of the Century and the iconic goal-line moment against LSU. Frost’s case is more complicated, given everything that happened later as Nebraska’s head coach, but his role in the 1997 title season still matters.

The Common Fans wonder if it’s possible to separate the player from everything that came after – or if it’s necessary to take it all into consideration.

The Turner Gill Factor

For several members of the panel, Turner Gill was an easy choice.

He didn’t win a national championship, but he helped transform Nebraska’s offense, beat Oklahoma, and quarterbacked some of the best teams Tom Osborne ever had. His impact on the program went beyond stats, and his later role on Osborne’s staff only adds to his legacy.

What about Crouch, Berringer, Martinez, and the others?

Eric Crouch also gets strong support, and for good reason: Heisman Trophy, unforgettable moments, and the last true flash of national-title-level joy for Nebraska fans.

The guys also discuss Taylor Martinez, Tommy Armstrong, Adrian Martinez, Steve Taylor, Joe Ganz, Zac Taylor, and others who deserve to be remembered — even if they don’t quite make the final four.

And of course, it is agreed among the group that Brook Berringer deserves his own separate monument, given his contributions to the program, and the place he holds in Nebraska football history.

So who makes the final Mount Rushmore of Nebraska QBs?

After plenty of debate, the crew settles on four names: Tommie Frazier, Eric Crouch, Turner Gill, and Jerry Tagge.

The quarterbacks are only the beginning. Over the next several weeks, the Common Fans will tackle coaches, offensive players, defensive players, special teams, walk-ons, and finally the ultimate Mount Rushmore of Nebraska football.

Listen to the full debate by checking out the episode on YouTube, listening on the Common Fan website, or finding it on any audio platform where you get your podcasts.

Or watch now! As always, GBR for LIFE!

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