1950 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

The 1950 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team was the representative of the University of Nebraska and member of the Big 7 Conference in the 1950 college football season. The team was coached by Bill Glassford and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Halfback Bobby Reynolds led the country in scoring (157 points), ranked second nationally in rushing (1,342 yards) and finished fifth in the 1950 Heisman Trophy voting.

As a team, the Cornhuskers ranked third nationally in rushing offense (321.6 yards per game) and ninth in total offense (407.3 yards per game).

Before the season After the dark decade of the 1940s, where the Cornhusker program found only one winning season, second-year head coach Glassford had arrived and brought a faint hope to the Cornhusker faithful by fielding a 1949 team that appeared competitive. As coach Glassford settled in for his second year, he increased the coaching staff from seven to nine personnel, and the new decade opened with hopes that Nebraska could once again take its place among the best of the college football programs in the United States.

On April 8, 1950, Nebraska held its first ever Spring Game scrimmage (later known as the Red-White Game) against a team of Nebraska alumni players (supplemented by a handful of varsity members). The two teams played to a 13–13 tie.

Schedule

Roster 30 Adduci, Nick FB 61 Bauer, Arthur G 40 Bloom, Don HB 72 Boll, Don T 65 Brasee, Carl G 55 Britt, Ted C 87 Carney E 45 Carroll, Jack HB 13 Clark, Ron HB 86 Connor, Ted T 31 Curtis, Clayton HB 46 Dinklage T Dorn, Harold HB 14 Ferguson, Gerald HB 78 Fiene T 79 Godfrey, James T 76 Goeglein, Richard T 67 Goll, Dick G 47 Grimm T 71 Handshy, Wayne T 63 Harper, Tom G 68 Hoy, Rex G 66 Husmann, Ed G 20 Lehman HB 44 Levendusky, James HB 75 Maxe, Bill T 51 McGill, Joe C 22 Meyer, Frank G 41 Mueller, William HB 74 Mullen, Robert T 21 Nagle, Fran QB 88 Novak, Ray E 82 Paynich, George E 69 Pedersen, Donald G 10 Ponsiego, Joe G 83 Prochaska, George E 73 Reese, Herbert E 80 Regier, Dick E 12 Reynolds, Bobby HB 84 Roper E 50 Schroeder, Ken C 52 Scott, Verl C 81 Simon, Frank E 15 Sommers, James HB 64 Spellman, Walt G 62 Strasheim, Don G 53 Thibault, Hyle C 70 Toogood, Charles T 16 Winey, Leo FB 89 Wingender, Bill FB Bob Tritsch- Student Manager 1948–1951, Senior Student Manager 1950–51

Depth Chart + Defense by committee HB

LB LB

RE RT RG LT LT LE

+Offensive starters + LE Frank Simon Gerald Ferguson George Paynich

LG C RG LT RT Art Bauer Joe McGill Don Strasheim Charlie Toogood Walt Spellman Rex Hoy Verl Scott Carl Brasee Don Boll Wayne Handshy

RE Dick Regier George Prochaska

QB Fran Nagle

LB RB FB Bobby Reynolds William Mueller Nick Adduci Bill Wingender Don Bloom Ron Clark Clayton Curtis

Coaching staff Name Title First yearin this position Years atNebraska Alma materBill GlassfordHead coach19491949–1955PittsburghL. F. "Pop" KleinAssistant coach19451945–1958Ray ProchaskaEnds coach19501947–1948, 1950–1954NebraskaIke HanscombFreshman coach19481948–1953Bob DavisBackfield coach19491949–1955Peter JanetosFreshman coach19491949–1952Marvin FranklinDefensive coach19501949–1951VanderbiltRalph FifeOffensive Line coach19501950–1952Neal MehringDefensive coach19501950–1951

Game summaries

Indiana

Nebraska put a stop to Indiana's seven-game winning streak against the Cornhuskers by bringing a strong performance to the opening game of the season. The Hoosiers escaped a defeat only by a handful of fumbles lost by Cornhusker miscues. It was the first time since 1938 that Nebraska had fought a contest to a tie, a 0–0 scoreless affair which also happened to be against Indiana. The Cornhuskers pulled up to 3–7–3 against Indiana to date.

Indiana Game starters

PositionPlayerQuarterbackFran NagelLeft BackBobby Reynolds Right backWilliam Mueller FullbackClayton CurtisRight EndDick Regier Right TackleWalt SpellmanLeft TackleCharles Toogood Right GuardDon StrasheimCenterJoe McGillLeft GuardArt Baur Left EndFrank Simon

PositionPlayerLeft EndBill MaxeLeft TackleTed ConnorLeft Guard Don BollRight GuardVerl ScottRight Tackle Robert MullenRight EndRich GoegleinLinebackerHerbert ReeseLinebackerRon ClarkCornerbackNick Adduci CornerbackDon BloomSafetyGeorge Prochaska

Minnesota

Encouraged by the strong showing the week prior against the Hoosiers, Nebraska traveled to Minneapolis and refused to be intimidated by the Golden Gophers. By the time Minnesota managed to score, Nebraska was already enjoying a 26–0 lead and had the Gophers on their heels. Minnesota's adjustments after halftime brought some results, but not enough for them to escape the rare home field defeat. Minnesota's ten-game winning streak against Nebraska was snapped at last, and the Cornhuskers reveled in their first win in Minneapolis since a 6–0 decision against the Gophers dating back to 1902. Nebraska now stood at 5–25–2 in the series and had much ground to cover if they ever hoped to catch up, but the momentous win was cause to celebrate. Perhaps Nebraska was finally on the way back.

Minnesota Game starters

PositionPlayerQuarterbackFran NagelLeft BackBobby Reynolds Right backWilliam Mueller FullbackBill WingenderRight EndDick Regier Right TackleWalt SpellmanLeft TackleCharles Toogood Right GuardDon StrasheimCenterJoe McGillLeft GuardArt Baur Left EndFrank Simon

PositionPlayerLeft EndBill MaxeLeft TackleDon BollLeft Guard Rex HoyRight GuardVerl ScottRight Tackle Robert MullenRight EndRich GoegleinLinebackerHerbert ReeseLinebackerRon ClarkCornerbackNick Adduci CornerbackDon BloomSafetyGeorge Prochaska

Colorado

Fresh from their triumph in Minneapolis, the Cornhuskers arrived in Boulder looking for another win to establish the return of the program to greatness. Colorado would have none of that, however, and dealt the uninspired Nebraska squad its first loss of the season to move to 3–6–3 in the series.

Colorado Game starters

PositionPlayerQuarterbackFran NagelLeft BackBobby Reynolds Right backWilliam Mueller FullbackBill WingenderRight EndDick Regier Right TackleWayne HandshyLeft TackleCharles Toogood Right GuardDon StrasheimCenterJoe McGillLeft GuardWalt SpellmanLeft EndGerald Ferguson

PositionPlayerLeft EndBill MaxeLeft TackleDon BollLeft Guard Dick GollRight GuardVerl ScottRight Tackle Ed HusmannRight EndRich GoegleinLinebackerGeorge ProchaskaLinebackerRon ClarkCornerbackNick Adduci CornerbackDon BloomSafetyRobert Mullen

Penn State

Nebraska bounced back from the flat performance of the week before, and was firing on all cylinders when Penn State arrived in Lincoln for the first time ever in the third meeting of these teams. Cornhusker HB Bobby Reynolds accounted for more personal yards on the day then the entire Nittany Lion team, and the Nebraska defense held strong to prevent Penn State from ever finding the scoreboard, securing the first Nebraska win in the series. So far, except for the aberration in Boulder, the season had opened with exceptional success as the Cornhuskers were undefeated against three powerhouse teams, two of which were longtime rivals.

Penn State Game starters

PositionPlayerLeft EndGeorge PaynichLeft TackleDon BollLeft Guard Carl BraseeRight GuardVerl ScottRight Tackle Tom HarperRight EndRobert MullenLinebackerGeorge ProchaskaLinebackerBobby ReynoldsCornerbackEd HusmannCornerbackDon BloomSafetyClayton Curtis

Kansas

The Cornhuskers continued to build on the season's rising tide of successes by defeating the Jayhawks in Lawrence, snapping their three-game skid against Kansas. Nebraska was now 41–12–3 against the Jayhawks all-time.

Kansas Game starters

PositionPlayerQuarterbackFran NagelLeft BackBobby Reynolds Right backRon ClarkFullbackClayton CurtisRight EndDick Regier Right TackleWalt SpellmanLeft TackleCharles Toogood Right GuardDon StrasheimCenterJoe McGillLeft GuardArt BaurLeft EndFrank Simon

PositionPlayerLeft EndGeorge Prochaska Left TackleCharles ToogoodLeft Guard Don BollRight GuardEd HusmannRight Tackle Rich GoegleinRight EndGeorge PaynichLinebackerRobert MullenLinebackerVerl ScottCornerbackRon ClarkCornerbackDon BloomSafetyNick Adduci

Missouri

The 1950 homecoming game was attended by former Cornhusker football players who had battled in the 1941 Rose Bowl ten seasons prior, and the new decade's version of the Cornhuskers did not disappoint. For the first time since 1945, Nebraska pulled in a homecoming victory, in an offensive shootout that amassed over 1,000 combined offensive yards by both teams. The defeat of Missouri ended a five-game Tiger winning streak, and put Nebraska ahead in the series at 25–15–3.

Missouri Game starters

PositionPlayerQuarterbackFran NagelLeft BackBobby Reynolds Right backRon ClarkFullbackNick AdduciRight EndDick Regier Right TackleWalt SpellmanLeft TackleCharles Toogood Right GuardDon StrasheimCenterJoe McGillLeft GuardArt BaurLeft EndFrank Simon

PositionPlayerLeft EndBill MaxeLeft TackleCharles ToogoodLeft Guard Rex HoyRight GuardVerl ScottRight Tackle Don BollRight EndRobert Mullen LinebackerGeorge ProchaskaLinebackerRon ClarkCornerback Clayton CurtisCornerbackDon BloomSafetyCarl Brasee

Kansas State

Kansas State found itself in the path of a rolling Cornhusker squad that was listed in the AP Poll for the first time since 1941, and was unable to get out of the way as the Cornhuskers hung 49 points on the scoreboard before the final whistle, which was the most points scored in a single game by Nebraska since a 53–0 blanking of lowly South Dakota in 1945. Nebraska had now defeated the Wildcats in eight straight meetings and continued to lead the series at 28–4–2.

Kansas State Game starters

PositionPlayerLeft EndGeorgie PaynichLeft TackleCharles ToogoodLeft Guard Don BollRight GuardVerl ScottRight Tackle Carl BraseeRight EndRich GoegleinLinebackerGeorge ProchaskaLinebackerRon ClarkCornerbackClayton CurtisCornerbackDon BloomSafetyRobert Mullen

Iowa State

Apparently the voters in the AP Poll were not adequately impressed with Nebraska's win over downtrodden Kansas State the previous week, as the Cornhuskers actually fell two spots in the poll before facing Iowa State in Lincoln. A single touchdown proved to be the difference in the game, as the Cyclones fought a fairly close game, holding Nebraska to under 30 points for the first time in four games. The Cornhuskers increased their commanding series lead to 35–8–1.

Iowa State Game starters

PositionPlayerLeft EndCharles ToogoodLeft TackleRich GoegleinLeft Guard Rex HoyRight GuardVerl ScottRight Tackle Carl BraseeRight EndDon BollLinebackerGeorge ProchaskaLinebackerRon ClarkCornerbackLeo WineyCornerbackDon BloomSafetyRobert Mullen

Oklahoma

1950 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

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