Is Nebraska a "blue blood" program?

[84HuskerLaw]

Blue blood I would suggest is simply a way of describing the elite cfb program of all time. There are probably 20 or so ‘blue bloods’.   
 

Certainly the top 20 winningest programs in the history of Div 1.  Recency bias may distort the view by younger ‘fans’ .   But young (under 30 or even 35) have a very difficult time viewing football from a historical perspective.   
 

Probably one could say the top 20 winningest team of the past 25 years would not necessarily yield a list of ‘blue bloods’.  
Some of the better (winning) programs of the last 25 years won’t be included by a majority perhaps.  
 

It is largely based on historical (since fb began over a hundred years ago) concept.  
There are some recent programs that have had successful teams this century that won’t be blue bloods.   

 

[Cornfed]

Yeah.. prob not a blue blood. 
 

LOL

 

[BigRedBuster]

These threads are just insulting to the fans, the players, and the coaches that have come before. 

Cringe. 

God help us if these are the threads that last all off season.

 

[Cornfed]

God help us if these are the threads that last all off season.

Right!? Have some freaking pride. It's embarrassing. 

 

[Mavric]

I was responding to the previous post about what the rest of the world thinks about Nebraska.

I guess the question is a combination of whether you have to be a blue blood to compete, and whether being 10-20 years removed from relevance means you are no longer a blue blood. I think for the moment Nebraska enjoys some blue blood advantages -- facilities, fanbase, donors -- that many P5 programs still lack. 

You can look at it as a chasm, or consider how often a single coach and/or quarterback can turn things around almost overnight. 

Ongoing dominance? LIke Nebraska from 1962 - 2001?  That's not likely to happen for anyone anymore. Could Nebraska get good enough to become one of the 12 teams to make the playoffs? Or one of the 13 different teams to win a natty in the last 25 years? Why the f#&% not? 

Or just think of us as Michigan, which logged 7 largely unhappy seasons under Rich Rod and Brady Hoke from 2008 - 2014 -- when they were mostly looking up at Nebraska. They didn't drop out of the blue bloods. They just needed a new coach. 

You were responding but your response ignored what JJ pointed out.

I responded to "the rest of the country doesnt think we are blue bloods".

That is significantly different from your statement of "Nebraska is a blue blood program that has fallen on hard times"

Those are not at all the same thing.  In fact, opposites of one anther.  Which is why @JJ Husker pointed that out.

 

[knapplc]

Right!? Have some freaking pride. It's embarrassing. 

OP is almost certainly not a Nebraska fan, so they have no reason to worry about Nebraska's pride.

 

[Mavric]

The chart is the way, the truth, and the life. All hail the chart.

Obviously the definition is subjective.  

But this account has been taking a poll every year.  That is obviously not scientific and just asks the opinion of those that respond.  But it's been pretty consistent for the past several years (since I became aware of it).

And, oddly enough, the top eight exactly coincide with the top eight in the above graph.  So there is one set of data and one informal poll that both give exactly the same results.  So that would seem to be about as good of consensus as there can be on this topic.

I couldn't find last year's post but here is two years ago.  It doesn't change much.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

You were responding but your response ignored what JJ pointed out.

I responded to "the rest of the country doesnt think we are blue bloods".

That is significantly different from your statement of "Nebraska is a blue blood program that has fallen on hard times"

Those are not at all the same thing.  In fact, opposites of one anther.  Which is why @JJ Husker pointed that out.

?

I wasn't ignoring anything. Didn't even quote a poster. Just offered just a mild variation on the national perception of whether we are or are not a blue blood program.

Since I believe Nebraska is a little of both at the moment, as echoed by virtually every announcer covering Husker games, it's not the opposite of anything. Since we appear to be in agreement on the larger issue, I have no idea why you felt the need to post this. 

 

[TGHusker]

Yeah.. prob not a blue blood. 
 

LOL

View attachment 21257

Dang thing about it - Tom's "would have, could have"  missed NCs might have him at the top of any all time great coach list as well.   

1982 (clearly stolen by the refs),

1983(clearly his to have if he went for the tie),

1993(clearly stolen by refs)

Other possible if things went differently: 

1978 -very possible:  IF we didn't stub our toe on Missouri after the huge win over OU.

1996 - If half the team didn't get sick from food poisoning (did Texas do that??  I've always wondered) in the CCG

1999 - while this was Frank's team - it would have been a legacy NC based on the players Tom recruited. (again 1 fumble vs Texas - the 99 team I believe would have beaten either FSU or Va Tech who played for the championship) 

But regardless, any objective observer would have him in the top 3/4 -  Saban, Bear, Tom -- based on his record, winning %, &  championships  

https://www.one37pm.com/sports/best-college-football-coaches-of-all-time

• Record: 255-49-3
  
• Teams Coached: Nebraska
  
• Accomplishments: 3x National Champion, 12x Big 8 Champion, 1x Big 12 Champion, National Coach of the Year
  

Tom Osborne is renowned for his exceptional leadership, character, and success during his tenure at the University of Nebraska. His impact on the program and the sport itself is immeasurable, leaving an enduring legacy that extends far beyond the football field.

From 1973 to 1997, Osborne guided the Cornhuskers to three national championships in 1994, 1995, and 1997. The team also won 13 conference championships during his tenure, showcasing their dominance in the Big Eight and later the Big 12 Conference.

This one has him 4th behind   Bear Bryant, Saban and Knute Rockne

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/page/CFB150coaches/the-150-greatest-coaches-college-football-150-year-history

4. Tom Osborne, 255-49-3
Nebraska (1973-97)

Behind that dry, spare demeanor lived a sharp football mind with a sly wit and a fierce competitive streak. Osborne spent most of his career with the Huskers saddled with the honor of having gone for two and failing against Miami when an extra point surely would have given Nebraska the 1983 national title. Late in his career, he pivoted from his team's devotion to brute strength and put more speed on defense. In his last five seasons, Nebraska won three national championships, lost a fourth on the last play of the game and had a won-loss record of 60-3.

 

[runningblind]

Obviously the definition is subjective.  

But this account has been taking a poll every year.  That is obviously not scientific and just asks the opinion of those that respond.  But it's been pretty consistent for the past several years (since I became aware of it).

And, oddly enough, the top eight exactly coincide with the top eight in the above graph.  So there is one set of data and one informal poll that both give exactly the same results.  So that would seem to be about as good of consensus as there can be on this topic.

I couldn't find last year's post but here is two years ago.  It doesn't change much.

Where is Minnesota though?!

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Some of you are leaving Bob Devaney off the blue blood years, and let's not forget that Nebraska football put the state on the map in the first half of 20th century.

But yes, OP, if nothing changes in the next 50 years, Nebraska will have turned into Minnesota. 

 

[JJ Husker]

OP is almost certainly not a Nebraska fan, so they have no reason to worry about Nebraska's pride.

Although the OP’s pride could probably use a little attention 

 

[BIG8forever]

Nebraska is a blue blood program that has fallen on hard times.

That's what everyone thinks, because it's true. 

hot damn, this thread is still going?  I guess I'll add on to it.

To me a Blue Blood entails the following:

-Extended run of dominance/contention

-Titles across multiple runs/decades/iterations

-Legendary players

-Legendary Coaches

-Loyal/consistent fanbase

-A place where if all things came together, you can absolutely win and win big.

Where do we register on this?

-Extended Run? Already covered in this thread.  Even though the last 7 years have been the lowest of the program, the run from 70-2014 very few programs can match.  None of them matched in terms of wins in that time period.  

-Titles across multiple decades: Check

Legendary Players?: Heismans, AA's, we literally have college football position group awards named after Nebraska players

Legendary Coaches: Tom Osborne is considered one of the greatest to ever do it- and this is widely acknowledged across CFB, not just husker nation.  You can make the argument he'd be on the mt. rushmore of CFB coaches

Loyal Fanbase: What other progrum would have the intensity/following after 7 years of humiliation?  

Can you win?: You most certainly can win at Nebraska.  While the past 2 coaches have been subpar- we really haven't been that far off.  We just haven't put together a team that has both the offense and defense humming at the same time.  If taylor martinez was 1 year older we might've won it all in 09 given the defense and Suh.  

I can easily poke holes in other progrums qualification as Blue blood....

Texas is considered one- yet we have more titles and have seen greater highs more consistently than they ever have.  If it wasnt for the heroics of vince young, they'd still be leaning on their titles from 50-70 years ago.

Miami- No fan base, but absolutely a place with history, famous teams, coaches and the right coach can win there.

Michigan- Theyre the logo, great players, fan base etc.  If it wasnt for their bs split title in 97 you'd have to go all the way back to the 40's and pre WW2 to find them at the top (depending on how tonight goes)

This thread is dumb, I'm dumb for continuing it.  Go DAWGS tonight but more importantly our march back to the top begins the SECOND this game ends tonight.  2024 is here boys and girls, lets buckle up cause we backkkkkkk

30 years- blue bloods do it for  a century in college football minimum, Minnesota was just as dominant for a similar stretch, Yale was many times more dominant, legendary, etc...  Nebraska has to be resurgent for us to actually be called a blue blood. We have to come back from this trough we are in and win a natty or we are definitely not a blue blood. Just sayin

 

[BIG8forever]

Some of you are leaving Bob Devaney off the blue blood years, and let's not forget that Nebraska football put the state on the map in the first half of 20th century.

But yes, OP, if nothing changes in the next 50 years, Nebraska will have turned into Minnesota. 

that is my point, we are in the low point that blue bloods must pull themselves out of or we are minnesota.

 

[BIG8forever]

OP is almost certainly not a Nebraska fan, so they have no reason to worry about Nebraska's pride.

come on bro, no need to go there, mike rozier, how many can even say that name and know he was the best nebraska back of all time