I’ve only been covering Nebraska football a couple of years, but you don’t need a lifetime in the Memorial Stadium press box to recognize greatness when Sporting News drops its SN 140 all-decade All-America teams. As part of the publication’s 140th anniversary this week, they rolled out first-team squads for every decade from the 1960s through the 2020s. For a program with Nebraska’s history, the list of Huskers who made the cut reads like a greatest-hits album of college football excellence, and a reminder of what Nebraska is trying to become once again. Here’s the full rundown of Nebraska’s representatives, decade by decade.
1960s:
Guard Bob Brown earned a spot on the offensive line. A consensus All-American and Outland Trophy winner in 1963, Brown was a dominant force who helped set the tone for what Nebraska would become under Bob Devaney. Nebraska Football highlighted him as a “Husker great” when the selection was announced, and it’s easy to see why his physical style still resonates with fans today.
1970s:
Two Huskers made the 1970s team: wingback/all-purpose star Johnny Rodgers and defensive lineman Rich Glover. Rodgers, the 1972 Heisman Trophy winner, was selected for his unmatched versatility. Sporting News specifically called out his 72-yard punt return for a touchdown that helped spark Nebraska’s win over Oklahoma in the 1971 “Game of the Century.” A two-time All-American, he was central to the back-to-back national championships in 1970 and 1971. Glover, the middle guard, swept the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award in 1972. A consensus All-American, he was a cornerstone of those early Blackshirt defenses.
1980s:
The offensive line again delivered, with center Dave Rimington and guard Dean Steinkuhler. Rimington remains one of the most decorated linemen in college football history, the only player to win the Outland Trophy in consecutive years (1981 and 1982). He also took home the Lombardi Award in 1982, earned two unanimous All-America honors, and even finished fifth in Heisman voting. His No. 50 is retired, and the annual Rimington Trophy for the nation’s top center is named after him. Steinkuhler followed in 1983 by winning both the Outland and Lombardi awards while anchoring the “Scoring Explosion” offense. A consensus All-American whose No. 71 jersey is also retired, he was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1984 NFL Draft and is still remembered for the famous “Fumblerooski” in the Orange Bowl.
1990s:
Three Huskers landed on the 1990s team: quarterback Tommie Frazier, guard Will Shields, and center Aaron Taylor. Frazier led Nebraska to consecutive national titles in 1994 and 1995 as the ultimate option quarterback, combining 3,521 passing yards with 1,955 rushing yards over his career. Shields was a unanimous All-American and Outland Trophy winner in 1992, a four-year starter whose consistency defined the offensive line. Taylor, a three-time national champion, won the Outland Trophy in 1997.
2000s:
Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh made the 2000s team. Sporting News described him as one of the most intimidating players of the era, and the numbers back it up, Outland, Lombardi, Nagurski, and Bednarik awards in 2009, plus a fourth-place Heisman finish, even though he was clearly the best player in 2009. His 24 sacks and 49.5 tackles for loss still stand out as some of the most impressive defensive production in recent program history.
2010s and 2020s
No Nebraska players were selected for the 2010s or 2020s teams.
Covering the current Huskers for the past couple of years has given me a deeper appreciation for how special these earlier eras were. The SN 140 doesn’t just list names; it is a reminder of the all-time greats who played before many of us were born. Players so great we named awards after them, retired their jersey, and etched them forever into the football hall of fame It also reconnects a new generation of fans with the standard Nebraska once set. From Bob Brown’s toughness in the 1960s to Suh’s disruption in the 2000s, these selections show why the name “Nebraska” still carries weight in college football conversations and always will.