Nebraska Legend Tom Osborne Receives State Hall of Fame Recognition

Osborne, who spent 25 years as the Huskers' head coach, became the first living member of Nebraska's state Hall of Fame.

Tom Osborne gets a hug from Jason Peter after the Huskers routed Tennessee in the 1998 Orange Bowl, Osborne's final game. | Nebraska Athletics

Tom Osborne spent a lifetime representing Nebraska. Now, the state is honoring him in a landmark way.

Nearly three decades after stepping away from coaching, the former Husker head coach added another significant accomplishment to his growing list of awards. Following a change approved by the state legislature in April, Osborne went on to become the first living member of the Nebraska Hall of Fame.

The 89-year-old was unanimously selected by the committee, which voted 7-0 in favor of his induction. The decision allowed Osborne to receive an honor previously reserved for individuals who had been deceased for at least 35 years.

Here's a look back at Osborne's career at Nebraska and the impact that made him worthy of becoming one of a kind.

Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Tom Osborne on the sidelines during the 1988 season at Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Assistant Coach (1962-1972)

Osborne began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Nebraska in 1962. At the time, his only compensation was the ability to eat at the athletic training table. Over the next several years, he served in a variety of roles, including Academic Coordinator in 1965, before becoming an assistant coach in 1967.

After spending two seasons as an assistant, Osborne was promoted to offensive coordinator by then-head coach Bob Devaney in 1969. Under his leadership, NU's offense became one of the most productive in college football, helping the Huskers secure back-to-back national championships in 1970 and 1971.

Following the 1972 season, Devaney stepped down as NU's head coach. After helping the Big Red go 42-4-2 over four years, Osborne was named his successor prior to the start of the 1973 season.

Tom Osborne on the sideline against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the 1994 Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Head Coach (1973-1997)

In his first year as head coach, Osborne led the Huskers to a 9-2-1 record. It marked the beginning of a historic run, as Nebraska went on to win at least nine games in each of his 25 seasons at the helm.

During his first 11 seasons, Osborne led the Big Red to five 10-win campaigns before reaching his first national championship game in 1983. Nebraska ultimately lost in the 1984 Orange Bowl, 31-30 to Miami, but Osborne had proven the program could remain among the best in the sport.

It took another decade for NU to return to the national championship stage. After an undefeated regular season in 1993, the Huskers once again fell in the title game, this time to No. 1 Florida State, 18-16. One year later, Osborne finally secured his first championship as a head coach, as Nebraska defeated No. 3 Miami, 24-17, in the Orange Bowl.

The Huskers repeated as national champions in 1995, beating Florida 62-24 in the Fiesta Bowl. After going 11-2 in 1996, Osborne's final season became a fitting conclusion to one of the greatest coaching careers in college football history. Nebraska went 13-0 that fall, defeating No. 3 Tennessee 42-17 in the Orange Bowl to claim a share of his third and final national championship as head coach.

Osborne retired following the season with a 255-49-3 career record and the nation's best active winning percentage (.836) at the time. That mark still ranks among the best in college football history to date.

Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Doc Sadler talks to athletic director Tom Osborne as the players come onto the court. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Athletic Director (2007-2012)

A decade after retiring from coaching, Osborne returned to Nebraska in October of 2007, this time as the school's interim athletic director. One of his first major decisions came after the Huskers' 5-7 season, when he dismissed head coach Bill Callahan from his duties and hired Bo Pelini in the same role.

Osborne also helped oversee NU's transition from the Big 12 to the Big Ten ahead of the 2011 academic year. During that time, the university removed the interim tag from his title, making him the full-time athletic director. In September of 2012, he announced he would retire, effective at the start of the following year.

Tom Osborne, before addressing campers at the end of the Carriker Chronicles Youth Football Camp. | Courtesy Adam Carrike

Osborne's Impact

Over roughly four decades, Tom Osborne cemented himself as arguably the most influential figure in Nebraska athletics history. His rise from graduate assistant to offensive coordinator, to head coach, and eventually athletic director is a path that may never happen again.

Even today, nearly two decades after retiring from his former role, Osborne continues to impact the Lincoln community and the state of Nebraska as a whole. Earlier this month, the former head coach spoke at the conclusion of the Carriker Chronicles Youth Football Camp, emphasizing the same values that defined his teams all those years ago.

In all, Wednesday's Hall of Fame induction announcement was recognition of the lasting impact he's made on the state he calls home.

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