BioGraphy Of Howard Snellenberger
Howard Snellenberger (The Miami coach) had hired a public relations firm to whip up support for the Miami team. Tom Osborne and the Cornhuskers arrived in Florida, the local fans were at fever pitch.
At game time, the noise level in the Orange Bowl was deafening, but Snellenberger’s plan involved more than the fans. 
His team was well prepared and ready to play. Miami’s offense rolled early and by the middle of the second quarter they led Nebraska, 17 to 0. The game was a roller coaster ride, filled with blocked punts and fumbles and the fans on both sides were getting their money’s worth.
Near the end of the fourth quarter, Nebraska drove into the end zone and the score was Miami 31, Nebraska 30. A simple extra point kick would tie the score, Osborne would have his first National Championship and Nebraska would end the season as the only undefeated team in the country.
But with only a few seconds left in the game, Tom Osborne decided to go for two and the outright win.
As the crowd roared, Turner Gill tossed the ball into the Miami night sky. For an instant it looked as if Nebraska would score but it didn’t happen. The team that had won twelve straight games and been ranked #1 in the nation lost by one point.
Tom Osborne and the Cornhuskers had come up short again. After the Orange Bowl, Monday-morning quarterbacks across the country debated the ‘go for two’ call. 
Fans questioned Osborne’s wisdom and his motives, but Tom Osborne and the players couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about.
Competitors go for the win. But they also understood there’s more than winning. There’s the satisfaction and pride that comes from knowing you worked hard, put it all on the line and gave it your best shot.
In those respects, Tom Osborne and his players were champs.
Some sports writers said the 1983 Nebraska team had the best offense in the history of college football, but defensively the Huskers ranked as one of the lowest in the nation. The defense was relying on the offense to outscore the opposition and as a result, Nebraska lost one game in both '82 and '83.
Osborne saw the writing on the wall.
The fans loved the entertainment value of a great offensive team, but if that team loses, the coach is history.
Post new comment