Top 5 Nebraska Cornhuskers Heisman Trophy Snubs

This week, the Heisman Trophy will be given out to the best college football player. There have been many good players this year, but only one can take home the trophy. The fans of the players who are invited to New York but fail to come home with the trophy will feel like their team was snubbed.

Nebraska has been fortunate enough to have three players win the Heisman Trophy: Johnny Rodgers (1972), Mike Rozier (1983) and Eric Crouch (2001). Only four schools have more Heisman trophy winners than Nebraska: Ohio State (7), Notre Dame (7), USC (7) and Oklahoma (5).

But Nebraska could have had five additional winners if the Cornhuskers had not been snubbed by Heisman Trophy voters.

Here is a list of five Nebraska players who should have won the Heisman Trophy.

Tommie Frazier

Tommie Frazier is the one player in Nebraska football history who should have won the Heisman Trophy at some point in his career.

Frazier had many great seasons with the Cornhuskers. In 1992, Frazier was named the Big Eight Freshman Player of the Year; he did not become the starting quarterback until late October.

In 1993, Frazier led the Cornhuskers to an 11-1 record. Their only loss was to Florida State in the Orange Bowl. Frazier led the team down the field for a game-winning field goal, but the kick sailed wide left and Nebraska lost its only game of the season.

In 1994, Frazier battled injuries, but was able to team up with quarterback Brook Berringer to win the national championship. Nebraska went 12-0 and defeated the Miami Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl. Frazier was named the MVP of the game after taking over for Berringer in the fourth quarter.

1995 was Frazier’s best season and the year he was snubbed for the Heisman Trophy.

Nebraska was coming off a national championship season and was rated No. 1 in the polls. Nebraska easily defeated every team on its schedule. Frazier was having the best season of his career. He had 1,362 yards passing, 655 yards rushing and 31 total touchdowns.

Frazier was invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. As the quarterback of the undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers, many thought Frazier would walk away with the trophy. Instead, it was awarded to Ohio State’s Eddie George. For the past 16 years, George has been keeping Touchdown Tommie’s trophy safe.

Turner Gill

If you want to start a debate in the state of Nebraska, ask a question: Who was a better quarterback for the Cornhuskers, Tommy Frazier or Turner Gill?

To be honest, both players were great!

Gill did not have as good a career at Nebraska as Frazier, though. He did not become the starting quarterback for Nebraska until the fourth game of his sophomore season. Gill did go 22-2 as a starter for the Cornhuskers and led Nebraska to three straight Big Eight championships.

In 1983, Nebraska was the best team in college football and arguably the best team in college football history. Gill led the Cornhuskers to an undefeated regular season. Nebraska averaged 52 points a game and over 400 yards rushing each game. Gill passed for 1,516 yards, rushed for 649 yards and had 26 total touchdowns.

Gill was invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. He finished fourth in the voting, losing out to his teammate, running back Mike Rozier.

If Rozier and Gill had not been on the same team, it would have been interesting to see who would have won the 1983 trophy. Rozier holds most of the Nebraska single-season rushing records, but people still say Gill was the engine that powered the offense.

If there ever should have been two Heisman trophies handed out in a season, it should have been in 1983. Rozier and Gill should have split the trophy.

Ndamukong Suh

The Heisman Trophy is supposed to be awarded to the best player in college football. Too many times great defensive players are left off the ballot because voters choose the best offensive player.

In 2009, Suh was by far the best player in college football.

Suh was named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year, becoming the first defensive player to win the award. He was selected first-team All-American by The Associated Press, CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated.

He won the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player in the country), Lombardi Award (best lineman or linebacker in the country), Bill Willis Trophy (best lineman in the country) and the Outland Trophy (best interior lineman in the country).

In 2009, Suh had 85 tackles, 24 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, 28 quarterback hurries, 10 passes defended, one interception and three blocked kicks. To say Suh was a one-man wrecking crew on Nebraska’s Blackshirt defense is an understatement.

Suh was invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony. Just to be invited to New York is an honor for any defensive player. The Heisman Trophy Award was so slanted toward offensive players that no one thought Suh had a chance.

Alabama’s running back Mark Ingram won the award. Suh finished fourth, with the most votes for a fourth-place finisher in Heisman Trophy history.

Lawrence Phillips

Lawrence Phillips' college career at Nebraska was overshadowed by off-the-field problems. When he was on the field, he was one of the best running backs in Nebraska football history.

Phillips' sophomore season in 1994 was his best. He took over the offense for an injured Tommy Frazier. He ended the season with 1,785 yards rushing, 172 yards receiving and 16 touchdowns.

Phillips was the focal point on offense of Nebraska’s national championship team in 1994. Although teams continued to crowd the line of scrimmage to try and stop Nebraska’s rushing attack, Phillips was able to put together 11 consecutive 100-yard games.

Phillips was not invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, but that does not take away from the great season he had in 1994.

Colorado’s Rashaan Salaam won the trophy after Nebraska held his Buffaloes to only seven points. In the game, Salaam rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown, while Phillips rushed for 103 yards and no touchdowns.

Ahman Green

Ahman Green was the star running back for Nebraska from 1995-1997.

Green began his career in the shadows of quarterback Tommie Frazier and running back Lawrence Phillips. In his freshman year, Green rushed for 1,086 yards and 13 touchdowns. He still holds the record for Nebraska’s all-time leading freshman rusher.

During his junior season in 1997, Green took over the Nebraska football team. He rushed for 100 yards in 12 straight games and had 200 yards in three straight games. He finished the season with 1,925 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns.

Green was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award (given to the best running back in the country). He broke the record for most yards rushing in the Orange Bowl when he rushed for 208 yards against Tennessee, propelling Nebraska to a share of the national championship.

Although Green was not invited to New York for the Heisman award ceremony, he should have been. The Heisman Trophy was presented to Charles Woodson, the first defensive player to win the award. The competition was tough in 1997: Woodson finished first, quarterback Payton Manning second, Ryan Leaf third and Randy Moss fourth.

Green was part of a great 1997 Nebraska team. The talent on the 1997 Cornhuskers overshadowed what Green accomplished during the season.

If he were a one-man show, he would have had a better chance at winning the Heisman Trophy.

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