Huskers Prominent on FWAA 75th Anniversary Team

Ndamukong Suh is one of six Nebraska players on the FWAA 75th Anniversary All-America Team. (Photo Courtesy Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations) — Ndamukong Suh is one of six Nebraska players on the FWAA 75th Anniversary All-America Team. *(Photo Courtesy Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations)*

Six Nebraska greats were named to the Football Writers Association of America 75th Anniversary All-America Team, the most of any school in the nation.

The FWAA, founded in 1941, has picked an annual All-America team since the 1944 season, making it the second longest continuously selected team in major college football. FWAA Blue Ribbon Committee made the final determination on the 75-man team, including a first, second and third team.

A national-leading four Huskers were named to the first team, including offensive line standouts and Outland Trophy winners Dave Rimington and Will Shields. Another Outland Trophy winner, Ndamukong Suh, anchors the FWAA first-team defensive line, while Johnny Rodgers was selected as the first-team return specialist.

Two other Huskers were named to the third-team unit, including two-time national champion quarterback Tommie Frazier and Outland and Lombardi Award winner Dean Steinkuhler.

Overall, Nebraska’s six selections were one better than fellow Big Ten member Ohio State who had five honorees along with Pitt. Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas each had four members of the 75-player squad. The Huskers’ four first-team choices was one more than the Buckeyes’ three selections.

Four of the Huskers’ selections to the FWAA all-time team are College Football Hall of Fame members, including Rodgers, the 1972 Heisman Trophy winner, Rimington, Shields and Frazier. Nebraska’s long-standing tradition of dominating on the line of scrimmage is also apparent in the FWAA honorees with four players combining for five Outland Trophy awards, including the only two-time winner in Rimington (1981, 1982). Rimington, Steinkuhler and Suh also captured the Lombardi Award in their respective senior seasons.

The six players are also among a group of 17 Husker greats to have their jerseys retired at Nebraska, and their names etched on the facade of the north end of Memorial Stadium.

Overall, Nebraska has 110 first-team All-Americans in its 125-year history of college football. Nebraska is the nation’s winningest program over the past 50 years.