1950 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1950 Nebraska Cornhuskers football Big Seven Conference Big 7 17 6–2–1 4–2 Bill Glassford 2nd T formation Memorial Stadium 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.Official Collegiate Football Record Book 1951 National Collegiate Athletic Association 29, 32https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A-pOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NQAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1260%2C2978492 Toledo Blade Ohio Associated Press Janowicz to get Heisman award December 6, 1950 50 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).Official Collegiate Football Record Book 1951 National Collegiate Athletic Association 35 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.https://www.huskermax.com/games/1950/00spring1950.html 1950 Nebraska football spring game – HuskerMax Schedule 1950 AP Central September 30 2:00 pm t y Indiana Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE 20–20 33,000 October 7 1:30 pm w y y Minnesota Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN rivalry 32–26 48,365 October 14 3:00 pm l y Colorado Folsom Field Boulder, CO rivalry 19–28 25,000 October 21 2:00 pm w y Penn State Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE 19–0 38,000 October 28 2:00 pm w y Kansas Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS rivalry 33–26 39,000 November 4 2:00 pm w y Missouri Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE rivalry 40–34 38,000 November 11 2:00 pm w 16 Kansas State Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE rivalry 49–21 29,000 November 18 2:00 pm w 18 Iowa State Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE rivalry 20–13 37,193 November 25 2:00 pm l y 16 Oklahoma 1 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK rivalry 35–49 53,066 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110419488/oklahoma-outscores-nebraska-49-to-35-f/ The Baltimore Sun Oklahoma outscores Nebraska, 49 to 35, for 30th straight triumph November 26, 1950 September 27, 2022 Newspapers.com http://www.huskermax.com/coaches.html Nebraska head coaches July 12, 2010 HuskerMax https://web.archive.org/web/20100719123605/http://www.huskermax.com/coaches.html July 19, 2010 livehttp://www.huskermax.com/coaches/assistants.html Assistant coaches July 12, 2010 HuskerMax https://web.archive.org/web/20100721014938/http://www.huskermax.com/coaches/assistants.html July 21, 2010 livehttp://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1951&page=235 1950 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 235) July 12, 2010 Nebraska U – A Collaborative History 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 CB RE RT RG LT LT LE CB +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 Indiana 20 Nebraska 20 September 30 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska 33,000 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.http://huskermax.com/allgames/1950s.html 1950s Nebraska football schedules 2010-07-12 HuskerMaxhttp://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1951&page=239 1951 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 239) 2010-07-12 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries 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 Nebraska 32 Minnesota 26 October 7 Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis 48,365 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 Nebraska 19 Colorado 28 October 14 Folsom Field • Boulder, Colorado 25,000 Colorado–Nebraska football rivalryFresh 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.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1951&page=240 1951 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 240) 2010-07-12 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries 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 Penn State 0 Nebraska 19 October 21 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska 38,000 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 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 EndGeorge PaynichLeft TackleDon BollLeft Guard Carl BraseeRight GuardVerl ScottRight Tackle Tom HarperRight EndRobert MullenLinebackerGeorge ProchaskaLinebackerBobby ReynoldsCornerbackEd HusmannCornerbackDon BloomSafetyClayton Curtis Kansas Nebraska 33 Kansas 26 October 28 Memorial Stadium • Lawrence, Kansas 39,000 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 Missouri 34 Nebraska 40 November 4 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska 38,000 Missouri–Nebraska football rivalryThe 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.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1951&page=241 1951 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 241) 2010-07-12 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries 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 21 #16 Nebraska 49 November 11 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska 29,000 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 PositionPlayerQuarterbackFran NagelLeft BackBobby Reynolds Right backRon ClarkFullbackNick AdduciRight EndDick Regier Right TackleWalt SpellmanLeft TackleCharles Toogood Right GuardDon StrasheimCenterJoe McGillLeft GuardArt BaurLeft EndFrank Simon PositionPlayerLeft EndGeorgie PaynichLeft TackleCharles ToogoodLeft Guard Don BollRight GuardVerl ScottRight Tackle Carl BraseeRight EndRich GoegleinLinebackerGeorge ProchaskaLinebackerRon ClarkCornerbackClayton CurtisCornerbackDon BloomSafetyRobert Mullen Iowa State Iowa State 13 #18 Nebraska 20 November 18 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska 37,193 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 PositionPlayerQuarterbackFran NagelLeft BackBobby Reynolds Right backRon ClarkFullbackNick AdduciRight EndDick Regier Right TackleWalt SpellmanLeft TackleCharles Toogood Right GuardDon StrasheimCenterJoe McGillLeft GuardArt BaurLeft EndFrank Simon PositionPlayerLeft EndCharles ToogoodLeft TackleRich GoegleinLeft Guard Rex HoyRight GuardVerl ScottRight Tackle Carl BraseeRight EndDon BollLinebackerGeorge ProchaskaLinebackerRon ClarkCornerbackLeo WineyCornerbackDon BloomSafetyRobert Mullen Oklahoma #16 Nebraska 35 #1 Oklahoma 49 November 25 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma 53,066 Nebraska–Oklahoma football rivalryNebraska faced its stiffest test of the season when the Cornhuskers traveled to Norman to close the regular season, as the Sooners held a record seven-game winning streak over Nebraska and was the #1 ranked team in the AP Poll going into the game. Nebraska fought in front of a substantial crowd, managing to put up 35 points against the number one team in the land on their own turf, but Oklahoma romped over the Cornhusker defenses and racked up 49 points of their own to finish the season on top of the conference and the nation. Nebraska's record single-team losing streak, held by Oklahoma, was extended to eight games. The Sooners finished the season undefeated at 9–0–0, and closed the series record gap between the squads to 10–16–3. Oklahoma 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 EndCharles ToogoodLeft TackleDon Boll Left Guard Rex HoyRight GuardVerl ScottRight Tackle Carl BraseeRight EndRich GoegleinLinebackerGeorge ProchaskaLinebackerRobert MullenCornerbackLeo WineyCornerbackDon BloomSafetyRon Clark Rankings 11 11 AP NR NR NR NR NR NR NR 16 18 16 16 17 Coaches N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 20 After the season thumb|Bobby Reynolds (pictured) became known as Mr. Touchdown after winning an RCA contest organized as part of its promotion of "Mr. Touchdown, U.S.A." Coach Glassford's second season was a resounding success, as Nebraska end its brutal nine-season losing skid, and notched high-profile wins against Penn State and Minnesota in the process. The season-ending loss to national champion Oklahoma could be tolerated, leaving just the one letdown loss to Colorado to truly mar the season, though the positive turnaround of fortunes was so dramatic that few would complain. Nebraska ended the season ranked in the AP Poll for the first time in ten years. Coach Glassford's conference record improved to 7–5–0 (.583), as his overall record climbed to 10–7–1 (.583). The Cornhusker football program's overall record improved to 326–155–32 (.667), though the conference record declined slightly to 127–42–11 (.736). During the 1950 football season, in order to promote the debut of its new song "Mr. Touchdown, U.S.A.," RCA offered a prize of a television set and a silver-plated album to the college football player who scored the most touchdowns during the 1950 football season. As part of the promotion, albums of "Mr. Touchdown, U.S.A." were sent to sports reporters at American newspapers.Record Makers to Honor TD Terror https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68649496/the-indianapolis-news/ December 30, 2020 Indianapolis News newspapers.com October 26, 1950 Bobby Reynolds of Nebraska ultimately claimed the prize, which was presented to him in February 1951 by Hugo Winterhalter, the first performer of the song.Mr. Touchdown, U.S.A. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68649529/the-frederick-press/ December 30, 2020 The Frederick Press February 15, 1951 newspapers.com Reynolds, who became best known among Nebraska fans during his legendary 1950 season, has since been described as Mr. Touchdown.Chrisopherson Brian 81 yards: Nebraska's All-American boy https://journalstar.com/81-yards-nebraskas-all-american-boy/article_57618fa2-e0ec-5f6b-8fb1-6fd0c215f64e.html December 30, 2020 Lincoln Journal Star March 1, 2016Sittler Dave Mr. Touchdown's Anniversary https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68649558/lincoln-journal-star/ December 30, 2020 Lincoln Journal-Star October 31, 1975 Future NFL and other professional league players Nick Adduci, Washington Redskins Ed Husmann, 1953 9th-round pick of the Chicago Cardinals Bobby Reynolds, 1953 7th-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams References Nebraska Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football seasons Nebraska Cornhuskers football