Greatest NE fullback.

[Phillysker]

In the interest of continuing the fullback nostalgia, I'll also throw an honorary mention out there for Omar Soto. He was a really quality fullback with good production for 1.5 years at Nebraska, and was enough of a key guy that Miami dug up a 5 year old JUCO scrimmage technicality to get him disqualified from the Orange Bowl the day before the game where they had to get by us for a national title.

Thank you. He was a difference maker and that 1992 Orange Bowl may have had a slightly different result had they not pulled that out. Another reason to loathe scUM.

Schellen, Carpenter were very underrated. Schlesinger for sentimental reasons. Loved watching the Makovickas. But my votes are for Andra Franklin and Tom Rathman.

 

[Red October]

As good as roger Craig was, he has no business on this list. A Nebraska fullback is a blocker first second and third. All of this talk about rushing yards and TD is really missing the mark. Will shields and dean stienkuhler were cornhusker legends but it had little to nothing to do with the 2 carries they combined for. Obviously on a fan board this is a subjective list but mentioning roger Craig and Rex burkhead is a injustice to the many great FB in husker history that did there jobs wonderfully. Sure some rock totting came along with the job, but there is a reason BOTH Tom Osborne and bill walsh moved Craig from the position after roger had success playing it in college and the pro game, as both Craig and the position of fullback could be better utilized with different personal. Is that to say he, or burkhead for that matter couldnt play the position? No, but roger was an I back and Rathman was a FB.

Obviously Tom Osborne was wrong making him a fullback at DONU. ROFLAO! Just teasing but you get my drift.

 

[OneMoreTime]

Nebraska fullbacks can be judged many ways, but in essence blocking for the I- back was the reason for the existence of the "Nebraska fullback" in the 1960s and 70s. In that respect, Bill Olds was certainly one of the greatest (blocked for Jeff Kinney during 1971 championship season) we have ever had. He cleared out linebackers and safeties like very few others ever did.

 

[KleinTxHusker]

One who deserves some love and should not have been left off this list or discussion is:

Touchdown Tony Davis, the Tecumseh Tornado...

Tony Davis - Football 1975

Tony Davis - Football 1975

huskers.com

He played IB in 1973, but was moved to FB for 1974 & 1975. He broke Kinney's career rushing record, despite two years at FB. Kinney did share IB duties his junior year.

He rushed for 1,331 yards in two seasons at FB on 281 carries and also had 35 receptions for 360 yards.

This compares favorably with Franklin's two year best of 1,224 & Rathman's best two years of 1,266. Not saying that Davis is necessarily better than Franklin or Rathman, but he definitely deserves to be in the conversation.

He played in NFL for six years, mostly with the Bengals.

He redshirted in 1972 due to a knee injury. Interesting speculation, if he had been able to play, what might have happened that year with him at I-Back. He was very likely the missing piece to a three-peat shot. We were sorely lacking a real strong I-Back that year and it hurt us in most of our big games.

 

[KleinTxHusker]

One interesting stat: While Tony Davis averaged about 4 ypc; Franklin was at 5.2 and Tom Rathman at 6.5 with a gaudy 7.5 average his senior year. That senior year for Rathman was Doug DuBose's big season and our QB was senior Travis Turner alternating with McCathorn Clayton, IIRC. So not real strong at QB. Interesting point, a former boss slammed me when I praised Rathman's big play ability (think he went 80+ for a TD against FSU) saying he got the yards because of DuBose. Maybe DuBose got the yards because of Rathman!

 

[CrabHusker]

One interesting stat: While Tony Davis averaged about 4 ypc; Franklin was at 5.2 and Tom Rathman at 6.5 with a gaudy 7.5 average his senior year. That senior year for Rathman was Doug DuBose's big season and our QB was senior Travis Turner alternating with McCathorn Clayton, IIRC. So not real strong at QB. Interesting point, a former boss slammed me when I praised Rathman's big play ability (think he went 80+ for a TD against FSU) saying he got the yards because of DuBose. Maybe DuBose got the yards because of Rathman!

Rathman was a special player. Franklin was a freakishly strong athlete.

I'd take either this fall....

 

[KSBV]

Surely dating myself, but one of my favorite fullbacks was a captain of Devaney's first Husker team, and later backfield coach for Devaney--Bill "Thunder" Thornton.

 

[TFrazier]

Rathman was a special player. Franklin was a freakishly strong athlete.

I'd take either this fall....

I would love to see the style of offense they used this fall…if Nebraska had the proper roster and culture needed to run it.

 

[CrabHusker]

I would love to see the style of offense they used this fall…if Nebraska had the proper roster and culture needed to run it.

I'm looking forward to a time when we can run the ball on 3rd and short and have some confidence there will be a running lane between the tackles. I think this group of lineman can do that, just need to figure out which of the backs is able to take advantage.