Tom Osborne arrives for an October 2007 press conference where he was introduced as Nebraska's interim athletic director. Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Tom Osborne’s Legacy, in the Words of His Players

Originally posted on Nebraska Cornhuskers on SI
By TJ Birkel | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 3:12 PM ET

We wrapped up our six-episode series about Tom Osborne’s coaching career on the Common Fan Podcast this week with an episode focused on his legacy. He’s such a giant in the sport, and he is arguably THE most consequential figure in the history of Nebraska football.

As I thought about what to focus on for the corresponding article, many things came to mind. His innovation and ingenuity as an offensive play caller. His willingness to continuously evolve, turning over every rock to give his program an edge. His insistence that his teams be the most physical on the field, no matter who they were playing. His tireless work ethic. And of course, the devotion his former players still feel for him to this day.

After completing six episodes, that last one stood out more than the others. And better than anything I could write, the voices of his former players say it all. Over and over, what came through in our conversations was not only respect and admiration, but loyalty and devotion. These aren’t just football players talking about an old coach. These are grown men reflecting on the person who helped shape their lives.

Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

If you haven’t already, make sure to check out the entire series on TO. As the 2025 team begins fall camp and gears up for the coming season, this series will keep the Big Red Kool Aid flowing as we wait for the first game to kick off a month from now. You can find all the episodes on our YouTube channel, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

In Their Own Words

Note: The quotes below have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

“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…we definitely feel blessed to have him (Osborne) be as valuable to us as he's been. And I just thank him for the time that he's spent and being able to play for him.” -Tom Ruud

“People always talk about, what was Coach Osborne like? And I said, you know, he was just a great coach…I mean, you're going to be a great player on the field, but he wants you to be a great person off the field. I think…that's why Nebraska was a good fit for me. And I still carry his principles in my business practices and just, just my way of life, you know?” -Steve Taylor

“You’re always going to have disgruntled players. There's no question about that. But I think he always gave a player a fair chance. And I don't care who you were or what your stature was.” -Steve Taylor

Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

“I've always said if Coach Osborne was a betting man, he would be a multimillionaire. He'd tell you how games were going to go all the time. In 1995, when I started coaching, I used to ask him about games, and he would say how games were going to go. And you're like, 'What the…?' Like, how did he know this game is going to go like this? Like when he told us we're going to score against Colorado on the first play. And then we go 70 yards, Ahman Green down the sideline. Everybody’s freaking out on the sideline. Like, man, who is this coach? Who is this dude, man?” -Abdul Muhammad

“Coach Osborne is one of the most relaxed guys…low maintenance coaches you can ever meet. But he always talked about being physical. Always. And that was always on our mind. When teams play us, no matter the outcome, (no matter) the score, make sure they know they played Nebraska.” -Abdul Muhammad

“Coach Osborne never changed (his) message, regardless of the situation, regardless of up or down, didn't matter. The message was always the same. We're going to go out. We're going to practice hard. We're going to prepare well. We're going to have you ready to play on Saturday, and we're going to go out there and give our best effort. And he just, wherever, whether it was praise coming our way or shade coming our way, it was always the same. And it was always just such a steadying, calming influence, throughout the whole team. And you had other coaches out there that were the fiery coaches. But Coach Osborne was just stoic and steadfast for every year he was at the helm.” -Grant Wistrom

“Coach Osborne, you know…he always stood by his players, whether it was going to reflect negatively upon him or not. He stood by guys through their darkest times because that's what they needed. And he put his personal legacy at risk when he did those things from time to time. But it didn’t matter to him because he cared about you more as a person than anything about him.” -Grant Wistrom

Let us know what you think, Common Fans. We’d love to hear your contribution to this discussion. Send us an email at commonfangbr@gmail.com, or message us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

As always, GBR for LIFE.

PODCAST EPISODE: What is Tom Osborne’s Legacy?