1984 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
Encyclopedia
The 1984Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
in the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season
. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium
in Lincoln, Nebraska
.
carried Nebraska for three quarters as the offense sputtered and failed to produce a useful lead. Finally, in the 4th quarter, the Cornhuskers overcame their struggles and ran off 21 points for the win.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska...
in the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season
1984 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Brigham Young University winning their first national championship by beating an unranked Michigan team in the Holiday Bowl...
. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium, Lincoln
Memorial Stadium is located on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. It is the home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team....
in Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
.
Schedule
Roster
Anderson, Paul (So.) FB Augustyn, Joe (So.) TE Bailey, Dan (So.) OG Banderas, Tom #83 (So.) TE Behning, Mark #73 (Sr.) OT Behrens, Vance (So.) WB Biggers, Kevin #13 (Sr.) MON Blakeman, Clete #16 (Fr.) QB Blankenship, Brian Brian Blankenship Brian Blankenship is a former professional American football player who played Guard for six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is currently the Vice President of Sales for Greer Limestone Company in Morgantown, West Virginia.... #70 (Jr.) OG Bourn, Don #92 (Sr.) TE Bourne, David (So.) DE Bryan, Dave (So.) OT Bunger, Jon #97 (Jr.) DT Burke, Dave #33 (Sr.) CB Carl, Mike (So.) CB Carpenter, Todd (So.) OT Carr, Chris #37 (So.) S Cartwright, Charlie #31 (So.) MON Casterline, Dan #24 (Jr.) MON Chealey, Gene (So.) CB Clark, Bret Bret Clark Bret Clark is a former professional American football player who played safety for three seasons for the Atlanta Falcons.... #10 (Sr.) S Clayton, McCathorn (So.) QB Cooper, Mark #54 (So.) C Daffer, Chad #46 (Jr.) LB Daum, Mark #51 (Sr.) LB Demmel, Tom (So.) PK Diaz, Mark (So.) MON Dietz, Dave #98 (Jr.) TE Dittmer, Jim #59 (Jr.) OT Douglas, Don (So.) QB DuBose, Doug #22 (So.) IB Fisher, Todd #6 (Jr.) MON Forch, Steve #38 (So.) LB Frain, Todd Todd Frain Todd Leslie Frain is a former American football tight end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and the New England Patriots. He played college football at the University of Nebraska.... #80 (Jr.) TE Galois, Ron (So.) OG Gamble, Jason #86 (Fr.) SE Gangwish, Paul (Sr.) DE Gatson, Pernell (So.) WB Graeber, Ken #52 (Sr.) MG Green, Derrick (So.) OT Greene, Ricky #5 (Sr.) CB Grimminger, Harry #58 (Sr.) OG Haecker, Kelly (So.) CB Hall, Mike (So.) TE Harris, Neil #11 (Sr.) CB Hawkins, Hendley (So.) QB Hedlund, Mike (So.) FB Heibel, Micah (So.) FB Hiemer, Brian #94 (Sr.) TE Hill, Scott (So.) DB Hoefler, Mike #59 (So.) OG Holloway, Tony #43 (So.) DE |
Holscher, Jim (So.) WB Hoskins, Thurman #32 (So.) IB Jamrog, Jeff (So.) DE Johnson, Brad #64 (So.) OT Jones, Keith #6 (Fr.) IB Jones, Lee #98 (So.) DT Kaelin, Ken #49 (So.) FB Kelley, Jon (Fr.) IB Kimball, Scott #88 (Sr.) SE King, Scott (So.) CB Kingston, Bob #37 (Jr.) IB Klein, Dale (So.) PK Knox, Mike #44 (Sr.) LB Kreikemeier, Keith (Jr.) OG LeCompte, Butch (So.) OT Lewis, Bill Bill Lewis (American football) William Glenn "Bill" Lewis is a former professional American football center in the National Football League. He played for the Los Angeles Raiders , the Phoenix Cardinals , and the New England Patriots .... #68 (Jr.) C Lightner, Keven #66 (Fr.) OG Lindstrom, Roger #23 (Jr.) WB Livingston, Scott #48 (Sr.) PK Macias, Bill #78 (So.) OT Maggard, Rob #72 (So.) OT Mattingly, Tom (So.) S McCashland, Mike #2 (Sr.) MON McCormick, John #61 (So.) OG McCoy, Dan #40 (Jr.) LB Miles, Paul #21 (Jr.) IB Mlinar, Jerry (So.) QB Moore, Brian (Jr.) TE Moritz, Mike (So.) C Morrow, Tom #77 (Jr.) OT Mullins, Marty (So.) SE Munford, Marc #41 (So.) LB Nelson, Ray (So.) WB Nichols, John #55 (So.) C Noel, Jack #56 (Jr.) C Noonan, Danny #97 (So.) DT Olson, Todd #63 (So.) OG Opie, Harlan (So.) DE Orton, Greg #67 (Sr.) OG Otte, Mike (So.) SE Paige, Woody #9 (Jr.) CB Palmer, Tony (So.) DT Parker, Paul (So.) CB Parker, Stan #74 (So.) OG Parsons, Kevin #35 (So.) LB Pokorny, Brian #18 (Jr.) CB Porter, Scott #36 (Sr.) FB Proffitt, Todd #34 (Jr.) LB Rathman, Tom Tom Rathman Thomas Dean Rathman is a former American football fullback who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders . He is currently the running backs coach for the 49ers.-High school:... #26 (Jr.) FB Reeves, Gregg #84 (Jr.) DE Reinhardt, John #62 (Sr.) MG Reynolds, Rod #93 (Jr.) DT |
Rogers, Phil (Jr.) MG Roth, Tim #65 (Jr.) OT Rother, Tim (So.) OT Rozier, Guy #4 (Jr.) MON Schaaf, Jim (So.) OG Schneider, Dave #1 (Jr.) PK Schneider, Gary #3 (Jr.) CB Schnitzler, Craig #13 (So.) PK Schnitzler, Robb #85 (So.) SE Schoettger, Scott (Sr.) SE Sellentin, Jeff (So.) OG Shaw, Pat (So.) LB Shead, Ken #99 (Jr.) MG Sheppard, Von #7 (So.) WB Siebler, Bryan #19 (So.) S Skow, Jim Jim Skow Jim Skow is a former American football defensive end who played seven seasons in the National Football League. He finished his career with 24 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. His best season was in 1988, recording 9.5 sacks and helping the Bengals reach Super Bowl XXIII, where he recorded several... #96 (Jr.) DT Smith, Brad #81 (Jr.) DE Smith, Jeff Jeff Smith (running back) Jeff Smith is a former professional American football player who played running back for four seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League. His most productive season was 1986 with the Chiefs when he gained 1270 all-purpose yards, 557 of which came... #28 (Sr.) IB Smith, Rod (So.) SE Spachman, Chris #76 (So.) DT Storer, Lance (So.) OG Strasburger, Matt (So.) S Strasburger, Scott #90 (Sr.) DE Stuckey, Rob #75 (Sr.) DT Sundberg, Craig #15 (Sr.) QB Swanson, Shane #17 (Sr.) WB Taylor, Jeff #12 (So.) QB Tenopir, Todd (So.) PK Thayer, Dan (So.) S Thomas, Anthony #53 (Sr.) OG Thomas, Stephen (So.) MG Thompson, Jim #39 (Sr.) WB Tomjack, Jeff (So.) MON Traynowicz, Mark #57 (Sr.) C Tucker, Scott #89 (Jr.) DE Turner, Travis #14 (Jr.) QB Tyrer, Brad (So.) DE Vinger, Eric (So.) PK Wade, Stanley #55 (Jr.) LB Washington, Brian Brian Washington Brian Wayne Washington is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He played for the Cleveland Browns , the New York Jets , and the Kansas City Chiefs .... #43 (Fr.) MON Watkins, Dennis #27 (Jr.) CB Weber, Bill #87 (Sr.) DE Weber, Scott (Jr.) DT Welniak, Doug (So.) LB Welter, Tom #69 (So.) OT Whyrick, Doug (So.) C Wingard, Dan #47 (Jr.) PK Yates, Rod #91 (Sr.) SE Yost, Scott (So.) SE Zierke, Mike #78 (Sr.) DT |
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Coaching staff
| Name | Title | First year in this position |
Years at Nebraska | Alma Mater |
| Tom Osborne | |Head Coach Offensive Coordinator |
1973 | 1964-1997 | Hastings College Hastings College Hastings College is a private, undergraduate, four-year, residential liberal arts college in Hastings, Nebraska, USA.- History :The college was founded in 1882 by a group of men and women seeking to establish a Presbyterian college dedicated to high academic and cultural standards... |
| Charlie McBride | |Defensive Coordinator | 1981 | 1977-1999 | Colorado University of Colorado at Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado... |
| Cletus Fischer | |Offensive Line | 1960-1985 | Nebraska University of Nebraska–Lincoln The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska... |
|
| John Melton | |Tight Ends Wingbacks |
1973 | 1962-1988 | Wyoming University of Wyoming The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university... |
| Boyd Epley | |Head Strength Coach | 1969 | 1969-2003 | Nebraska University of Nebraska–Lincoln The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska... |
| George Darlington | |Defensive Backs | 1973-2002 | Rutgers Rutgers University Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American... |
|
| Milt Tenopir | |Offensive Line | 1974 | 1974-2002 | Sterling Sterling College (Kansas) Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year liberal arts college located in Sterling, Kansas with a mission "to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith." The school is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and... |
| Gene Huey | |Receivers | 1977 | 1977-1986 | Wyoming University of Wyoming The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university... |
| Frank Solich Frank Solich Frank Solich is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Ohio University, a position he has held since the 2005 season... |
|Running Backs | 1983 | 1979-2003 | Nebraska University of Nebraska–Lincoln The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska... |
| Jack Pierce | | | 1979-1991 | ||
| Bob Thornton | |Secondary | 1981 | 1981-1985 | Nebraska University of Nebraska–Lincoln The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska... |
| Dan Young | |Offensive Line Kicking |
1983 | 1983-2002 | Reed College Reed College Reed College is a private, independent, liberal arts college located in southeast Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1908, Reed is a residential college with a campus located in Portland's Eastmoreland neighborhood, featuring architecture based on the Tudor-Gothic style, and a forested canyon wilderness... |
Wyoming
Nebraska was forced to put extra effort in for the win after losing three of four first-half fumbles and giving up an interception, as Wyoming won the turnover battle 4-1.Minnesota
'Fumble-itis' continued to plague Nebraska, after the ball was put on the ground eight times, half of them lost to Minnesota. Still, the newly-minted #1 Cornhuskers easily put away the turnover-free Golden Gophers with the help of 405 yards on the ground.UCLA
Nebraska dominated UCLA in the new Rose Bowl home of the Bruins, handing them their worst loss in 14 years. The Cornhuskers recorded eight sacks while running up 42 points, while the offensive output of the Bruins netted only a 3rd quarter field goal.Syracuse
Unranked Syracuse, coming off a 0-19 shutout loss against Rutgers at home the week prior, severely embarrassed the #1 Cornhuskers, who may have been guilty of overlooking the team they had defeated 63-7 the year before. Nebraska's regular season winning streak was ended at 23. Coach Osborne stated it simply; "They were more physical today".Oklahoma State
It was another season of disappointment for Oklahoma State's record against Nebraska. The Cowboys came to Lincoln with a better record than the Cornhuskers for the first time ever, with high hopes after Nebraska fell to Syracuse the week before, and OSU indeed led the game for three quarters. A 4th quarter, 49 yard punt return swung the momentum to Nebraska, and Oklahoma State's 22 year-long drought against Nebraska was extended yet another year.Missouri
Missouri fought a hard battle and barely won the time of possession battle, at one point drawing within 6 points, but a 57 yard interception return for a touchdown opened the game up a bit as Nebraska gained enough room to finish the game ahead by 10.Colorado
The BlackshirtsBlackshirts (football)
The Blackshirts are the first-string defensive unit players for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.-History:The term originally dates back to the early 1960s and refers to the black practice jerseys that Nebraska's first-string defenders began to wear during practice...
carried Nebraska for three quarters as the offense sputtered and failed to produce a useful lead. Finally, in the 4th quarter, the Cornhuskers overcame their struggles and ran off 21 points for the win.
Kansas State
Nebraska recorded its 25th straight conference win as Kansas State rolled over and fell behind by 48-7 at the half. The lead allowed the Cornhuskers to rotate several players into the game, which resulted in no single player exceeding 100 rushing yards rushing for the first time in 20 games.Iowa State
Nebraska held Iowa State's star receiver to two catches for 11 yards, and the Cyclones offense to just five first downs, as the Blackshirts posted their first shutout in two years. By the 4th quarter, Iowa State's own defense lost their effectiveness and could no longer keep up, as the Cornhuskers rolled up 28 more points to pull away.Kansas
The Cornhuskers held Kansas to just 12 first downs and 24 yards on the ground, clinching at least a share of the 1984 Big 8 Title.Oklahoma
Four painful turnovers were enough to overcome the statistical success Nebraska achieved, as Oklahoma ended Nebraska's 27 game conference win streak and 21 game win streak in Lincoln. The run-oriented Cornhuskers out-passed the Sooners 236-58, but two key stops by the Sooners in the 2nd half put down Nebraska's hopes for a shot the National Championship.LSU
Nebraska overcame a 10 point deficit to come within 3 by halftime, and after that it was all Nebraska as the Cornhuskers won the turnover game's battle 6-3 and ran off 21 more points while shutting down all further attempts by LSU to score.Rankings
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Coaches | 3 |
Awards
| Award | Name(s) |
|---|---|
| All-America 1st team | Bret Clark Bret Clark Bret Clark is a former professional American football player who played safety for three seasons for the Atlanta Falcons.... , Harry Grimminger, Mark Traynowicz |
| All-America 2nd team | Jeff Smith Jeff Smith (running back) Jeff Smith is a former professional American football player who played running back for four seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League. His most productive season was 1986 with the Chiefs when he gained 1270 all-purpose yards, 557 of which came... |
| All-America 3rd team | Mark Behning |
| All-America honorable mention | Doug DuBose, Scott Strasbuger, Bill Weber, Scott Livingston |
| All-Big 8 1st team | Mark Behning, Bret Clark, Doug DuBose, Harry Grimminger, Scott Livingston, Marc Munford, Greg Orton, Jeff Smith, Scott Strasburger, Mark Traynowicz, Bill Weber |
| All-Big 8 2nd team | David Burke, Mark Daum, Rob Stuckey |
| All-Big 8 honorable mention | Ken Graeber, Shane Swanson |
NFL and Pro Players
The following Nebraska players who participated in the 1984 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.| Name | Team |
|---|---|
| Mark Behning | Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
| Brian Blankenship Brian Blankenship Brian Blankenship is a former professional American football player who played Guard for six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is currently the Vice President of Sales for Greer Limestone Company in Morgantown, West Virginia.... |
Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
| Bret Clark Bret Clark Bret Clark is a former professional American football player who played safety for three seasons for the Atlanta Falcons.... |
Tampa Bay Bandits Tampa Bay Bandits The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They were members of the United States Football League . They were a charter member of the USFL and folded along with the league after the 1985 season.... |
| Doug DuBose | San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
| Todd Frain Todd Frain Todd Leslie Frain is a former American football tight end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and the New England Patriots. He played college football at the University of Nebraska.... |
Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
| Keith Jones | Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Mike Knox | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Bill Lewis Bill Lewis (American football) William Glenn "Bill" Lewis is a former professional American football center in the National Football League. He played for the Los Angeles Raiders , the Phoenix Cardinals , and the New England Patriots .... |
Los Angeles Raiders |
| Scott Livingston | Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
| Paul Miles | Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... |
| Marc Munford | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Danny Noonan | Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
| Greg Orton | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
| Tom Rathman Tom Rathman Thomas Dean Rathman is a former American football fullback who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders . He is currently the running backs coach for the 49ers.-High school:... |
San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
| Tim Rother | Los Angeles Raiders |
| Jim Skow Jim Skow Jim Skow is a former American football defensive end who played seven seasons in the National Football League. He finished his career with 24 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. His best season was in 1988, recording 9.5 sacks and helping the Bengals reach Super Bowl XXIII, where he recorded several... |
Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
| Jeff Smith Jeff Smith (running back) Jeff Smith is a former professional American football player who played running back for four seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League. His most productive season was 1986 with the Chiefs when he gained 1270 all-purpose yards, 557 of which came... |
Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
| Shane Swanson | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Mark Traynowicz | Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Brian Washington Brian Washington Brian Wayne Washington is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He played for the Cleveland Browns , the New York Jets , and the Kansas City Chiefs .... |
Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Dennis Watkins | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Tom Welter | St. Louis Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |