1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
Encyclopedia
The 1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
in the 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season
. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium
in Lincoln, Nebraska
. The Cornhuskers offense scored 459 points while the defense allowed 162 points.
Junior Tommie Frazier returned as the signal caller under Tom Osborne's vaunted triple option
offense. Also returning were several key starters on defense that would prove to be a vaunted unit during the 1994 season.
But it would be much different this year. Frazier had returned from his injury, and Nebraska would not back down, even after trailing 10-7 at halftime and 17-7 with less than two minutes to go in the third quarter. It is important to note that during his halftime speech, Coach Osborne had predicted the eventual meltdown of Miami late in the game. He told his players that if they maintained their composure, that Miami would slip up and earn a costly penalty. Osborne's prediction rang true, and the physically dominant Huskers scored 17 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to earn Tom Osborne his first national title, by the score of 24-17.
The Huskers were treated to a warm welcome, despite the freezing temperatures, when they returned to Lincoln as National Champions. An estimated 15,000 fans were on hand at the Lincoln Airport to welcome home their Big Red heroes.
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 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season
1994 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season saw yet another controversial finish as both Nebraska and Penn State finished undefeated, and yet Penn State finished a distant second in the final AP and UPI polls. The controversial finish, however, could have been an even worse morass if not for some...
. 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....
. The Cornhuskers offense scored 459 points while the defense allowed 162 points.
Before the season
There was much anticipation for the 1994 season. 1993 saw the Cornhuskers fall just short of their first National Title under Tom Osborne with a controversial loss to the Florida State Seminoles 18-16. The 1994 offseason was dubbed "Unfinished Business" by the Huskers, in their quest to secure a national championship for the coming season.Junior Tommie Frazier returned as the signal caller under Tom Osborne's vaunted triple option
Triple Option
The triple option is an American football scheme used to offer multiple ways to progress the football forward in the field of play. The triple option is based on the option run, but uses three players who may run with the ball instead of the two that are used in the standard option run.The triple...
offense. Also returning were several key starters on defense that would prove to be a vaunted unit during the 1994 season.
Schedule
Roster and coaching staff
West Virginia
The 1994 season started for the No. 4 Cornhuskers with a 31-0 win over No. 24 West Virginia in the Kickoff Classic. The game pitted two teams that had posted undefeated regular-season records in 1993. Quarterback Tommie Frazier was the game's MVP, rushing for 130 yards on 12 carries, including touchdown runs of 25, 27, and 42 yards. He also completed 8 of 16 passes for 100 yards and another touchdown. I-back Lawrence Phillips also ran 126 yards on 24 carries. In all, Nebraska gained 368 rushing yards and 468 total. The Nebraska defense dominated the Mountaineers, registering eight quarterback sacks and holding Western Virginia to 8 yards rushing and 89 total yards. Todd Sauerbrun set a record for West Virginia with a 90-yard punt and averaged 60.1 yards on nine punts. The victory marked Nebraska's first shutout victory in two years. It was also Nebraska's first shutout victory against a ranked non-conference opponent since a 20-0 win over No. 19 Baylor in Lincoln 1939, and the first ever such win in a game played outside of Lincoln. The win vaulted Nebraska to No. 1 in the polls.Texas Tech
Next up was a road victory that saw the Huskers cruise past the Texas Tech Red Raiders, 42-16, which remarkably saw the Huskers drop to #2 in the polls. Unfortunately, this victory came at a cost, as safety Mike Minter suffered a season-ending knee injury.UCLA
Pacific
The next two weeks first saw a tough match-up, where the Huskers would dominate #13-ranked UCLA in Memorial Stadium, followed by a blowout against Pacific. Shortly after this victory, the 1994 season got a lot more interesting when Nebraska's field general Tommie Frazier was sidelined by a blood clot in his right knee.Wyoming
Oklahoma State
Kansas State
With Frazier sidelined, junior Brook Berringer answered the call to run Osborne's offense. Berringer, a pro-style QB from Goodland, KS, came off the bench and performed at his best in two straight victories against Wyoming and Oklahoma State, even at times with a partially collapsed lung. When it became too much for Berringer, walk-on QB Matt Turman stepped up to lead the Cornhuskers against Okie State and in a tough road game that pitched the Huskers against conference foe and neighbor Kansas State. This game proved to be a defensive battle, which saw the Huskers walk away with a 17-6 victory against the #16 Wildcats.Missouri
Colorado
Nebraska's homecoming game and 200th consecutive home sell out.Kansas
Iowa State
Oklahoma
The final five regular season games saw Nebraska beat #2 Colorado, where the defense shut down eventual Heisman winner Rashaan Salaam. Only Oklahoma provided any resistance for the Huskers, who escaped with a 13-3 victory in Norman, and another Big Eight Conference Championship.Miami
Nebraska was #1 in the nation, and found themselves pitted against #3 Miami in the Orange Bowl, a setting very familiar for Tom Osborne and his Husker players. Osborne had been in this very stadium on two separate occasions playing for a national championship, and came away emptied handed each time, losing the previous year against Bobby Bowden's Seminoles of Florida State, and to the Miami Hurricanes in legendary 1983 Orange Bowl by the score of 31-30.But it would be much different this year. Frazier had returned from his injury, and Nebraska would not back down, even after trailing 10-7 at halftime and 17-7 with less than two minutes to go in the third quarter. It is important to note that during his halftime speech, Coach Osborne had predicted the eventual meltdown of Miami late in the game. He told his players that if they maintained their composure, that Miami would slip up and earn a costly penalty. Osborne's prediction rang true, and the physically dominant Huskers scored 17 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to earn Tom Osborne his first national title, by the score of 24-17.
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 | Wk 15 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Coaches | 1 |
After the season
The successful season saw Nebraska lead the nation in rushing, with talented but troubled sophomore Lawrence Phillips rushing for 1,722 yards and finishing 8th in Heisman voting. The offensive line, which was arguably the best in the country as well, was affectionately known as "The Pipeline" and included Outland Trophy winner and All-American Zach Wiegert at tackle, fellow All-American Brendan Stai at guard, along with Rob Zatechka, Joel Wilks, and Aaron Graham. The vaunted 4-3 defense, led by All-American linebacker Ed Stewart, limited conference opponents to a mere 55 points.The Huskers were treated to a warm welcome, despite the freezing temperatures, when they returned to Lincoln as National Champions. An estimated 15,000 fans were on hand at the Lincoln Airport to welcome home their Big Red heroes.
Awards
| Award | Name(s) |
|---|---|
| Outland Trophy Outland Trophy The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in... |
Zach Wiegert Zach Wiegert Zach Wiegert was an American football offensive tackle. He started 37 consecutive games at right tackle for the Cornhuskers, helping the University of Nebraska to a national championship as a senior.- College career :... |
| UPI Lineman of the Year | Zach Wiegert |
| All-America 1st team | Terry Connealy, Donta Jones, Brenden Stai Brenden Stai Brenden Michael Stai is a former American football offensive guard in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft... , Ed Stewart, Zach Wiegert, Rob Zatechka Rob Zatechka Robert Brett Zatechka is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the New York Giants. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Draft out of the University of Nebraska. In college, he won both the Draddy Trophy and a Walter Byers Scholarship... |
| All-America 2nd team | Lawrence Phillips Lawrence Phillips Lawrence Lamond Phillips is a former professional American football and Canadian football running back. Phillips's trouble with the law and inability to produce in the NFL have led many critics to label him as a bust.... |
| All-America 3rd team | Barron Miles Barron Miles Barron Miles is a retired professional Canadian football player for the Canadian Football League. He is now a Defensive and Player Personnel Assistant for the BC Lions... |
| Big 8 Coach of the Year | Tom Osborne |
| Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year | Ed Stewart |
| Big 8 Defensive Newcomer of the Year | Grant Wistrom Grant Wistrom Grant Alden Wistrom, , is a former American Football defensive end who played for the St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks during his 9 year career... |
| Big 8 Male Athlete of the Year | Rob Zatechka |
| All-Big 8 1st team | Troy Dumas, Aaron Graham Aaron Graham Aaron Geddes Graham is a former professional American football center in the National Football League. He played six seasons for the Arizona Cardinals , the Oakland Raiders , and the Tennessee Titans .... , Donta Jones, Lawrence Phillips, Barron Miles, Brenden Stai, Ed Stewart, Zach Wiegert, Tyrone Williams |
| All-Big 8 2nd team | Brook Berringer Brook Berringer Brook Warren Berringer was an American quarterback for the University of Nebraska football team in the mid-1990s. Berringer came to Nebraska from Goodland, Kansas, and played a back-up role to Tommie Frazier... , Terry Connealy, Dwayne Harris, Kareem Moss, Christian Peter Christian Peter Christian Peter is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. Peter's younger brother, Jason, also played in the NFL.... , Rob Zatechka |
| All-Big 8 honorable mention | Eric Alford, Reggie Baul, Darin Erstad, Abdul Muhammad, Cory Schlesinger Cory Schlesinger Cory Schlesinger is a former American football fullback of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft... |
NFL and Pro Players
The following Nebraska players who participated in the 1994 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.| Name | Team |
|---|---|
| Eric Anderson | Amsterdam Admirals Amsterdam Admirals The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe... |
| Mike Anderson | Amsterdam Admirals Amsterdam Admirals The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe... |
| Michael Booker | Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Doug Colman Doug Colman Douglass Clayton Colman is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He last served as defensive assistant/linebackers coach in NFL Europa for the Amsterdam Admirals.-Playing career:... |
New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Chris Dishman Chris Dishman Christopher Michael Dishman and grew up in Cozad, Nebraska where he played on the 1991 Class B state champion team. He is a former offensive lineman in the NFL. He played 8 seasons in the NFL, including 7 for the Arizona Cardinals and 1 for the St. Louis Rams. He played college ball at Nebraska.... |
Arizona 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... |
| Troy Dumas | 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... |
| Jay Foreman Jay Foreman (American football) Jamal A. Foreman is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League with the Buffalo Bills, the Houston Texans, and the New York Giants... |
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... |
| Tommie Frazier Tommie Frazier Tommie James Frazier, Jr. is a former American football player and coach in the United States. He played quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.... |
Montreal Alouettes Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions... |
| Aaron Graham Aaron Graham Aaron Geddes Graham is a former professional American football center in the National Football League. He played six seasons for the Arizona Cardinals , the Oakland Raiders , and the Tennessee Titans .... |
Arizona 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... |
| Jon Hesse Jon Hesse Jonathan Andrew "Jon" Hesse is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was the 7th round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1997 NFL Draft. He would play linebacker with the St. Louis Rams in 1998... |
Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
| Sheldon Jackson | 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... |
| Vershan Jackson | 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... |
| Donta Jones | 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... |
| Bill Lafleur Bill Lafleur William Lafleur is a former American football punter who played four pro seasons in the NFL. He spent two seasons playing in Europe for the Barcelona Dragons, and played another two for the San Francisco 49ers... |
Barcelona Dragons Barcelona Dragons The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. Their home field in Barcelona was the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and later the Mini Estadi. The Dragons were successful on the field, making it... |
| Joel Makovicka Joel Makovicka Joel Makovicka is a former American football fullback who played for the Arizona Cardinals .... |
Arizona 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... |
| Barron Miles Barron Miles Barron Miles is a retired professional Canadian football player for the Canadian Football League. He is now a Defensive and Player Personnel Assistant for the BC Lions... |
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... |
| Mike Minter Mike Minter Michael Christopher Minter is a retired American football safety who played his entire professional career with the NFL's Carolina Panthers.-High school and college:... |
Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion... |
| Kareem Moss | BC Lions BC Lions The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954... |
| Christian Peter Christian Peter Christian Peter is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. Peter's younger brother, Jason, also played in the NFL.... |
New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Jason Peter Jason Peter Jason Michael Peter is a retired American football player. Peter was an All-American defensive tackle his senior year at the University of Nebraska and was taken in the first round by the Carolina Panthers in the 1998 NFL Draft. His career was shortened by a recurring and chronic neck stinger... |
Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion... |
| Lawrence Phillips Lawrence Phillips Lawrence Lamond Phillips is a former professional American football and Canadian football running back. Phillips's trouble with the law and inability to produce in the NFL have led many critics to label him as a bust.... |
St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
| Mike Rucker Mike Rucker Michael Dean Rucker is a former American football defensive end who played for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.-Early years:... |
Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion... |
| Cory Schlesinger Cory Schlesinger Cory Schlesinger is a former American football fullback of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft... |
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... |
| Brenden Stai Brenden Stai Brenden Michael Stai is a former American football offensive guard in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft... |
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... |
| Eric Stokes | Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... |
| Jared Tomich Jared Tomich Jared James Tomich is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League. Tomich went to high school at Lake Central High School where he led his team to the 1993 state championship game. Lake Central recently retired his number. Tomich played college football for the... |
New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
| Larry Townsend | Berlin Thunder Berlin Thunder The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive... |
| Adam Treu Adam Treu Adam Treu was a center in the NFL. He walked on to University of Nebraska-Lincoln after playing at Pius X High School in Lincoln. He won back-to-back National Championships with the Cornhuskers in 1994 and 1995 playing left tackle and performing all the long snapping duties... |
Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Tony Veland Tony Veland Tony Veland is the current Defensive Coordinator of the Omaha Beef of the United Indoor Football league. He is a former American football Defensive Back for the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.Veland was a member of the 1994 and 1995 Nebraska National... |
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... |
| Zach Wiegert Zach Wiegert Zach Wiegert was an American football offensive tackle. He started 37 consecutive games at right tackle for the Cornhuskers, helping the University of Nebraska to a national championship as a senior.- College career :... |
St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
| Jamel Williams Jamel Williams Jamel Ishmael Williams is a former American football safety in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Nebraska and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1997 NFL Draft.... |
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,... |
| Tyrone Williams | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
| Jason Wiltz | New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Grant Wistrom Grant Wistrom Grant Alden Wistrom, , is a former American Football defensive end who played for the St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks during his 9 year career... |
St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
| Jon Zatechka | Berlin Thunder Berlin Thunder The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive... |
| Rob Zatechka Rob Zatechka Robert Brett Zatechka is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the New York Giants. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Draft out of the University of Nebraska. In college, he won both the Draddy Trophy and a Walter Byers Scholarship... |
New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |