LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Tom Osborne, who coached Nebraska to three national championships in the 1990s and ended his career with one of the highest winning percentages in college football history, on Wednesday became the first living person voted into the state historical society’s Nebraska Hall of Fame.
The state legislature in April passed a law paving the way for the 89-year-old Osborne’s entry. The law set aside the stipulation that a person must be deceased at least 35 years before he or she can be considered. The hall of fame commission voted 7-0 in favor of Osborne’s induction.
“His love of Nebraska and the people in Nebraska, what he’s done for Nebraska, is just absolutely second to none,” Gov. Jim Pillen said. “That we’re able to recognize him is a really, really special day.”
After retiring from coaching after the 1997 season, Osborne was a three-term congressman representing Nebraska’s 3rd District from 2001-07. He and his wife, Nancy, founded the Teammates youth mentoring program in 1991.
Osborne grew up in Hastings, played football at Hastings College and was an assistant at Nebraska under Bob Devaney before he took over as head coach in 1973. Osborne had a 255-49-3 record over 25 seasons, and his .836 winning percentage ranks seventh all time in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
His teams in 1994 and ’95 were consensus national champions and his 1997 team shared the title with Michigan. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
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