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Coach Tom Osborne
on 25 Wonderful Years
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Former players remember
Osborne as father, mentor,
want him to exit happy
✓✓
BtTed Taylor
Senior Reporter
Father, adviser, counselor and
friend.
Those are the words former
Husker players used Wednesday to
describe Head Coach Tom Osborne.
Some of those players went on to
the NFL, others saw their playing days
end with a final play at Memorial
Stadium, but, for many, strapping on
the white and red helmet for T.O. was
more than just a football experience, it
was a life experience.
“He was both a coach and a father
figure for me,” Denver Broncos line
man Neil Smith said after hearing the
news of Osborne’s retirement. “He
was there all those years I was away
from home.”
Osborne was able to exude a posi
tive, supportive feeling toward players
even during his first few years as head
coach, said Tom Vering, a Husker line
backer from 1975-1979.
“Even back then he was almost
like a father figure,” he said. “When
you needed a stern talking to, he
would give it to you ... with words
that put life into perspective.”
Steve Taylor, who just last season
retired from an eicrht-vear career in the
Canadian Football League, agreed.
“He was such a great influence on
my life professionally and personally,”
said Taylor, who played for Osborne
from 1985-89. “And probably 95 per
cent of his players got that from him.”
And the players got that from a
calm, cool coach who, the players
confirmed, never had to go beyond the
limits to get his point across.
Players said he never even cussed
at them.
“He didn’t have to,” Vering said.
“Just his presence around the players,
what he said, his tone of voice... what
he said, you went out and did.”
Smith recalled a half-time speech
99
He was both a
coach and a father
for me. He was there
all those years I was
away from home ”
Neil Smith
Denver Broncos lineman
Osborne gave after an unHusker-like
first half against Iowa State.
“He came in and said ‘Dad gum
mit, we need to play better,’” Smith
said. “And that’s as close I ever heard
of him cursing.
“But he caught the eye of every
one in that room with that statement
and we came out and dominated the
rest of the game.
“Those are the types of things you
never forget.”
Smith called the coach’s decision
“very surprising,” but he understood
why Osborne decided to call this year
his last.
“I think you come to a crossroads
where you know exactly what you
want to do in life,” he said. “He just
came to the point where it was his time
(to go.)”
Johnny Rodgers, the most recog
nized name in Husker football history,
said he felt a loss after hearing
Osborne’s news Wednesday.
“I feel like I am losing a coach
myself,” the 1972 Heisman Trophy
winner said, “even though I haven’t
been playing for 20 years.”
Vering said the news conference
Osborne held Tuesday where retire
ment was mentioned gave him an
indication the 2 5-year Husker head
coach was thinking of calling it quite.
“I don’t know if anyone in the state
would say there is a good time for
Coach Osborne to retire,” he said, “but
this is probably the best time to do it.
“If he had gone on for another five
or 10 years, he probably would have
regretted even more all the time he has
spent away from his family.”
Rodgers said the news was “sort
of sad,” but probably the best for
Osborne’s health.
“It has to be more of a health con
cern that a willingness to bow out,” he
said. “Sixty years old isn’t really that
old, but it’s probably time for him to
take a little rest.”
Husker fans should take heart,
Rodgers added, people were worried
about continuing the success of the
program when a young Tom Osborne
took the reigns from the venerable
Bob Devaney in 1973.
“Frank, having been around him
for the last 19 years, might bring even
bigger and greater things,” Rodgers
said. “That might sound hard to
believe, but when coach Devaney left,
people were saying the same thing.”
And regardless what happens in
this year’s Orange Bowl game against
Tennessee, Osborne’s career at
Nebraska will come to an end on a
high note.
“All good things come to an end,”
Smith said.
