Nine Wins, No Satisfaction: Tom Osborne’s Early Days as Nebraska’s Head Coach

“I think Cornhusker fans are pretty smart about what the program has done over the last 60 years and Tom Osborne is a huge part of it. Taking over for Bob Devaney; I had the good fortune of playing two years for both of them. They are as good a coaches as there have been in college football.”

Most Husker fans wouldn’t disagree with those words from Husker legend and all conference linebacker Tom Ruud. But when Tom Osborne took over for Bob Devaney in 1973, and for the remainder of the 1970s, it was very much an open question among the fan base about whether or not Osborne could emerge from Devaney’s shadow.

This week, on the Common Fan Podcast, we launched Episode 2 of our series focused on Osborne’s coaching career. This episode, The Head Man, looks at TO’s early days as a head coach, from 1973 through the rest of the 1970’s. 

Thanks to Tom Ruud for joining us, and sharing so many memories from his playing days and reflections on the program. Thanks also to longtime sportswriters Mike Babcock (formerly of the  Lincoln Journal Star and Huskers Illustrated) and Brandon Vogel of the Counter Read Newsletter, which is some of the best Husker content you can find anywhere. 

Near-Misses and Narrow Margins

From 1973 to 1977, Osborne went 46-13-2. His teams…

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