1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

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1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers football
Big Eight co-champion
Sun Bowl champion
Sun Bowl, W 45–6 vs. Georgia
ConferenceBig Eight Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 12
APNo. 11
1969 record9–2 (6–1 Big 8)
Head coach
  • Bob Devaney (8th season)
Offensive coordinatorTom Osborne (1st season)
Offensive schemeI formation
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1968
1970 →
1969 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Missouri + 6 1 0 9 2 0
No. 11 Nebraska + 6 1 0 9 2 0
No. 16 Colorado 5 2 0 8 3 0
Oklahoma 4 3 0 6 4 0
Kansas State 3 4 0 5 5 0
Oklahoma State 3 4 0 5 5 0
Iowa State 1 6 0 3 7 0
Kansas 0 7 0 1 9 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. The team was led by eighth-year head coach Bob Devaney and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. In his first year as offensive coordinator, Tom Osborne instituted the I formation.

The Huskers lost the opener at home to fifth-ranked USC,[1] and were 2–2 after a loss in the conference opener at #7 Missouri.[2] They won their final six regular season games to tie for the Big Eight championship, were invited to the Sun Bowl in El Paso,[3] and decisively beat the Georgia Bulldogs to finish the season at 9–2.[4][5]

The Huskers' strong finish in 1969 was followed by consecutive national championships in 1970 and 1971; after the rout of second-ranked Alabama in the 1972 Orange Bowl, Nebraska's unbeaten streak reached 32 games.

Schedule[]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 201:30 pmNo. 5 USC*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
L 21–3167,058
September 271:50 pmTexas A&M*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
ABCW 14–066,331
October 41:30 pmat Minnesota*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis
W 42–1452,136
October 111:30 pmat No. 7 MissouriNo. 20
  • Faurot Field
  • Columbia, Missouri
L 7–1760,500
October 181:30 pmKansas
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
W 21–1766,667
October 251:30 pmOklahoma State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
W 13–366,421
November 11:30 pmNo. 18 Colorado
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
W 20–767,084
November 81:30 pmIowa StatedaggerNo. 20
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
W 17–367,107
November 151:30 pmat Kansas StateNo. 17
  • KSU Stadium
  • Manhattan, Kansas
W 10–740,000
November 221:30 pmat OklahomaNo. 16
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, Oklahoma
W 44–1452,367
December 201:00 pmvs. Georgia*No. 14
CBSW 45–631,728
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time
Source:[6]

Roster[]

[7]

Adkins, John #57 (So.) DE
Ahlmann, Harold (Jr.) MG
Anderson, Jim #18 (So.) RCB
Ashman, Carl #53 (Sr.) LG
Bomberger, Bill #46 (Jr.) FB
Boyd, David (So.) E
Branch, Jim (So.) LB
Brownson, Van #12 (So.) QB
Buda, Joe #52 (Sr.) C
Carstens, Jim (So.) FB
Chandler, George #33 (Jr.) LB
Coppa, Rich (So.) C
Davis, Harold (So.) LG
Decker, John #21 (Jr.) LCB
DeOrio, Lonnie (So.) DT
Didur, Dale #84 (Jr.) SE
Drakulich, Ron #41 (Sr.) DT
Dumler, Doug #78 (So.) LT
Dvorsak, Tony #11 (Jr.) QB
Fiala, Adrian #32 (Sr.) LB
Frost, Larry #28 (Sr.) HB
Galbraith, Denis (Unk) MG
Geddes, Ken #37 (Sr.) MG
Graves, Lanny (So.) FB
Green, Mike #34 (Sr.) FB
Grenfell, Bob #59 (Jr.) LG
Gutzman, Dennis #39 (Jr.) DE
Hacias, Greg (So.) S
Harvey, Phil #83 (So.) TE
Hauge, Bruce #48 (So.) LB
Hinckley, Ron #65 (So.) RG
Hollstein, Gary #29 (So.) S
Holmes, Bill (So.) E
Hopkins, John #79 (So.) RT
Hornbacher, Bill #55 (Sr.) DT

 

Hughes, Jeff #26 (So.) HB
Hyland, John #58 (So.) DE
Ingles, Guy #88 (Jr.) SE
Jacobson, Larry #75 (So.) DT
Jamail, Doug #50 (So.) C
Janssen, Bill #82 (So.) DE
Jarmon, Sherwin #81 (Sr.) DE
Jennings, Henry #38 (So.) MON
Jones, George (So.) S
Kinney, Jeff #35 (So.) HB
Kinsel, John (So.) C
Kobza, Dan #49 (Sr.) LB
Kontos, Ken (So.) LB
Kosch, Bill #24 (So.) RCB
Larson, Al #20 (Sr.) MON
Liddle, Kent #51 (So.) C
Liggett, Bob #71 (Sr.) DT
List, Jerry #85 (So.) TE
Lowe, Rex (Unk) HB
Mabin, Wes #39 (So.) LCB
Malone, Dan (So.) DT
Mason, Dave #87 (So.) E
McClelland, Tom #16 (So.) S
McFarland, Bob #27 (So.) RCB
McFarland, Jim #80 (Sr.) TE
McGhee, Donnie #70 (Jr.) RT
McGowan, Tom (So.) LB
McGuire, Mike #15 (So.) MON
Menser, Charles #63 (So.) RG
Miller, Jim #86 (So.) DE
Minzak, Edward (So.) RG
Montgomery, Al #47 (So.) HB
Morell, Pat #40 (So.) LB
Morock, David #43 (Jr.) MON
Morrill, Pat (Unk) LB

 

Murtaugh, Jerry #42 (Jr.) LB
Newton, Bob #74 (Jr.) LT
Newton, Clint (So.) E
Orduna, Joe #31 (Sr.) HB
Osberg, Chuck #17 (So.) QB
Pabis, Bob #66 (So.) MG
Patrick, Frank #10 (Sr.) QB
Patterson, Glenn #72 (Sr.) C
Periard, Ed #56 (Jr.) MG
Pitts, John #54 (So.) DE
Pogge, Bill (So.) FB
Reeves, Randy #25 (Sr.) S
Rogers, Paul #30 (Jr.) PK
Schloff, Merle #69 (So.) DT
Schneiss, Dan #22 (Jr.) FB
Smith, Jim #23 (So.) HB
Snyder, Bob (So.) RT
Sobota, Joe (So.) DT
Stejskal, Greg #68 (So.) LT
Stephenson, Dana #36 (Sr.) LCB
Tagge, Jerry #14 (So.) QB
Tegels, John (So.) LB
Terrio, Bob #45 (So.) FB
Topliff, Paul #73 (Sr.) RT
Vactor, Frank #19 (Jr.) HB
Volberding, Ron #64 (So.) RG
Walline, Dave #76 (Jr.) DT
Weber, Bruce #61 (So.) LG
Wenner, Rick (So.) S
Williams, Gale #77 (Sr.) RG
Winter, Wally #67 (Jr.) LT
Witliff, Frank (So.) HB
Wynn, Mike #90 (Sr.) DE
Yanda, Steve #44 (So.) LB

     

Coaching staff[]

Name Title First year
in this position
Years at
Nebraska
Alma Mater
Bob Devaney Head Coach 1962 1962–72 Alma
Tom Osborne Offensive Coordinator 1969 1964–97 Hastings
Cletus Fischer Offensive Line 1960–85 Nebraska
Carl Selmer Offensive Line 1962–72
Jim Ross 1962–76
John Melton Tight Ends. Wingbacks 1973 1962–88 Wyoming
Mike Corgan Running Backs 1962 1962–82 Notre Dame
Monte Kiffin 1967–76 Nebraska
Warren Powers Defensive Backs 1969–76 Nebraska
Boyd Epley Head Strength Coach 1969 1969–2003 Nebraska

Game summaries[]

USC[]

#5 USC at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
#5 USC 7 1473 31
Nebraska 0 7014 21
  • Date: 1969-09-20
  • Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Game attendance: 67,058

USC had a fight on their hands, despite jumping out to an early 14-0 lead. Nebraska scrambled back and drew up within 7 points in the 4th quarter with 3:40 to go. The Cornhuskers again got the ball back with enough time to score, but USC intercepted and converted the turnover into a field goal in the final seconds to decide the outcome.

Texas A&M[]

Texas A&M at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Texas A&M 0 000 0
Nebraska 7 700 14
  • Date: 1969-09-27
  • Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Game attendance: 66,331

The Cornhuskers put up a touchdown in each of the first two quarters before Texas A&M was somehow able to bottle them up, but the Blackshirts had already established that the Aggies would get nothing on the day, and the 14 Nebraska points were carried for the win.

Minnesota[]

Nebraska at Minnesota [box score]
1 234Total
Nebraska 0 141414 42
Minnesota 7 700 14
  • Date: 1969-10-04
  • Location: Memorial Stadium, Minneapolis
  • Game attendance: 52,136

Nebraska QB Jerry Tagge broke a record while taking apart Minnesota in Minneapolis. The 587 total Cornhusker yards was the second highest total in school history, and his 219 air yards and 82 ground yards rang up to 301 on the day, easily breaking the previous record of 264 yards set in 1951 and tied in 1967. The game started in doubt as Minnesota struck first and forced Nebraska to a 14-14 tie at the half, but there would be no further scoring from the Golden Gophers to answer the additional 28 Nebraska points posted after the half.

Missouri[]

#20 Nebraska at #7 Missouri [box score]
1 234Total
#20 Nebraska 0 070 7
#7 Missouri 7 730 17
  • Date: 1969-10-11
  • Location: Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri
  • Game attendance: 60,500

Nebraska attempted to bring a fight to Columbia to go along with their new #20 ranking, but after Missouri went up 7-0, it did not help that the Cornhuskers turned over a fumble to Missouri which was converted into 7 more points before the half. Nebraska managed to avoid the shutout with a 3rd-quarter touchdown but could not overcome Missouri's defense to score again, and subsequently fell back out of the polls.

Kansas[]

Kansas at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Kansas 0 773 17
Nebraska 6 807 21
  • Date: 1969-10-18
  • Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Game attendance: 66,667

Nebraska PK Paul Rogers set a Nebraska and Big 8 record with a 55-yard 1st-quarter field goal to open the scoring. It was a fierce back-and-forth game, though Nebraska ran ahead by 14 only to have Kansas tie it up in the 3rd and pull ahead with a field goal in the 4th. The Cornhuskers came through, however, putting in the game-winning touchdown with just 1:22 left to play.

Oklahoma State[]

Oklahoma State at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Oklahoma State 0 030 3
Nebraska 0 760 13
  • Date: 1969-10-25
  • Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Game attendance: 66,421

The defensive struggle of the day kept the scores low and the game in doubt late, as Nebraska held only a 10-point lead to start the 4th quarter, but the defenses held on both sides and the Cornhuskers got the win.

Colorado[]

#18 Colorado at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
#18 Colorado 7 000 7
Nebraska 3 7100 20
  • Date: 1969-11-01
  • Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Game attendance: 67,084

Nebraska's 13 point margin of victory was directly attributable to the school record 3 interceptions by Dana Stephenson, two of which were subsequently converted into touchdowns, giving Nebraska the upset win.

Iowa State[]

Iowa State at #20 Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Iowa State 0 300 3
#20 Nebraska 0 7100 17
  • Date: 1969-11-08
  • Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Game attendance: 67,107

Iowa State was held to only 27 yards on the ground in front a Memorial Stadium homecoming crowd, as Nebraska held the Cyclones to just a 2nd-quarter field goal on their way to the win.

Kansas State[]

#17 Nebraska at Kansas State [box score]
1 234Total
#17 Nebraska 0 037 10
Kansas State 7 000 7
  • Date: 1969-11-15
  • Location: KSU Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas
  • Game attendance: 40,000

The Blackshirts allowed Kansas State a touchdown early on, but closed the door for the rest of the game. The Cornhusker offense needed that support, as they were not able to put up their own points until splitting the uprights with a field goal late in the 3rd, and very much needed the touchdown punched in about 10 minutes later to pull ahead for the victory.

Oklahoma[]

#16 Nebraska at Oklahoma [box score]
1 234Total
#16 Nebraska 14 31314 44
Oklahoma 7 007 14
  • Date: 1969-11-22
  • Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma
  • Game attendance: 53,500

Nebraska fought from behind to deliver Coach Devaney's first win in Norman, a convincing win in which the Blackshirts held the season's Heisman Trophy winner Steve Owens to just 71 yards with no touchdowns, breaking his 17-game touchdown streak.

[8]

Georgia[]

#14 Nebraska vs Georgia [box score]
1 234Total
#14 Nebraska 18 01413 45
Georgia 0 006 6
  • Date: 1969-12-20
  • Location: Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas
  • Game attendance: 31,728

Nebraska opened the day with four straight 1st-quarter field goals, setting new Nebraska and Big 8 records in the process, which was the beginning of Georgia being left far behind. By the time the Bulldogs found the scoreboard on a 4th-quarter touchdown, they merely closed the gap to 6-38, which the Cornhuskers then answered with one more touchdown before the final whistle.

Rankings[]

Ranking Movement
Poll Pre Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Final
AP NR NR NR 20 NR NR NR 20 17 16 13 13 14 11
Coaches 12

Awards[]

[9]

Award Name(s)
All-America
1st team
Jim McFarland, Dana Stephenson
Big Eight Sophomore
of the Year
Jeff Kinney
All-Big Eight
1st team
Ken Geddes, Bob Liggett, Jim McFarland,
Jerry Murtaugh, Dana Stephenson
All-Big Eight
2nd team
Sherwin Jarmon
All-Big Eight
honorable mention
Carl Ashman, Van Brownson, Guy Ingles,
Al Larson, Glenn Patterson, Jerry Tagge,
Paul Topliff, Dave Walline, Mike Wynn

1969 Team Players in the NFL[]

The 1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers seniors selected in the 1970 NFL Draft: [10]

Player Position Round Pick Franchise
Jim McFarland TE 7 164 St. Louis Cardinals
Ken Geddes LB 7 175 Detroit Lions
Dana Stephenson DB 8 183 Chicago Bears
Mike Wynn DE 8 206 Oakland Raiders
Frank Patrick QB 10 251 Green Bay Packers
Bob Liggett DT 15 390 Kansas City Chiefs
Mike Green RB 16 406 San Diego Chargers
Glenn Patterson C 17 439 Dallas Cowboys

The 1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers juniors selected in the following year's 1971 NFL Draft: [11]

Player Position Round Pick Franchise
Joe Orduna RB 2 49 San Francisco 49ers
Bob Newton T 3 71 Chicago Bears
Paul Rogers KDB 8 190 Pittsburgh Steelers
Dan Schneiss TE 11 261 Boston Patriots

The 1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers sophomores selected in the 1972 NFL Draft:[12]

Player Position Round Pick Franchise
Jerry Tagge QB 1 11 Green Bay Packers
Jeff Kinney RB 1 23 Kansas City Chiefs
Larry Jacobson DT 1 24 New York Giants
Carl Johnson T 5 112 New Orleans Saints
Van Brownson QB 8 204 Baltimore Colts
Keith Wortman G 10 242 Green Bay Packers

NFL and Pro Players[]

The following 1969 Nebraska players joined a professional team as draftees or free agents.[13]

Name Team
Doug Dumler New England Patriots
Ken Geddes Los Angeles Rams
Larry Jacobson New York Giants
Bill Janssen Charlotte Hornets
Sherwin Jarmon Chicago Fire
Jeff Kinney Kansas City Chiefs
Bob Liggett Kansas City Chiefs
Dave Mason New England Patriots
Jim McFarland St. Louis Cardinals
Bob Newton Chicago Bears
Joe Orduna New York Giants
Frank Patrick Green Bay Packers
Jerry Tagge Green Bay Packers
Frank Vactor Washington Redskins

References[]

  1. ^ "Trojan soph sparkles". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. September 21, 1969. p. 2B.
  2. ^ "Tigers hold Nebraska". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 12, 1969. p. 4B.
  3. ^ "'Huskers stall Owens". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 23, 1969. p. 5B.
  4. ^ "Nebraska whips Georgia, 45-6". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. December 21, 1969. p. 2, section 4.
  5. ^ "Nebraska's field goals, defense stops Georgia". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. December 21, 1969. p. 17.
  6. ^ "Football - 1969 Schedule/Results". University of Nebraska–Lincoln Athletics Department. Retrieved 2009-06-18.
  7. ^ Nebraska 1969 Roster
  8. ^ "Nebraska Whips Oklahoma, 44-14." Palm Beach Post. 1969 Nov 23.
  9. ^ 1969 Husker Honors
  10. ^ Pro Football Reference.com – 1970 NFL Draft
  11. ^ Pro Football Reference.com – 1971 NFL Draft
  12. ^ Pro Football Reference.com – 1972 NFL Draft
  13. ^ "All Time NFL Huskers". Archived from the original on 2009-06-19. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
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