Tom Osborne (football coach)
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Thomas William Osborne (born February 23, 1937 in Hastings, Nebraska) is a former football coach for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and a current Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Nebraska's 3rd Congressional district (map (http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/ne03_109.gif)).
In 1959, Osborne graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in history from Hastings College, after which he played three seasons in the National Football League. He earned his Master of Arts in educational psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1963, and a doctorate in educational psychology from the UNL in 1965.
Osborne is best known as the former head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, UNL's football team. Osborne was the head coach from the 1973 season until 1997, and led the Huskers to 13 conference championships and three national championships (1994, 1995, and 1997). His 255-49-3 record gave him the best winning percentage (83.6%) among active NCAA Division 1-A coaches at the time of his retirement and the fifth-best of all time. Osborne won 250 games faster than any coach in Division 1-A history. As of 2004, only Joe Paterno has reached 200 victories in fewer games. Osborne was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
Since January 3, 2001, Osborne has represented Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District in the House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party and sits on the Committees on Agriculture; Education and the Workforce; and Resources. Osborne is generally considered a political conservative.
Most recently, Osborne has teamed up with Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers, normally his political adversary, to oppose efforts to expand gambling in Nebraska.
On April 30, 2005 Osborne announced that he would be running for Governor of Nebraska. He will be running against current Governor Dave Heineman and Omaha businessman Dave Nabity in the Republican Primary.
External links
- Official House website (http://www.house.gov/osborne/)
- Brief Hall of Fame bio (http://www.collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?id=80020)
- A more detailed look at his football record and awards (http://www.huskerpedia.com/osborne.html)
| Preceded by: Bob Devaney | Nebraska Cornhuskers Football Coach 1973–1997 | Succeeded by: Frank Solich |