Husker Press Box - Cornhusker Anthology

Cornhusker Anthology

One of the earliest photos of Nebraska football in action versus Grinnell, 1907

Cornhusker Anthology - Chapter 2

1900-1909 Rise To Power

May 13, 2006

Nebraska football 1900-1909-
-As college football began to catch on in areas across the country, it was a downright juggernaut in the state of Nebraska. Thousands of fans would line up to watch the local team play games against teams like Minnesota, Michigan, while rivalries began against Kansas and Oklahoma. The freshly dubbed "Cornhuskers" boasted the perfect season (1902) and their first Missouri Valley Conference championship (1907). Legendary Head Coach Bummy Booth went 46-8-1 during his six year reign at Nebraska (1900-1905)

What to look for -
- Nebraska's only undefeated and unscored upon team (1902)
- The Cornhuskers' first 100 point offensive outburst (vs. Creighton in 1905).
- A 25 game win streak from 1901-1904 that included two undefeated seasons.
- Nebraska's 37-6 loss to Carlisle in 1908, made notable by the appearance of the legendary Jim Thorpe in the Indian lineup.

From the rule book -
The value of field goals dropped twice during the decade. A successful kick started the period with a 5 point value. That dropped to 4 points in 1903 and then to its current three point value in 1909. The most important rule change, however, was the legalization of the forward pass in 1906. One forward pass was allowed behind the line if it was made five yards to the right or left of the center. Any pass that failed to touch a player before hitting the ground was a turnover. Any ball that hit a player but was uncaught was a live fumble.

To understand the game of football in 1900 check out this outline of the rules.

Did you know? -
-Nebraska took advantage of a loophole in the rulebook and the diminutive size of one of its players, Earl Eager to employ an unusual scoring tactic. The 130-pound Eager would take the snap from center, then allow his backfield teammates to grab him by the uniform and literally heave him over the linemen. This trick, known as the "dog" would quickly be outlawed.

Cornhusker Anthology - Chapter 2
Post your feedback on this topic here
12/13/2006	Well Blake leaving was a given in the...	ron
(Feedback requires a Javascript-compatible browser)