In the second episode of the Common Fans’ deep dive into Tom Osborne’s career, the boys look at TO’s early days as Nebraska’s head coach in the 1970s.

• Husker legend Tom Ruud discusses his days playing for both Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne.
• Long time sportswriters Mike Babcock and Brandon Vogel also join the conversation.
• Changing of the guard from Devaney to Osborne.
• Early struggles to beat Oklahoma.
• Storyline that TO “can’t win the big one” begins to emerge.
• After the pressure cooker of his first several years, Osborne actually interviews for the head coaching job at Colorado.
• By the end of the decade, TO is firmly in place in Lincoln, and has established himself as an excellent head coach with a program on the rise heading into the 1980s.

Thanks to Tom Ruud, Mike Babcock and Brandon Vogel for joining us for this conversation. GBR for LIFE!

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The Common Fans launch their new summer series focused on Tom Osborne’s coaching career with a look at his time as an assistant to Bob Devaney.

• If you wanted to make the case that God’s a Cornhusker, there might not be a better place to start than here: Tom Osborne arrived on Nebraska’s campus as a young graduate student in pursuit of a PhD within a month of Bob Devaney taking over as the Huskers’ head football coach.
• Osborne would spend several years straddling the fence between doctoral studies and helping out in various roles as an assistant on the football team.
• Thankfully for all of Husker Nation, he ultimately chose to pursue football full time.
• After two sub-par seasons in 1967 and 1968, Devaney completely overhauls the program. Among many other changes, TO is installed as offensive coordinator.
• That one decision arguably did more to impact the future of Nebraska football than anything else.
• Osborne would play a central role in reimagining Nebraska’s offense, creating Husker Power (the nation’s first ever collegiate strength and conditioning program), emphasizing coast-to-coast recruiting, and ultimately turning the program around.
• A direct line can be drawn from the changes Devaney implemented after 1968 (with TO’s promotion arguably being the most consequential) to Nebraska’s first two national championships in 1970 and 1971.
• All this and much more about Osborne’s days as an assistant to Devaney in this first episode of our summer series about TO!



Thanks to Omaha World Herald writer Henry Cordes along with Brandon Vogel of the Counter Read newsletter for joining us for this conversation. GBR for LIFE!

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The Common Fans announce “TO,” a new series of episodes focused on Tom Osborne’s career at Nebraska.

• Similar to last year’s series, “The Reckoning,” the Common Fans once again bring you a summer series to look back at certain aspects of Nebraska football history to help you survive until football season.
• As the offensive coordinator of the Huskers’ first two national championship teams, and the head coach for the other three, TO is arguably THE central figure in Nebraska football history.
• The series will look at his time as an assistant to Bob Devaney, straddling graduate school and football coaching before ultimately being elevated on Devaney’s staff; his early days as Nebraska’s head man in the ‘70s; his excellent, national championship-caliber teams of the ‘80s; and his dominant, record breaking teams of the ‘90s.
• Through that lens, we also dig into the man himself, looking at what made him tick as a coach, his focus on process, how he handled players, the multiple ways in which he was an innovator, and much more.
• Guests for each episode include reporters who covered the era being examined, as well as players from each era.
• Episodes will be released every Monday for six weeks starting June 23.
• Former player guests include: Tom Ruud, Steve Taylor, Abdul Muhammad, and Grant Wistrom.
• Media guests include: Tom Shatel, Mitch Sherman, Ken Hambleton, Mike Babcock, Henry Cordes, and Brandon Vogel.

This episode will get you ready for the new series to launch on Monday. GBR for LIFE!

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You can now find all Common Fan videos and articles on www.huskermax.com as well as www.si.com/college/college-football/team/nebraska-cornhuskers.

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The Common Fans discuss the most essential players for the Nebraska football team in the coming season.

• Optimism abounds at numerous positions of need.
• While expectations are high for Matt Rhule in year 3, the Huskers will need numerous players who have been in the program for several years to take the next step.
• They also need multiple transfers to have an immediate impact.
• Dylan = obvious #1.
• Who comes after Emmett Johnson in the RB room?
• WR Dane Key highlights a talented transfer class.
• Riley Van Poppel headlines a talented but unproven group of underclassmen.
• Let’s not forget about special teams…

And much more on the latest edition of the Common Fan Podcast!

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You can now find all Common Fan videos and articles on www.huskermax.com as well as www.si.com/college/college-football/team/nebraska-cornhuskers.

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The Common Fans share some of their (and their listeners') most extreme reactions–both meltdowns and celebrations–to Nebraska football games over the years.

• One of the guiding principles of the Common Fan Podcast is: We Don’t Judge.
• Whatever Nebraska football has made you do over the years, this is a safe place to share your experiences.
• Whether it was punching the couch, putting a hole in the ceiling, or ending up in jail, the Common Fans share some of their (and their listeners’) most extreme reactions to Nebraska football over the years.
• 1994 Orange Bowl against Florida State? 2009 Big 12 championship game against Texas? The inexplicable Special Teams meltdown against Michigan State in 2021? All discussed during this episode.
• Not to worry, we talk about the great wins as well, including: the Westercatch; the flea kicker; the first national championship of the ‘90s; and many others!

Pour yourself a glass of Big Red Kool Aid and kick back and enjoy this hilarious and engaging episode from the Common Fans!

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The Common Fans go through the 2025 schedule and pick wins and losses for every game.

• The ax forgets, but the tree remembers. It’s time for Nebraska football to be the ax again.
• Early part of the schedule lines up well for the Huskers.
• Under the lights at Arrowhead.
• First conference game vs. Michigan a major opportunity.
• Husker fans sweating the trip to Minneapolis?
• No one knows that to make of Northwestern.
• Ending with a grind vs. USC, UCLA, Penn State and Iowa.
• Year 3 for Matt Rhule – it’s time to win some games we haven’t in recent years.

This and so much more on the latest episode of the Common Fan Podcast!

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You can now find all Common Fan videos and articles on www.huskermax.com as well as www.si.com/college/college-football/team/nebraska-cornhuskers.

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The Common Fans discuss all the latest Husker news of the last week, including comments from Scott Frost and a new development with the Michigan game in September.

• Frost’s inability to say the word “Nebraska.”
• Many Husker fans want to see the former player and coach succeed again at UCF, but it would help if he could acknowledge his time in Lincoln.
• The absurdity of Michigan trying to slap its own wrist as a penalty for the cheating scandal.
• Why would the Wolverines propose Nebraska as the only conference game Sherrone Moore should miss?
• Trae Taylor’s commitment: the first commit of the 2027 class is a big time QB who is already peer recruiting for the Huskers.
• And finally, which Big Ten football coaches would make the best wrestlers?

This and so much more on the latest episode of the Common Fan Podcast!

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You can now find all Common Fan videos and articles on www.huskermax.com as well as www.si.com/college/college-football/team/nebraska-cornhuskers.

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For more college football coverage, check out The College Huddle: https://thecollegehuddle.com/

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What are the most pivotal games for Nebraska in 2025? What games will come to define the season for the Big Red? The Common Fans dive in for a discussion about the most important games on the schedule as the Huskers look to build on their bowl season in 2024.

• Does anyone like PJ Fleck?
• The hate for Iowa burns strong.
• First conference game at home vs. Michigan is massive.
• USC is a mystery.
• Surprisingly, Penn State doesn’t come up until late in the episode.
• What about Game 1? Yet another unorthodox season opener, as the Huskers will open the season on the road against a Power 5 opponent for the first time in five years.

This and so much more on the latest episode of the Common Fan Podcast!

Subscribe on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@commonfanGBR

Check out our website: www.commonfan.co

Our Partners:

You can now find all Common Fan videos and articles on www.huskermax.com as well as www.si.com/college/college-football/team/nebraska-cornhuskers.

For more Husker coverage, check out Carriker Chronicles: https://carrikerchronicles.com/

For more college football coverage, check out The College Huddle: https://thecollegehuddle.com/

GBR for LIFE!