View source for Tom Osborne

{{Short description|American football player and coach, college athletics administrator, politician (born 1937)}}
{{Other people|Thomas Osborne|Thomas Osborne (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Tom Osborne
| image               = Tom Osborne US Congress portrait.jpg
| state               = [[Nebraska]] 
| district            = {{ushr|NE|3|3rd}}
| term_start          = January 3, 2001
| term_end            = January 3, 2007
| predecessor         = [[Bill Barrett]]
| successor           = [[Adrian Smith (politician)|Adrian Smith]]
| birth_name          = Thomas William Osborne
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1937|2|23}}
| birth_place         = [[Hastings, Nebraska]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse              = {{marriage|Nancy Tederman|1962}}
| children            = 3
| education           = [[Hastings College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[University of Nebraska–Lincoln|University of Nebraska]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]], [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]])
| module              = {{Infobox gridiron football biography
| embed = yes
| image = <!-- Do not remove -->
| number      = 84
| position    = [[Wide receiver]]
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 3
| weight_lb   = 190
| high_school = [[Hastings Senior High School (Nebraska)|Hastings]]
| college     = [[Hastings Broncos football|Hastings]] (1955–1958)
| draftyear   = 1959
| draftround  = 19
| draftpick   = 222
| pastteams   =
*[[San Francisco 49ers]] ({{NFL Year|1959}})
*[[Washington Redskins]] ({{NFL Year|1960|1961}})
|pastcoaching =
*[[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]] (1964–1968)<br/>Assistant coach
*Nebraska (1969–1972)<br/>[[Offensive coordinator]]
*Nebraska (1973–1997)<br/>Head coach
| pastadmin   =
*[[Nebraska Cornhuskers|Nebraska]] (1979–1998)<br>Assistant [[athletic director]]
*Nebraska (2007–2013)<br/>Athletic director
| highlights  =
;As head coach
*3× [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] (1994, 1995, 1997)
*[[Big 12 Conference|Big 12]] champion (1997)
*2× [[Big 12 Conference|Big 12 North Division]] champion (1996, 1997)
*12× [[Big Eight Conference|Big Eight]] champion (1975, 1978, 1981–84, 1988, 1991–95)
*[[Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award|Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year]] (1978)
*[[ESPN]] Coach of the Decade (1999)
*National Coach of the Year (1994)
*Jim Thorpe Lifetime Achievement Award
*Big 12 Coach of the Year (1996)
*7× [[Big Eight Conference football#Coach of the Year|Big Eight Coach of Year]] (1975, 1976, 1980, 1988, 1992–94)
;As assistant coach
*2× [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] (1970, 1971)
*7× [[Big Eight Conference|Big Eight]] champion (1964–1966, 1969–1972)
| statlabel1 = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue1 = 29
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 343
| statlabel3 = Receiving [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue3 = 2
| regular_record = {{Winning percentage|243|36|3|record=y}}
| playoff_record = {{Winning percentage|12|13|record=y}}
| overall_record = {{Winning percentage|255|49|3|record=y}}
| pfr = O/OsboTo00
| CollegeHOF = 2044
}}
| module2  = {{Infobox scientist
| embed = yes
| fields = [[Educational psychology]]
| thesis_title = The Effects of Instructions on Situational Anxiety Level and Examination Performance
| thesis_url = http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI6601028/
| thesis_year = 1965
| doctoral_advisors = Warren Bailer<br>Robert Ross}}
}}
'''Thomas William Osborne''' (born February 23, 1937) is an American former [[American football|football]] player, coach, college athletics administrator, and politician from [[Nebraska]]. He served as head football coach of the [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska Cornhuskers]] from 1973 to 1997 (25 seasons). After being inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1999, Osborne was elected to [[107th United States Congress|Congress]] in 2000 from Nebraska's [[Nebraska's 3rd congressional district|third district]] as a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]. He served three terms (2001–2007), returned to the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]] as [[athletic director]] in 2007, and retired in 2013.

Osborne played [[college football]] as a [[quarterback]] and [[wide receiver]] at [[Hastings College]], and soon after finishing his brief [[National Football League]] (NFL) career, he was hired by Nebraska head coach [[Bob Devaney]] as an assistant. Osborne was named Devaney's successor in 1973, and over the next 25 years established himself as one of the best coaches in college football history with his trademark [[I formation|I-formation offense]] and revolutionary strength, conditioning, and nutrition programs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://journalstar.com/sports/football/college/epley-leaving-huskers/article_f396dae1-28b9-54da-92ce-271e763236f0.html |title=Epley leaving Huskers |date=June 19, 2006 |access-date=May 24, 2019}}</ref> He retired with a career record of {{nowrap|{{winning percentage|255|49|3|record=y}},}} 13 conference titles, and three [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|national championships]]. He coached 53 All-Americans, including 1983 [[Heisman Trophy]] winner [[Mike Rozier]].

==Early life==
Born and raised in [[Hastings, Nebraska|Hastings]], a town in rural central Nebraska, Osborne was a star athlete at [[Hastings Senior High School (Nebraska)|Hastings High School]] in football, basketball, and track. As a senior in 1955, he was named Nebraska High School Athlete of The Year by the ''[[Omaha World-Herald]].''<ref name="auto">[http://dataomaha.com/neb100/player/79 dataomaha.com] - Tom Osborne - Omaha World-Herald</ref> He graduated from [[Hastings College]] with a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in history in 1959. Osborne earned a [[Master of Arts|Master's degree]] in [[educational psychology]] in 1963 and completed his [[doctorate]] in 1965, both at the University of Nebraska. Osborne's first job at the university was counselor in the Selleck Quadrangle, where he oversaw a floor of freshmen football players. He also served in the [[Nebraska Army National Guard]] from 1960 to 1966.<ref name="navyleague">{{cite web |title=Veterans in the US House of Representatives 109th Congress |publisher=Navy League |url=http://www.navyleague.org/legislative_affairs/HouseVets.pdf |access-date=December 9, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626235918/http://www.navyleague.org/legislative_affairs/HouseVets.pdf |archive-date=June 26, 2007}}</ref>

==Playing career==
At Hastings, Osborne quarterbacked the football team and became the first male athlete in Nebraska to be named both the high school (1955) and college (1959) athlete of the year by the ''Omaha World-Herald''. He was also the 1958 recipient of the Emil S. Liston Award, which was given annually to the most outstanding [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics]] NAIA junior basketball player who displayed high athletic and scholastic achievement.

===San Francisco 49ers===
Osborne was selected in the [[1959 NFL draft#Round nineteen|nineteenth round]] (222nd overall) of the [[1959 NFL draft]] by the [[1959 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]]. He was eventually released by the 49ers without playing in a regular season game.

===Washington Redskins===
The [[Washington Redskins]] picked up Osborne in [[1960 Washington Redskins season|1960]] and he made his NFL debut on November 6 against the [[1960 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|St. Louis Cardinals]]. He had one reception for eight yards in a 44–6 Redskins loss. In his second game a few weeks later, Osborne caught six passes for 36 yards against the [[1960 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]], but Washington lost again, 27–16.

Osborne saw more playing time in [[1961 Washington Redskins season|1961]], starting twelve games. He scored his first career touchdown against the [[1960 Cleveland Browns season|Browns]] in Week 4, and his second against the [[1960 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|Cardinals]] in Week 12. Osborne's last career game, a 34–24 Washington win over Dallas, was his only career victory.

==Coaching career==
[[File:Tom Osborne (1965).jpg|thumb|left|140px|Osborne, c. 1965]]

===Nebraska===
In [[1962 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1962]], Osborne joined Nebraska's coaching staff as an unpaid assistant to head coach [[Bob Devaney]]; his only compensation was the ability to dine at the athletic training table. After disappointing 6–4 seasons in both [[1967 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1967]] and [[1968 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1968]], Devaney named Osborne [[offensive coordinator]] for the [[1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1969 season]]. Osborne immediately overhauled the offense, switching to a balanced attack operated from the [[I formation]]. The revamped offense sparked the [[1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1970 Cornhuskers]] to the first national title in program history. Nebraska defeated [[1970 LSU Tigers football team|LSU]] 17–12 in the [[1971 Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]] on New Year's night and finished first in the post-bowl [[1970 NCAA University Division football rankings|AP Poll]]. Nebraska won the national title again in [[1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1971]], becoming the first champion ever to defeat the next three teams in the final [[1971 NCAA University Division football rankings|AP Poll]] ([[1971 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma]], [[1971 Colorado Buffaloes football team|Colorado]], and [[1971 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|Alabama]]).

Devaney stepped down as head coach after the [[1972 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1972 season]] to concentrate on his duties as [[athletic director]], and named Osborne his successor. Devaney's final game was a convincing win over [[1972 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]] in the [[1973 Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]], Nebraska's third straight Orange Bowl victory. At age 35, Osborne took over as Nebraska's head coach, a position he would hold for 25 years until his retirement following the [[1997 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1997 season]].

In his quarter-century as head coach, Osborne was a model of consistency. His teams never won fewer than nine games in a season, only finished worse than third in conference or division play once, finished in the top 15 of the final [[AP poll]] 24 out of 25 years, and were ranked in the top 25 for 304 out of his 307 games as head coach–including every weekly poll from October 12, 1981, onward. Osborne's teams won outright national championships in [[1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1994]] and [[1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1995]], and a share of another in [[1997 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1997]]. Osborne's Huskers also won or shared 13 conference championships (12 [[Big Eight Conference|Big Eight]], one [[Big 12 Conference|Big 12]]). His 255–49–3 record gave him the best winning percentage (83.6%) among active coaches at the time of his retirement and the fifth-best of all time, and he won 250 games faster than any coach in Division I-A history. Osborne finished his coaching career with a bowl record of 12–13.

Osborne's teams were known for their powerful rushing attack and strong defense (also known as the [[Blackshirts (American football)|Blackshirts]]—a reference to the black jerseys worn in practice by NU's defensive starters). Using Osborne's trademark [[I formation|I-form]] [[Option offense|option]], Nebraska led the nation in rushing several times in the 1980s and 1990s, due to the efforts of players like [[Jarvis Redwine]], [[Heisman Trophy]] winner [[Mike Rozier]], [[Calvin Jones (halfback)|Calvin Jones]], [[Ahman Green]], and [[Lawrence Phillips]]. Osborne's offenses were initially balanced attacks, but after struggling against Oklahoma's [[wishbone formation|wishbone]] option in the 1970s, he switched to a run-based option to better utilize the versatility of dual-threat [[quarterback]]s such as Jeff Quinn, [[Turner Gill]], [[Tommie Frazier]], and [[Scott Frost]].

One of the enduring moments of Osborne's tenure was the [[1984 Orange Bowl]]. [[1983 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]] entered the game 12–0 and had been ranked No. 1 the entire season. The Cornhuskers scored a late touchdown against No. 5 [[1983 Miami Hurricanes football team|Miami]] to cut the Hurricanes' lead to 31–30, but rather than kick the extra point to tie (which would have won the national title for NU), Osborne opted to attempt the two-point conversion and go for the win. However, Gill's pass attempt was tipped away in the end zone, giving hometown Miami the victory and their first national championship.

Nebraska lost another heartbreaking title game in the [[1994 Orange Bowl]]. Despite going into the game as a 17-point underdog, [[1993 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|the Cornhuskers]] held a 16–15 lead on [[1993 Florida State Seminoles football team|Florida State]] with less than two minutes remaining. After Florida State drove to retake the lead 18–16, Nebraska hit a quick downfield pass to get one last field goal attempt as time ran out, which sailed wide.

[[1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|The next year]], Osborne finally earned his first title as head coach, defeating [[1994 Miami Hurricanes football team|Miami]] in the [[1995 Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]]. The Huskers trailed 10–0 after one quarter, but rallied to win 24–17. The next year, [[1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|the Cornhuskers]] roared through the regular season, winning every game by at least 14 points and shattering offensive records. Nebraska defeated [[1995 Florida Gators football team|Florida]] 62–24 in the [[1996 Fiesta Bowl]] to earn Osborne his second national championship. Many pundits consider NU's 1995 team the best college football team of all time.<ref>[http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/alltimeNCF/bracket?lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1 ESPN.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021003200/http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/alltimeNCF/bracket?lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1 |date=October 21, 2007 }} sportsnation</ref>

Osborne announced his retirement late in the 1997 season, selecting longtime I-backs coach [[Frank Solich]] to succeed him.  In his final game, Nebraska won the national championship with a 42–17 victory over [[1997 Tennessee Volunteers football team|Tennessee]]. In his final five seasons, Osborne's record was a staggering 60–3, which remains the strongest finale to any Division I coaching career.

===Honors===
In 1995, Osborne received the Golden Plate Award of the [[Academy of Achievement|American Academy of Achievement]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |website=achievement.org |publisher=[[American Academy of Achievement]] |url=https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#sports}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |year=1995 |title=Mike Krzyzewski Biography Photo |url=https://achievement.org/achiever/mike-krzyzewski/ |quote=Members of the American Academy of Achievement in a panel discussion held at the 1995 Summit symposium at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia nearby Colonial Williamsburg: Heather L. Whitestone, Mike Wallace, Reverend Robert H. Schuller, Rosa Parks, Coach Tom Osborne, Coach Mike Krzyzewski, Naomi Judd, and Lady Bird Johnson.}}</ref>

In 1998, Nebraska renamed the playing surface at [[Memorial Stadium (Lincoln)|Memorial Stadium]] Tom Osborne Field. The stadium nearly doubled in size during his three decades on NU's coaching staff, a reflection of Nebraska's increased national prominence in that time.

Osborne was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1999 and received the [[Jim Thorpe Lifetime Achievement Award]] in 2000. In 1999, ESPN named Osborne the "coach of the decade" for the 1990s.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.www.dailynebraskan.com/media/storage/paper857/news/1999/12/13/Sports/Espn-Honors.Osborne.As.coach.Of.The.Decade-1735080.shtml|title=ESPN honors Osborne as 'coach of the decade'|newspaper=[[The Daily Nebraskan]]|accessdate=July 24, 2023|archive-date=January 6, 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110106200758/http://media.www.dailynebraskan.com/media/storage/paper857/news/1999/12/13/Sports/Espn-Honors.Osborne.As.coach.Of.The.Decade-1735080.shtml|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> A 2007 poll named Osborne the "greatest college football coach of all time".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/specialsection/citirosebowl/2007/sendFriend|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223010613/http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/specialsection/citirosebowl/2007/sendFriend|url-status=dead|title=Greatest College Football Coach of All Time|archive-date=December 23, 2007}}</ref>

In 2013, the [[NAIA Football National Championship]] trophy was named the Tom Osborne Trophy.<ref>{{cite web | title=NAIA football trophy to be named for Tom Osborne | website=The Kansas City Star | date=6 November 2013 | url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/campus-corner/article331182.html | access-date=24 July 2023}}</ref> In 2018, Osborne was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nfhs.org/resources/hall-of-fame/|title=Hall of Fame|website=nfhs.org|accessdate=July 24, 2023}}</ref>

===Coaching tree===
Osborne's Nebraska coaching staffs were renowned for their lack of turnover. Several assistants were known to have declined head coaching offers elsewhere to remain with the program. Notable examples include George Darlington (30 seasons), Milt Tenopir (29 seasons),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=5188|title=Husker Offensive Line Coaches Announce Retirement from Coaching|accessdate=July 24, 2023}}</ref> and Charles McBride (23 seasons)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=1393|title=Nebraska Defensive Coordinator Charlie McBride Retires|accessdate=July 24, 2023}}</ref> all of whom had opportunities to become head coaches. Darlington was the first assistant coach in Division I-A history to be involved in 300 wins at one school.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://gosoutheast.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/darlington_george00.html |title=SEMO OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE - Football |access-date=September 30, 2017 |archive-date=October 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001075409/http://gosoutheast.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/darlington_george00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, several assistant coaches and players under Osborne did go on to become NCAA head coaches:

* [[Craig Bohl]]: [[North Dakota State Bison football|North Dakota State]] (2003–13), [[Wyoming Cowboys football|Wyoming]] (2014–2023)
* [[Scott Frost]]: [[UCF Knights football|UCF]] (2016–2017, 2025-present), [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]] (2018–2022)
* [[Turner Gill]]: [[Buffalo Bulls football|Buffalo]] (2006–09), [[Kansas Jayhawks|Kansas]] (2010–11), [[Liberty Flames football|Liberty]] (2012–18)
* [[Frank Solich]]: [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]] (1998–2003), [[Ohio Bobcats football|Ohio]] (2005–2020)
* [[Tony Samuel]]: [[New Mexico State]] (1997–2004), [[Southeast Missouri State Redhawks|Southeast Missouri State]] (2006–13)
* [[Monte Kiffin]]: [[North Carolina State]] (1980–1982)
* [[Warren Powers]]: [[Washington State Cougars|Washington State]] (1977), [[Missouri Tigers|Missouri]] (1978–1984)

===Head coaching record===
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = both }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska Cornhuskers]]
 | conf      = [[Big Eight Conference]]
 | startyear = 1973
 | endyear   = 1995
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1973 NCAA Division I football season|1973]]
 | name         = [[1973 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–2–1
 | conference   = 4–2–1
 | confstanding = T–2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1974 Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = T–11
 | ranking2     = 7
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1974 NCAA Division I football season|1974]]
 | name         = [[1974 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–3
 | conference   = 5–2
 | confstanding = T–2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1974 Sugar Bowl|Sugar]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 9
 | ranking2     = 8
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1975 NCAA Division I football season|1975]]
 | name         = [[1975 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 10–2
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = [[1975 Fiesta Bowl|Fiesta]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 9
 | ranking2     = 9
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1976 NCAA Division I football season|1976]]
 | name         = [[1976 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–3–1
 | conference   = 4–3
 | confstanding = T–4th
 | bowlname     = [[1976 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl|Astro-Bluebonnet]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 7 
 | ranking2     = 9
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1977 NCAA Division I football season|1977]]
 | name         = [[1977 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–3
 | conference   = 5–2
 | confstanding = T–2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1977 Liberty Bowl|Liberty]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 10
 | ranking2     = 12
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1978 NCAA Division I-A football season|1978]]
 | name         = [[1978 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–3
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = [[1979 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 8
 | ranking2     = 8
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1979 NCAA Division I-A football season|1979]]
 | name         = [[1979 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 10–2
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1980 Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 7
 | ranking2     = 9
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1980 NCAA Division I-A football season|1980]]
 | name         = [[1980 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 10–2
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1980 Sun Bowl|Sun]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 7
 | ranking2     = 7
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1981 NCAA Division I-A football season|1981]]
 | name         = [[1981 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–3
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1982 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 9
 | ranking2     = 11
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1982 NCAA Division I-A football season|1982]]
 | name         = [[1982 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 12–1
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1983 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 3
 | ranking2     = 3
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1983 NCAA Division I-A football season|1983]]
 | name         = [[1983 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 12–1
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1984 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 2
 | ranking2     = 2
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1984 NCAA Division I-A football season|1984]]
 | name         = [[1984 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 10–2
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = [[1985 Sugar Bowl|Sugar]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 3
 | ranking2     = 4
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1985 NCAA Division I-A football season|1985]]
 | name         = [[1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–3
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1986 Fiesta Bowl|Fiesta]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 10
 | ranking2     = 11
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1986 NCAA Division I-A football season|1986]]
 | name         = [[1986 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 10–2
 | conference   = 5–2
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = [[1987 Sugar Bowl|Sugar]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 4
 | ranking2     = 5
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1987 NCAA Division I-A football season|1987]]
 | name         = [[1987 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 10–2
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1988 Fiesta Bowl|Fiesta]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 6
 | ranking2     = 6
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1988 NCAA Division I-A football season|1988]]
 | name         = [[1988 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 11–2
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 10
 | ranking2     = 10
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1989 NCAA Division I-A football season|1989]]
 | name         = [[1989 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 10–2
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1990 Fiesta Bowl|Fiesta]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 12
 | ranking2     = 11
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1990 NCAA Division I-A football season|1990]]
 | name         = [[1990 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–3
 | conference   = 5–2
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = [[1991 Florida Citrus Bowl|Florida Citrus]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = T–17
 | ranking2     = 24
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1991 NCAA Division I-A football season|1991]]
 | name         = [[1991 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–2–1
 | conference   = 6–0–1
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = [[1992 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 16
 | ranking2     = 15
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1992 NCAA Division I-A football season|1992]]
 | name         = [[1992 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–3
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1993 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = yes
 | ranking      = 14
 | ranking2     = 14
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1993 NCAA Division I-A football season|1993]]
 | name         = [[1993 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 11–1
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1994 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = L 
 | bcsbowl      = yes
 | ranking      = 3
 | ranking2     = 3
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | year         = [[1994 NCAA Division I-A football season|1994]]
 | name         = [[1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 13–0
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1995 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      = yes
 | ranking      = 1
 | ranking2     = 1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | year         = [[1995 NCAA Division I-A football season|1995]]
 | name         = [[1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 12–0
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1996 Fiesta Bowl|Fiesta]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      = yes
 | ranking      = 1
 | ranking2     = 1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska Cornhuskers]]
 | conf      = [[Big 12 Conference]]
 | startyear = 1996
 | endyear   = 1997
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = division
 | year         = [[1996 NCAA Division I-A football season|1996]]
 | name         = [[1996 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 11–2
 | conference   = 8–0
 | confstanding = 1st <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[1997 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      = yes
 | ranking      = 6
 | ranking2     = 6
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | year         = [[1997 NCAA Division I-A football season|1997]]
 | name         = [[1997 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 13–0
 | conference   = 8–0
 | confstanding = 1st <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[1998 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = W 
 | bcsbowl      = yes
 | ranking      = 1
 | ranking2     = 2
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Nebraska
 | overall    = 255–49–3
 | confrecord = 153–22–2
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall   = 255–49–3
 | yearstart = 1992
 | yearend   = 1997
 | poll      = two
 | polltype  =
}}
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://huskerpedia.com/1970s.html |title=1970s Nebraska football schedules -- HuskerMax™ |work=huskerpedia.com |access-date=February 21, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://huskerpedia.com/1980s.html |title=1980s Nebraska football schedules -- HuskerMax™ |work=huskerpedia.com |access-date=February 21, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://huskerpedia.com/1990s.html |title=1990s Nebraska football schedules -- HuskerMax™ |work=huskerpedia.com |access-date=February 21, 2017}}</ref>

==Athletic director==
From 1979 to 1998, Osborne was an assistant athletic director at Nebraska, under both [[Bob Devaney]] and [[Bill Byrne (athletic director)|Bill Byrne]].<ref name="1997 profile">{{cite web |title=Tom Osborne's profile |url=http://huskerwebcast.com/sports/football/coaches/osborne/profile.html |publisher=Nebraska Cornhuskers |access-date=February 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991008224350/http://huskerwebcast.com/sports/football/coaches/osborne/profile.html |archive-date=October 8, 1999 |year=1997}}</ref>

Osborne and the [[1997 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1997 national championship team]] were the guests of honor at Nebraska's [[2007 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|2007]] Homecoming game. Just two days after the resulting 45–14 loss to [[Oklahoma State Cowboys football|Oklahoma State]] – Nebraska's worst home loss since being shut out 31–0 by Missouri in 1958 – athletic director [[Steve Pederson]] was fired. On October 16, 2007, Osborne was named interim [[athletic director]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Osborne named interim athletic director |publisher=Lincoln Journal Star |url=http://journalstar.com/huskerextra/football/doc4715087394349202795479.txt |access-date=October 16, 2007 |date=October 16, 2007}}</ref> On November 24, 2007, Osborne fired head coach [[Bill Callahan (American football coach)|Bill Callahan]] following a 5–7 season. Osborne appointed himself interim head coach so that he could perform recruiting duties while remaining in compliance with NCAA rules.<ref>{{cite news |title=Recruiting Tool: Osborne Names Himself Interim Coach |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/29/AR2007112901516.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=August 31, 2018}}</ref> He served in this capacity for less than a week before naming [[Bo Pelini]] head coach on December 2. In 2010, Osborne ended Nebraska's long-standing relationship with the [[Big 12 Conference]] and accepted an invitation for the school to become the twelfth member of the [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]].

On December 19, Nebraska removed the interim tag from Osborne's title and announced he would remain athletic director through June 30, 2010. Osborne was paid $250,000 per year to manage Nebraska's 23-sport program.<ref>{{cite news |title='Interim' label dropped as Osborne agrees to lead department into 2010 |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/news/story?id=3161634 |publisher=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |access-date=December 19, 2007 |date=December 19, 2007}}</ref> Osborne later agreed to continue as athletic director after 2010, with his position to be reviewed annually.<ref>{{cite news |title=Osborne to stay after contract expires |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/sory?id=4249142 |publisher=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |access-date=February 9, 2012 |date=June 10, 2009}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> On September 26, 2012, Osborne announced his retirement, effective January 1 of the following year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8427343/nebraska-cornhuskers-ad-tom-osborne-going-retire |title=Nebraska AD Osborne going to retire in January |work=go.com |date=September 26, 2012 |access-date=February 21, 2017}}</ref> Osborne officially resigned on January 2, 2013, after returning to Lincoln with the football team following their participation in the [[2013 Capital One Bowl|Capital One Bowl]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=205863988&SPID=76795&SPSID=597347 |title=Eichorst's Feet Firmly Planted as He Begins to Take Over for a Legend |work=huskers.com |access-date=February 21, 2017}}</ref>

==Political career==
===House of Representatives===
Early in 2000, Osborne announced that he would run in Nebraska's 3rd District as a Republican. He had grown up in [[Hastings, Nebraska|Hastings]], one of the larger cities in the sprawling district, and claimed a home in [[Lemoyne, Nebraska|Lemoyne]], near [[Ogallala, Nebraska|Ogallala]], as his district residence. However, he hadn't lived regularly in the district since at least 1964; for most of that time he lived in Lincoln, the heart of the [[Nebraska's 1st congressional district|1st District]]. Nonetheless, due to his wide popularity in the state, he easily won the Republican primary, which was [[tantamount to election]] in what has long been one of the most Republican districts in the nation. He breezed to victory in November with 83 percent of the vote. He was reelected with no major-party opposition in 2002 and against a Democrat in 2004.

In Congress, Osborne's voting record was moderate to conservative. He garnered a lifetime rating of 83 from the [[American Conservative Union]].

At one point, Osborne teamed up with Nebraska [[Nebraska Legislature|State Senator]] [[Ernie Chambers]], normally his political adversary, to oppose efforts to expand [[gambling]] in Nebraska.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamblingwiththegoodlife.com/P16.pdf |title=gamblingwiththegoodlife.com |access-date=May 24, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060317134737/http://www.gamblingwiththegoodlife.com/P16.pdf |archive-date=March 17, 2006}}</ref>

Following Osborne's congressional service, President [[George W. Bush]] appointed him as a member of the Board of Directors of the [[Corporation for National and Community Service]] in 2007, but he resigned in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.americorpsalums.org/news/11316/Senate-Confirms-5-Members-To-Serve-On-National-Service-Agency-Board.htm|title=Senate Confirms 5 Members To Serve On National Service Agency Board|work=AmeriCorps Alums|date=November 21, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2008/12/20081208-10.html|title=Nominations Sent to the Senate|work=The White House|date=December 8, 2008}}</ref>

===2006 governor's race===
{{main|2006 Nebraska gubernatorial election}}
In 2006, Osborne ran for [[Governor of Nebraska]], challenging incumbent [[Dave Heineman]] and Omaha businessman [[Dave Nabity]] in the Republican primary.

Osborne was initially thought to be the favorite in the race, given his tremendous popularity in the state. However, Heineman took 49 percent of the more than 197,000 votes cast to Osborne's 45 percent.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-nebraska.html ''The New York Times''] - politics - Nebraska</ref>

The ''[[Lincoln Journal Star]]'' analyzed the race:
<blockquote>
While Osborne captured populous Omaha and Lincoln, Heineman sealed his victory in rural counties and key population centers in western and central Nebraska's critical Republican battleground ... it was the political impact of two gubernatorial vetoes that appeared to lift [Heineman] into a late surge, especially in Osborne's congressional district.

Heineman's opposition to Class I rural school reorganization and the granting of resident college tuition rates to the children of illegal immigrants cut into Osborne's support. Osborne declined to sign referendum petitions seeking voter repeal of the rural school legislation and said he would have signed the resident tuition bill." [http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2006/05/10/elections/2006/may/doc446141c0eec15506554528.txt]
</blockquote>

==See also==
* [[List of college football career coaching wins leaders]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
* {{CongBio|O000165}}
* {{cfbhof|id=2044|name=Tom Osborne}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/19980131055311/http://huskerwebcast.com/sports/football/coaches/osborne/index.html Nebraska biography (archived from 1997)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060827034914/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/o000165/ Voting record maintained by the Washington Post]
* [http://teammates.org/ TeamMates Mentoring Program], founded by Osborne and his wife, Nancy
* {{C-SPAN|54594}}
* {{Footballstats |nfl=2522566 |cfl= |afl= |espn= |cbs=  |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=OsboTo00 |dbf= |rotoworld=}}

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{{NebraskaUSRepresentatives}}
{{USCongRep-start |congresses=107th–109th [[United States Congress]] |state=[[United States congressional delegations from Nebraska|Nebraska]]}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Osborne, Tom}}
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