Fansided

Best college football coach in history from each state

By Nathaniel Reeves

TUSCALOOSA, AL - CIRCA 1958-1982: Paul Bryant, head coach of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team observes the play during a game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Alabama) (Photo by University of Alabama/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - CIRCA 1958-1982: Paul Bryant, head coach of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team observes the play during a game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Alabama) (Photo by University of Alabama/Collegiate Images/Getty Images) /
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31 Oct 1998: Former head coach Tom Osborne of the Nebraska Cornhuskers waves to the crowd during the game against the Texas Longhorns at the Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Longhorns defeated the Cornhuskers 20-16. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport
31 Oct 1998: Former head coach Tom Osborne of the Nebraska Cornhuskers waves to the crowd during the game against the Texas Longhorns at the Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Longhorns defeated the Cornhuskers 20-16. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport /

Nebraska: Tom Osborne

Over 250 career wins and three national titles put Osborne in the conversation as one of the most successful coaches ever, with nobody ever likely to match him in Nebraska football lore.

A native of rural Hastings, Osborne starred in football and basketball at his hometown college. The San Francisco 49ers drafted Osborne to play wide receiver, although his professional career would end after just three seasons.

Osborne headed to Nebraska to pursue a doctorate degree and took his first coaching job as an assistant with the Cornhuskers in 1964 before being promoted to offensive coordinator four years later. Nebraska rose to national prominence for the first time during the era under Bob Devaney and picked Osborne to replace him upon his retirement from coaching in 1973.

Devaney set lofty standards with two national titles near the end of his career, but the program didn’t fall off much under Osborne with at least nine wins in each of his 24 seasons in charge. Despite 14 career double-digit win seasons, a national championship eluded Osborne for almost his entire career, but he was able to retire on a happy note with titles in 1994, 1995 and 1997.

With a career record of 255-49-3 and three of Nebraska’s five claimed championships, Osborne outpaces even his predecessor in Cornhusker lore.  The Cornhuskers enjoyed some success under Frank Solich, but are still looking to get back to national contender status.

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