Tom Osborne
Now
Career arc
Bowls and playoffs: 12-13
’73W’74W’75L’76W’77W’78L’79L’80W’81L’82W’83L’84W’85L’86W’87L’88L’89L’90L’91L’92L’93L’94W’95W’96W’97W
Show all 25 games
1973Cotton Bowl ClassicW 19-3
1974Sugar BowlW 13-10
1975Fiesta BowlL 14-17
1976Astro-Bluebonnet BowlW 27-24
1977Liberty BowlW 21-17
1978Orange BowlL 24-31
1979Cotton Bowl ClassicL 14-17
1980Sun BowlW 31-17
1981Orange BowlL 15-22
1982Orange BowlW 21-201983Orange BowlL 30-31
1984Sugar BowlW 28-10
1985Fiesta BowlL 23-271986Sugar BowlW 30-15
1987Fiesta BowlL 28-31
1988Orange BowlL 3-231989Fiesta BowlL 17-41
1990Florida Citrus BowlL 21-45
1991Orange BowlL 0-22
1992Orange BowlL 14-271993Orange BowlL 16-181994Orange BowlW 24-17
1995Fiesta BowlW 62-24
1996Orange BowlW 41-21
1997Orange BowlW 42-17
I-formation option offense — Wikipedia: Tom Osborne
Stats
Big games
The big-game ledger
How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.
25-5 against his rivals. Just 2-6 against Bobby Bowden.
Rivalry record
25-5-1
80.6% · 3 rivals
One-score games
36-23-3
58.1% · margin ≤8
Against Blue Bloods or better
18-17
51.4%
The toughest matchup
vs. Bobby Bowden2-6
8 meetings, 1980–1993
’80 L’81 W’85 L’86 W’87 L’89 L’92 L’93 L
25% win rate across a real, 8-meeting series — short of the bar this site uses before badging a series “Nemesis.” Shown here as the toughest matchup on record, not an algorithmic crown.
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty0-3 0.0%
Blue Blood18-14 56.2%
Power Program51-20 71.8%
National Program75-8 90.4%
Regional Program107-4 96.4%
Building the roster
Two numbers on how he actually stocks a roster, from signing day to draft day.
Roster ownership
Roster ownership
This coach's entire tenure (1973-1997) predates 2021, when transfer-portal tracking begins in this database. Portal usage cannot be measured for this tenure at all -- this is not the same as '0% portal'.
“His own” means the player arrived while he was head coach; “inherited” means a predecessor brought him in.
The NFL pipeline
The NFL pipeline
at least109Drafted
players drafted into the NFL off his teams here (a floor — see the note below). None can be traced to who brought them in — there’s no roster record for these players here. 18 went in the first round.
At least 109 — the draft class following his 1987, 1995 seasons are missing from this table entirely; and his 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 seasons predate the modern 7-round draft, so this table’s pre-1994 pick counts are a floor, not a full count, for those seasons.
Most recent picks first
| Year | Pick | Player | Pos | NFL team | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | R1.06 | Grant Wistrom | Defensive End |  St. Louis Rams | Estimated |
| 1998 | R1.14 | Jason Peter | Defensive End |  Carolina Panthers | Estimated |
| 1998 | R3.06 | Scott Frost | Defensive Back |  New York Jets | Estimated |
| 1998 | R3.15 | Ahman Green | Running Back |  Seattle Seahawks | Estimated |
| 1998 | R7.01 | Aaron Taylor | Offensive Guard |  Indianapolis Colts | Estimated |
| 1998 | R7.27 | Eric Warfield | Defensive Back |  Kansas City Chiefs | Estimated |
| 1997 | R1.11 | Michael Booker | Defensive Back |  Atlanta Falcons | Estimated |
| 1997 | R2.09 | Jared Tomich | Defensive End |  New Orleans Saints | Estimated |
| Year | Pick | Player | Pos | NFL team | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | R2.26 | Mike Minter | Defensive Back | Carolina Panthers | Estimated |
| 1997 | R3.12 | Adam Treu | Offensive Guard |  Oakland Raiders | Estimated |
| 1997 | R4.10 | Chris Dishman | Offensive Guard |  Arizona Cardinals | Estimated |
| 1997 | R5.02 | Jamel Williams | Defensive Back |  Washington Redskins | Estimated |
| 1997 | R5.12 | Eric Stokes | Defensive Back | Seattle Seahawks | Estimated |
| 1997 | R7.20 | Jon Hesse | Linebacker |  Jacksonville Jaguars | Estimated |
| 1995 | R2.06 | Zach Wiegert | Offensive Tackle | St. Louis Rams | Estimated |
| 1995 | R3.27 | Brenden Stai | Offensive Guard |  Pittsburgh Steelers | Estimated |
| 1995 | R3.33 | Troy Dumas | Linebacker | Kansas City Chiefs | Estimated |
| 1995 | R4.27 | Donta Jones | Linebacker | Pittsburgh Steelers | Estimated |
| 1995 | R4.30 | Rob Zatechka | Offensive Guard |  New York Giants | Estimated |
| 1995 | R6.21 | Cory Schlesinger | Running Back |  Detroit Lions | Estimated |
| 1995 | R6.28 | Barron Miles | Defensive Back | Pittsburgh Steelers | Estimated |
| 1994 | R1.05 | Trev Alberts | Linebacker |  Indianapolis Colts | Estimated |
| 1994 | R2.20 | Toby Wright | Defensive Back |  Los Angeles Rams | Estimated |
| 1994 | R3.15 | Calvin Jones | Running Back |  Los Angeles Raiders | Estimated |
| 1994 | R4.10 | John Reece | Defensive Back | Arizona Cardinals | Estimated |
| 1994 | R7.19 | Lance Lundberg | Offensive Tackle | New Orleans Saints | Estimated |
| 1993 | R2.26 | John Parrella | Defensive Tackle |  Buffalo Bills | Estimated |
| 1993 | R3.18 | Will Shields | Offensive Guard | Kansas City Chiefs | Estimated |
| 1993 | R4.25 | Derek Brown | Running Back | New Orleans Saints | Estimated |
| 1993 | R5.25 | Tyrone Hughes | Defensive Back | New Orleans Saints | Estimated |
| 1993 | R7.12 | Travis Hill | Linebacker |  Cleveland Browns | Estimated |
| 1993 | R7.16 | Lance Lewis | Running Back | Indianapolis Colts | Estimated |
| 1992 | R1.15 | Johnny Mitchell | Tight End |  New York Jets | Estimated |
| 1992 | R3.16 | Tyrone Legette | Defensive Back | New Orleans Saints | Estimated |
| 1992 | R6.27 | Nate Turner | Running Back | Buffalo Bills | Estimated |
| 1992 | R7.05 | Curtis Cotton | Defensive Back | Los Angeles Raiders | Estimated |
| 1992 | R7.25 | Jon Bostick | Wide Receiver |  Denver Broncos | Estimated |
| 1991 | R1.03 | Bruce Pickens | Defensive Back | Atlanta Falcons | Estimated |
| 1991 | R1.04 | Mike Croel | Linebacker | Denver Broncos | Estimated |
| 1990 | R3.04 | Jeff Mills | Linebacker |  San Diego Chargers | Estimated |
| 1990 | R6.23 | Kent Wells | Defensive Tackle | Washington Redskins | Estimated |
| 1989 | R1.06 | Broderick Thomas | Linebacker |  Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Estimated |
| 1989 | R5.03 | Lawrence Pete | Defensive Tackle | Detroit Lions | Estimated |
| 1987 | R1.12 | Danny Noonan | Defensive Tackle |  Dallas Cowboys | Estimated |
| 1987 | R2.02 | Brian Davis | Defensive Back | Washington Redskins | Estimated |
| 1987 | R4.27 | Marc Munford | Linebacker | Denver Broncos | Estimated |
| 1986 | R3.01 | Tom Rathman | Running Back |  San Francisco 49ers | Estimated |
| 1986 | R3.03 | Jim Skow | Defensive End |  Cincinnati Bengals | Estimated |
| 1986 | R7.15 | Paul Miles | Running Back | Seattle Seahawks | Estimated |
| 1986 | R7.25 | Bill Lewis | Center | Los Angeles Raiders | Estimated |
| 1985 | R2.01 | Mark Traynowicz | Offensive Guard | Buffalo Bills | Estimated |
| 1985 | R2.19 | Mark Behning | Offensive Tackle | Pittsburgh Steelers | Estimated |
| 1985 | R7.23 | Bret Clark | Defensive Back | Los Angeles Raiders | Estimated |
| 1984 | R1.01 | Irving Fryar | Wide Receiver |  New England Patriots | Estimated |
| 1984 | R1.02 | Dean Steinkuhler | Offensive Tackle |  Houston Oilers | Estimated |
| 1984 | R6.04 | Scott Raridon | Offensive Tackle |  Philadelphia Eagles | Estimated |
| 1983 | R1.25 | Dave Rimington | Center | Cincinnati Bengals | Estimated |
| 1983 | R2.21 | Roger Craig | Running Back | San Francisco 49ers | Estimated |
| 1983 | R3.07 | Jamie Williams | Tight End | New York Giants | Estimated |
| 1983 | R6.14 | Todd Brown | Wide Receiver | Detroit Lions | Estimated |
| 1982 | R1.15 | Jimmy Williams | Linebacker | Detroit Lions | Estimated |
| 1982 | R3.03 | Rodney Lewis | Defensive Back | New Orleans Saints | Estimated |
| 1982 | R7.06 | Henry Waechter | Defensive Tackle |  Chicago Bears | Estimated |
| 1982 | R7.08 | Phil Bates | Running Back | Detroit Lions | Estimated |
| 1981 | R2.01 | Russell Gary | Defensive Back | New Orleans Saints | Estimated |
| 1981 | R2.24 | Jarvis Redwine | Running Back |  Minnesota Vikings | Estimated |
| 1981 | R2.28 | Andra Franklin | Running Back |  Miami Dolphins | Estimated |
| 1981 | R4.25 | Derrie Nelson | Linebacker | Dallas Cowboys | Estimated |
| 1980 | R1.07 | Junior Miller | Tight End |  Atlanta Falcons | Estimated |
| 1980 | R3.03 | Rod Horn | Defensive Tackle |  Cincinnati Bengals | Estimated |
| 1980 | R3.19 | Bill Barnett | Defensive End | Miami Dolphins | Estimated |
| 1980 | R3.23 | Tim Smith | Wide Receiver | Houston Oilers | Estimated |
| 1980 | R4.21 | I.M. Hipp | Running Back | Atlanta Falcons | Estimated |
| 1980 | R5.05 | Dan Pensick | Defensive Tackle | Kansas City Chiefs | Estimated |
| 1980 | R7.19 | John Havekost | Offensive Guard | Denver Broncos | Estimated |
| 1979 | R1.19 | George Andrews | Linebacker |  Los Angeles Rams | Estimated |
| 1979 | R1.22 | Kelvin Clark | Offensive Tackle | Denver Broncos | Estimated |
| 1979 | R3.03 | Barney Cotton | Offensive Guard | Cincinnati Bengals | Estimated |
| 1979 | R3.24 | Rick Berns | Running Back | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Estimated |
| 1979 | R6.25 | Steve Lindquist | Offensive Guard |  Miami Dolphins | Estimated |
| 1979 | R7.09 | Lee Kunz | Linebacker | Chicago Bears | Estimated |
| 1978 | R2.16 | Brett Moritz | Offensive Guard | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Estimated |
| 1978 | R3.14 | Stan Waldemore | Offensive Guard | Atlanta Falcons | Estimated |
| 1978 | R4.04 | Dodie Donnell | Running Back | New York Jets | Estimated |
| 1978 | R5.04 | Ken Spaeth | Tight End | Buffalo Bills | Estimated |
| 1978 | R6.02 | Tom Davis | Center |  Oakland Raiders | Estimated |
| 1978 | R7.21 | Mark Dufresne | Tight End | Pittsburgh Steelers | Estimated |
| 1977 | R2.06 | Mike Fultz | Defensive Tackle | New Orleans Saints | Estimated |
| 1977 | R4.07 | Vince Ferragamo | Quarterback | Los Angeles Rams | Estimated |
| 1977 | R5.21 | Ray Phillips | Linebacker | Cincinnati Bengals | Estimated |
| 1977 | R6.18 | Ron Pruitt | Defensive End | Buffalo Bills | Estimated |
| 1977 | R7.21 | Bob Lingenfelter | Offensive Tackle |  Cleveland Browns | Estimated |
| 1976 | R3.24 | Rik Bonness | Linebacker | Oakland Raiders | Estimated |
| 1976 | R4.14 | Tony Davis | Running Back | Cincinnati Bengals | Estimated |
| 1976 | R4.20 | Wonder Monds | Defensive Back | Pittsburgh Steelers | Estimated |
| 1976 | R6.07 | Bob Martin | Linebacker |  New York Jets | Estimated |
| 1975 | R1.19 | Tom Ruud | Linebacker | Buffalo Bills | Estimated |
| 1975 | R2.16 | Bob Nelson | Linebacker | Buffalo Bills | Estimated |
| 1975 | R4.14 | John Starkebaum | Defensive Back | New Orleans Saints | Estimated |
| 1975 | R5.24 | Dave Humm | Quarterback | Oakland Raiders | Estimated |
| 1975 | R6.01 | Don Westbrook | Wide Receiver |  Baltimore Colts | Estimated |
| 1975 | R6.17 | Mark Doak | Offensive Tackle |  Washington Redskins | Estimated |
| 1975 | R6.23 | Tom Alward | Offensive Guard | New York Jets | Estimated |
| 1975 | R6.26 | Marvin Crenshaw | Offensive Tackle | Pittsburgh Steelers | Estimated |
| 1974 | R1.05 | John Dutton | Defensive Tackle | Baltimore Colts | Estimated |
| 1974 | R4.01 | Steve Manstedt | Linebacker |  Houston Oilers | Estimated |
| 1974 | R4.20 | Daryl White | Offensive Guard | Cincinnati Bengals | Estimated |
| 1974 | R6.26 | Bob Wolfe | Offensive Tackle | Miami Dolphins | Estimated |
| 1974 | R7.22 | Maury Damkroger | Linebacker | New England Patriots | Estimated |
A pick counts toward his tenure when the player’s final college season was one he coached, a checkable rule rather than a claim about who developed the player. A blank note means the player is on a verified roster and arrived on his watch. “Estimated” means no roster record, so the final season is assumed to be the year before the draft.
Career
Coaching career
The arc of his career is on Now.
Sustainer inherited a power and held it for five-plus elite seasons
1973–1997
Nebraska Sustainer≈
Dynasty → Dynasty
Closest comparable run: Bronco Mendenhall’s BYU run (2005–2015)
Tom Osborne kept Nebraska a national power for 14 seasons.
+10.2 pts over 25 seasons · bottom 40% of 10+-season tenures (202 in sample)
1st-best Nebraska tenure of 18 by the numbers.
Followed Bob Devaney (1962–1972) · succeeded by Frank Solich (1998–2003).
| Season | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record & result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Record | 9-2-1 | 9-3 | 10-2 | 9-3-1 | 9-3 | 9-3 | 10-2 | 10-2 | 9-3 | 12-1 | 12-1 | 10-2 | 9-3 | 10-2 | 10-2 | 11-2 | 10-2 | 9-3 | 9-2-1 | 9-3 | 11-1 | 13-0 | 12-0 | 11-2 | 13-0 | |
| Postseason | W bowl | W bowl | L bowl | W bowl | W bowl | L bowl | L bowl | W bowl | L bowl | W bowl | L bowl | W bowl | L bowl | W bowl | L bowl | L bowl | L bowl | L bowl | L bowl | L bowl | L bowl | W bowl | W bowl | W bowl | W bowl | |
| Outcome — opponent-adjusted efficiency percentile | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Offense | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Defense | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Tendencies — play-by-play, neutral script | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st-down pass% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Red-zone pass% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 4th-down go%opp. territory | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Postseason detail1973: Beat Texas 19-3 Bowl1974: Beat Florida 13-10 Bowl1975: Lost to Arizona State 14-17 Bowl1976: Beat Texas Tech 27-24 Bowl1977: Beat North Carolina 21-17 Bowl1978: Lost to Oklahoma 24-31 Bowl1979: Lost to Houston 14-17 Bowl1980: Beat Mississippi State 31-17 Bowl1981: Lost to Clemson 15-22 Bowl1982: Beat LSU 21-20 Bowl1983: Lost to Miami 30-31 Bowl1984: Beat LSU 28-10 Bowl1985: Lost to Michigan 23-27 Bowl1986: Beat LSU 30-15 Bowl1987: Lost to Florida State 28-31 Bowl1988: Lost to Miami 3-23 Bowl1989: Lost to Florida State 17-41 Bowl1990: Lost to Georgia Tech 21-45 Bowl1991: Lost to Miami 0-22 Bowl1992: Lost to Florida State 14-27 Bowl1993: Lost to Florida State 16-18 Bowl1994: Beat Miami 24-17 Bowl1995: Beat Florida 62-24 Bowl1996: Lost to Texas 27-37 Bowl1996: Beat Virginia Tech 41-21 Bowl1997: Beat Texas A&M 54-15 Bowl1997: Beat Tennessee 42-17 Bowl
255-49-3
Selector agreement
The AP and Coaches’ polls split on the national champion in 1 season of this coach’s career — shown as each selector’s own pick, not a single consensus title.
All-time wins
Wins at programs this site tracks, 1936–present — one consistent count for every coach, not each program’s own historically reported total.
7th all-time in FBS wins
Was he good?
Only one of the usual three angles is measurable for this era — raised the program.
Raised the program
+10.2 pts at Nebraska · #214 of 1290 · top quarter