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first Husker hero( ‘s) , who you got?

I was in kindergarten when Johnny The Jet won the Heisman. Every kid at recess wanted to be Johnny, including me.
 
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Can’t believe no one has said Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers, our first Heisman Trophy winner (back when it meant something). I’ll be the first. And then Rich Glover on the defensive side.
Not old enough to claim him as a hero. He definitely would’ve been, were I a little older.
 
Steve Taylor, Johnny Mitchell, and Chip Baugh. These are the names that Pavelka made to sound like Gods on the radio. I was like nine years old, so there's that. Chip Baugh more because I thought the name sounded cool. Honorable mention based on radio name hype alone: Keithen McCant and LeRoy Etienne.
 
Growing up in West Central NE, I'm going go with a hometown hero, Kerry Weinmaster who was a 3 year starter and 2nd team AA at middle guard in the 70s weighing a whopping 215 pounds.
 
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I was in kindergarten when Johnny The Jet won the Heisman. Every kid at recess wanted to be Johnny, including me.
I am in the exact same age boat and share the same feeling. Johnny was it. As I got a little older it was I.M. Hipp and Jarvis Redwine.
 
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Bob Brown, Denny Clairage, Fred Duda, Kent McCloughan, Freeman White, Tony Jeter, Patty Fisher, Ben Gregory, Harry “Light Horse” Wilson …
 
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Bob Devaney is the hero of Nebraska football. The 21 previous seasons (1941 - 1961) prior to Devaney's arrival in Lincoln the team won just 37% of their games, 0 conference titles, 0 top 10 finishes and only 1 bowl game. Also, their record against the leading coaches of the era was dismal - Bud Wilkinson 2-13, Darrell Royal 1-1, Murry Warmath 1-2, Frank Leahy 0-2, Red Blaik 0-1, Ben Schwartzwalder 0-3, Dan Devine 0-4, Woody Hayes 0-2, Frank Broyles 0-1 and Bear Bryant 0-1. Nebraska was 2-13 against Minnesota during this period.

Bob Devaney significantly enhanced the standard of excellence at Nebraska, ushering in an era of remarkable achievement. In eleven seasons (1962 – 1972) Nebraska posted a winning percentage of 83%, 8 conference titles, 2 national titles, 9 bowl appearances, 7 top 10 finishes including 4 in the top 5. Further, against the top coaches of his time Devaney rose to the occasion with respectable success – Chuck Fairbanks 3-3, Pepper Rodgers 2-3, Dan Devine 5-4, Johnny Majors 4-0-1, Bud Wilkinson 1-1, Bear Bryant 1-2, Murry Warmath 7-0, Gene Stallings 2-0, Shrug Jordan 1-0, Vince Dooley 1-0, Charles McClendon 1-0, Ara Parseghian 1-0, John McKay 0-1-1, Frank Broyles 0-1. Also, Devaney compiled an 8-0 record against Minnesota.

One statistic that I find interesting about Bob Devaney is in games where he found himself behind by 9+ points, he came back and won 36% of them. Comparing with the coaches that followed him, Osborne won 29% and Solich won 16%. Callahan was 1 of 21 for 4.7%, his one win was Ball State. Pelini was 10 of 32 for 31%. Riley was 5 of 20 for 25%. Frost was 1 of 23 for 4.3%, his one win was Illinois. Joseph was 1 of 6 for 17%, his one win was Rutgers. Rhule is 0 of 6 for 0%.
 
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