TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 TOM GETS A TITLE CHAPTER 2 CREATING THE CORNHUSKERS 12 CHAPTER 3 DEVANEY AND THE BLACKSHIRTS 18 CHAPTER 4 TOM TAKES OVER 26 CHAPTER 5 NEBRASKA'S NEW ERA 34 TIMELINE QUICK STATS QUOTES AND ANECDOTES GLOSSARY MORE INFORMATION ONLINE RESOURCES INDEX ABOUT THE AUTHOR 42 44 45 46 47 47 48 48
4 CHAPTER 1 TOM GETS A TITLE University of Nebraska Cornhuskers football coach Tom Osborne had accomplished a lot during his first 21 years coaching in Lincoln Nebraska He had led the team to a 206-47 record since taking over in 1973. And he had won 10 Big Eight Conference championships during that time But his teams had never won a national title The Huskers had come close on January 1 1994. At the time the Big Eight champion was invited to the Orange Bowl in Florida It is one of the biggest and most important bowl games Nebraska earned the invitation that season But the Cornhuskers lost the Orange Bowl to Florida State 18-16 If Nebraska had won the media members who voted in the Associated Press AP Poll would likely have named the Cornhuskers the national champion Instead Osborne would have to wait for another chance Quarterback Brook Berringer stepped in and helped lead Nebraska to the Orange Bowl following the 1994 season
