Distinguished Speaker - Tom Osborne |
U.S Congressman - 2001-06 |
Legendary Coach - Nebraska, Head Football Coach 1973-97 |
Nebraska, Athletic Director 2007- 2013 |
Osborne was one of the most successful coaches in American college
football history, with a career record of 255–49–3, 13 conference
championships, and three national championships. He was inducted
into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1999. Osborne was
later elected U.S. Representative from Nebraska's 3rd congressional
district, as a Republican. He served three terms, from 2001 to 2006. In
2007, he returned to the University of Nebraska as athletic director
(AD). He retired as AD in January 2013.
Tom Osborne was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in
1999, and in 2000, he received the Jim Thorpe Lifetime Achievement
Award. In 1999, ESPN honored Osborne as the coach of the decade for
the 1990s. This honor is even more impressive considering the fact that
he did not coach for 20% of the decade. In a 2007 online ESPN poll,
Osborne was voted the “greatest college football coach of all time”.
In 1999, Nebraska renamed the playing surface at Memorial Stadium
Tom Osborne Field in Osborne’s honor. The stadium had almost
doubled in size during his three decades on the coaching staff, reflecting
Nebraska’s increased national prominence in that time.
In 1999, Nebraska renamed the playing surface at Memorial Stadium
Tom Osborne Field in Osborne’s honor. The stadium had almost
doubled in size during his three decades on the coaching staff, reflecting
Nebraska’s increased national prominence in that time.
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) unveiled its
new football national championship trophy, fittingly renamed the Tom
Osborne National Championship Trophy in recognition of the former
three-sport NAIA student-athlete and longtime University of Nebraska
head coach.
Today, he is very involved his TeamMates Mentoring Program founded
in 1991 with his wife. TeamMates provides support and encouragement
to school aged youth. The goal of the program is to see youth graduate
from high school and pursue post-secondary education. To reach this
goal, youth meet one hour per week with a caring adult who serves as a
mentor. Mentors are volunteers from the community who have
dedicated themselves to making a difference in the life of a young
person. Mentors give youth a sense of hope, purpose and vision. The
TeamMates Mentoring Program currently provides a mentor for over
7,000 youth across Nebraska and Iowa.
