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April was quite a month for Tom Osborne.
"Tom Osborne's legendary status warrants him being placed directly into the Hall of Fame," said Jon F. Hanson, chairman of the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame. Osborne will be inducted, along with Bo Jackson, Jim McMahon, and 10 other former players, at the December 8 National Football Foundation dinner. "It's a little bit surprising, but of course very gratifying," Osborne said the university. "It's really quite an honor. This is in many ways perceived as an individual honor, but anytime an individual gets an honor like this, it is certainly a reflection of all the people who helped put you there." Three days later, the university honored Osborne again by re-naming their Memorial Stadium in honor of the retired coach. Over 43,000 fans, players, and coaches gathered to praise the Cornhuskers' retired coach during the two-hour ceremony. Both honors were fitting of the legendary mentor. Osborne, who finished with a career coaching mark of 255-49-3 in 25 years at Nebraska, ranks sixth among all Division I coaches. He was the quickest coach to win 250 games and retired with an .836 winning percentage. He led the Huskers to consecutive national championships in 1994 and 1995 as well as a share of the 1997 season title. Osborne was named national coach of the year in both 1994 and 1995 and was also given the prestigious Distinguished American award by the National Football Foundation in 1995. During his tenure, Nebraska won at least nine games and qualified for a bowl game every season. However, Osborne said the victories will not be the thing he remembers most. "The relationships are the things that count,'' he said. "The rings have been fine. The championships all are great. But the things I always carry with me are the memories of the players, the coaches and the people I've come to know." "It's really been a tremendous thing for me, and I'll never forget any one of you." Osborne was stoic as always, sitting quietly and emotionlessly during most of the ceremony. Eventually, the kind words overcame him and he began to weep. "There's nobody else like him,'' Laura Porter, a teacher from Columbus, Nebraska, said during the ceremony. ``He stands for everything that Nebraska is about -- hard work, honesty and dedication.'' Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article College Football Honors Legendary Nebraska Coach in NCAA College Football is owned by Chuck Bednar. Permission to republish College Football Honors Legendary Nebraska Coach in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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