This is a list of Nebraska Cornhuskers football honors and awards. Nebraska players have won twenty-nine major awards, including three Heisman Trophies, and the school's nine Outland Trophy winners are the most of any program.
Heisman Trophy
Winners Johnny Rodgers – 1972 Mike Rozier – 1983 Eric Crouch – 2001
Finalists Sam Francis – 1936 Bobby Reynolds – 1950 Rich Glover – 1972 David Humm – 1974 Dave Rimington – 1982 Turner Gill – 1983 Tommie Frazier – 1995 Ndamukong Suh – 2009
National awards
Player of the year Associated Press (since 1998): Ndamukong Suh (2009) Bronko Nagurski Trophy (since 1993): Ndamukong Suh (2009) Chuck Bednarik Award (since 1995): Ndamukong Suh (2009) Maxwell Award (since 1937): Mike Rozier (1983) The Sporting News (since 1942): Mike Rozier (1983), Tommie Frazier (1995), Eric Crouch (2001) UPI (1950–1991): Johnny Rodgers (1972), Mike Rozier (1983) Walter Camp Award (since 1967): Johnny Rodgers (1972), Mike Rozier (1983), Eric Crouch (2001)
Player of the year by position Butkus Award (since 1985): Trev Alberts (1993) Davey O'Brien Award (since 1981): Eric Crouch (2001) Jet Award (since 2011): Pat Fischer (1960), DeJuan Groce (2002) (legacy winners) Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (since 1987): Tommie Frazier (1995) Lombardi Award (since 1970): Rich Glover (1972), Dave Rimington (1982), Dean Steinkuhler (1983), Grant Wistrom (1997), Ndamukong Suh (2009) Outland Trophy (since 1946): Larry Jacobson (1971), Rich Glover (1972), Dave Rimington (1981, 1982), Dean Steinkuhler (1983), Will Shields (1992), Zach Wiegert (1994), Aaron Taylor (1997), Ndamukong Suh (2009) Rimington Trophy (since 2000): Dominic Raiola (2000) UPI Lineman of the Year (1950–1996): Rich Glover (1972), Dave Rimington (1982), Dean Steinkuhler (1983), Zach Wiegert (1994)
Coach of the year AFCA: Tom Osborne (1994) Eddie Robinson: Bob Devaney (1971) Walter Camp: Bob Devaney (1971)
Conference awards
Athlete of the year Seven Nebraska players have been named conference male athlete of the year, across all sports. Big Eight: Tom Ruud (1974–75), Dave Rimington (1982–83), Danny Noonan (1986–87), Trev Alberts (1993–94), Rob Zatechka (1994–95), Tommie Frazier (1995–96) Big 12: Grant Wistrom (1997–98)
Player of the year Offensive Big Eight: Johnny Rodgers (1972), Dave Rimington (1981), Mike Rozier (1982, 1983), Gerry Gdowski (1989), Derek Brown (1992 – co), Calvin Jones (1992 – co), Tommie Frazier (1995) Big 12: Eric Crouch (1999, 2001), Zac Taylor (2006)
Defensive Big Eight: Jerry Murtaugh (1970), Rich Glover (1971, 1972), Clete Pillen (1976), Derrie Nelson (1980), Jimmy Williams (1981), Broderick Thomas (1988), Trev Alberts (1993), Ed Stewart (1994) Big 12: Grant Wistrom (1996, 1997), Ndamukong Suh (2009), Prince Amukamara (2010)
Freshman of the year Offensive Big Eight: Monte Anthony (1974), Johnny Mitchell (1990), Tommie Frazier (1992), Ahman Green (1995) Big 12: Taylor Martinez (2010)
Defensive Big Eight: Tyrone Byrd (1989), Trev Alberts (1990) Big 12: Ralph Brown (1996)
Newcomer of the year Offensive Big Eight: I. M. Hipp (1977), Jarvis Redwine (1979), Mike Rozier (1981), Calvin Jones, (1991), Tommie Frazier (1992), Ahman Green (1995) Big 12: Scott Frost (1996)
Defensive Big Eight: Toby Williams (1980), Bruce Pickens (1988), Tyrone Williams (1993), Grant Wistrom (1994), Terrell Farley (1995) Big 12: Lavonte David (2010)
Coach of the year Big Eight: Bob Devaney (1962, 1963, 1964, 1970), Tom Osborne (1973, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1983, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994) Big 12: Tom Osborne (1996), Frank Solich (1999, 2001)
Other conference awards Defensive back of the year: Alfonzo Dennard (2011) Kicker of the year: Brett Maher (2011, 2012), Connor Culp (2020) Linebacker of the year: Lavonte David (2011) Punter of the year: Brett Maher (2011), Sam Foltz (2015) Tight end of the year: Austin Allen (2021)
All-Americans
First-team all-conference selections Nebraska has had 523 first-team all-conference selections: 446 in the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Big Eight, fifty-nine in the Big 12, and eighteen in the Big Ten.
MVIAA / Big Eight
Big 12
Big Ten
Rex Burkhead, RB – 2011 Lavonte David, LB – 2011 Alfonzo Dennard, DB – 2011 Brett Maher, K – 2011, 2012 Brett Maher, P – 2011 Spencer Long, OG – 2012 Eric Martin, DE – 2012 Taylor Martinez, QB – 2012 Daimion Stafford, S – 2012 Ameer Abdullah, RB – 2013 Ciante Evans, CB – 2013 Randy Gregory, DE – 2013, 2014 Kenny Bell, WR – 2014 Sam Foltz, P – 2015 Connor Culp, K – 2020 Austin Allen, TE – 2021
Retired numbers and jerseys Nebraska has permanently retired the number of two players: Tom Novak, the only four-time all-conference selection in Nebraska history; and Bob Brown, the first All-American coached by Bob Devaney. Novak's no. 60 and Brown's no. 64 have not been worn since being retired.
Nebraska has retired the jersey of twenty-three other players, allowing the numbers to remain in circulation. The name and number of each honoree is displayed below the North Stadium press box at Memorial Stadium. Each major award winner has his jersey retired, typically in an on-field ceremony following the end of his collegiate career. In 2017, the school recognized eight early College Football Hall of Fame inductees, including Guy Chamberlin, whose career predated the use of numbers on jerseys.
Retired numbers 60 Tom Novak C 1946–1949 1949 64 Bob Brown OT 1961–1963 2004 Retired jerseys 1 Clarence Swanson E 1918–1921 2017 7 Eric Crouch QB 1998–2001 2002 12 Bobby Reynolds HB 1950–1952 2017 15 Tommie Frazier QB 1992–1995 1996 20 Johnny Rodgers WB 1970–1972 1972 25 George Sauer FB 1931–1933 2017 30 Mike Rozier IB 1981–1983 1983 33 Forrest Behm OT 1938–1940 2017 34 Trev Alberts LB 1990–1993 1994 35 Ed Weir OT 1923–1925 2017 38 Sam Francis FB 1934–1936 2017 50 Dave Rimington C 1979–1982 1982 54 Dominic Raiola C 1998–2000 2002 66 Wayne Meylan MG 1965–1967 2017 67 Aaron Taylor OG 1994–1997 1998 71 Dean Steinkuhler OG 1980–1983 1983 72 Zach Wiegert OT 1991–1994 199575 Larry Jacobson DT 1969–1971 1994 Will Shields OG 1989–1992 1994 79 Rich Glover MG 1970–1972 1972 93 Ndamukong Suh DT 2005–2009 2010 98 Grant Wistrom DE 1994–1997 1998 Guy Chamberlin E 1913–1915 2017
Academic honors and awards
Notes
References