Who was more important in making Nebraska what it is today?

[Landlord]

For the record, even though it looks like I'm lobbying for Dr. Tom, I voted "Impossible to tell" because both were so important.

We're one of the few schools out there who can boast back-to-back legendary coaches. I sometimes wonder if I/we realize how unusually lucky that is.

Not just legendary coaches, but legendary coaches that cared more about Nebraska than they did about themselves. One of the reasons I feel so absolutely blessed to have grown up into being a fan of this program is the loyalty. It's worse than it was, but it's no recent trend that coaches are usually loyal to money, and to have a program that brings in guys who care about more than that is such a great thing (Solich was the same way, as was Watson, Ron Brown, Turner Gill, the Pelini brothers and others).

 

[krc1995]

I would say B.D. because he started the ball rolling and established the fanbase. T.O was and is a powerful force, but he didn't start it. Also, no coach is successfull longterm without faithful fans.

 

[HSKRNOKC]

That is a tough question. This will require some thought.

 

[JTrain]

Well, Bo Pelini is more influential than both in making them what they are today.

 

[Hujan]

Tough call. While many are right to point out that the Bobfather got things rolling, the program would have slipped into anonymity were it not for Osborne's greatness. Without him, we're another Notre Dame, UCLA, or Miami: A team that was once great, but has since become largely irrelevant. Also note that Osborne hired Pelini.

On the other hand, the Bobfather did hire Osborne himself. Hard, hard decision. Here's my take:

Bobfather = George Washington

Osborne = Abraham Lincoln

 

[knapplc]

Bobfather = George Washington

Osborne = Abraham Lincoln

Good analogy.

 

[cb1954]

I got to thinking about this yesterday. Without The Bobfather, Nebraska football may never have gotten off the ground - we may be no different than Kansas or Iowa State today, with occasional good teams but mostly cannon-fodder for the real heavyweights in college football. So Devaney is clearly crucially important to what Nebraska is, winning back-to-back championships along the way.

But The Bobfather retired from coaching forty years ago. Osborne took over, never won less than nine games, played for the conference championship at least half the years he was HC, played for the national championship five or more times, and won three titles over a 25-year career. Osborne's influence can't be overstated.

Is it possible to say which coach was more important to who/what we are today? Can you make that call without factoring in their respective stints as AD? Either way, as coach or as coach/AD, can you determine who was more/most important to the edifice that is Nebraska Football? Or is this one of those unanswerable questions?

The Bobfather, no doubt.

When Devaney came to Nebraska, the Huskers were arguably one of the worst football programs in the country. He Immediately made them a winner. Hired a young guy named Tom Osborne, made him OC and then handpicked him to follow him as head coach.

Without Bob there is no T.O.,

For those of you to young to remember - for at least the first 10 years, and somewhat until his last 5 years that T.O. was head coach, people would say "he's no Devaney". Tom came within 1 game of being fired and was almost run out of town when he went to Boulder to check out the CU head coaching job.