Editor’s word: As the World Cup continues in the United States for the first time since 1994, The Athletic is wanting again at college sports activities in the Nineties and the way a lot has modified since then. Join us for a pair of weeks of offseason soccer and basketball nostalgia.
Jeff Makovicka received two nationwide championships and performed for a 3rd as a hard-charging Nebraska fullback. He competed throughout an period in Lincoln that’s nearly unimaginable for a era of followers greater than 30 years after his time in college.
With 5 daughters, a bunch of their boyfriends and a son-in-law to occupy his conversations, Makovicka has usually heard some model of a singular query: How have been you guys so good?
“I always start with this,” he stated. “Let me tell you the story about the greatest college football player never to win the Heisman Trophy. I tell everyone, all the time, with what he meant for the program and how good he was, it’s a travesty that he didn’t win it.”
Tommie Frazier, the biggest quarterback to play at Nebraska, received 31 of 32 begins in the common season and bowl video games towards Miami and Florida with nationwide championships at stake.
But numbers don’t seize his greatness. At his peak 1995 type for a group that scored 53.2 factors per recreation, Frazier totaled 1,966 yards in an 11-0 common season. That determine at this time doesn’t crack the prime 25 at school historical past.
Frazier’s utter dominance was simple when he torched Steve Spurrier and the Gators for 199 dashing yards and 105 passing in a 62-24 Fiesta Bowl romp — three weeks after Eddie George edged Frazier in the Heisman balloting.
“Watching him play and run the option, it’s just amazing that I had somebody like that to look up to,” stated Eric Crouch, the 2001 Heisman winner at Nebraska. “His toughness and the way that he ran the ball and led his team, I was trying to do the exact same thing.”
Sports Illustrated named Frazier to its 85-man All-Century Team.
Among the stars on Nebraska’s 5 nationwide championship groups, Frazier and 1972 Heisman winner Johnny Rodgers loved the most iconic careers. Frazier spurned Notre Dame and coach Lou Holtz as a highschool All-American out of Bradenton, Fla., and in 1992 grew to become the first true freshman to start out at quarterback for Nebraska.
He helped information the Huskers to 3 consecutive unbeaten common seasons. In 1994, he spent three months on the sideline whereas being handled for harmful blood clots in his proper leg. Frazier returned to steer Nebraska to a come-from-behind win towards Miami in the Orange Bowl to safe coach Tom Osborne’s first nationwide title.
He was not all the time liked. The Huskers by no means chosen Frazier as a captain. But he was universally revered.
“He spoke his mind,” Osborne stated. “And he was just as hard on himself as he was on everybody else. He really did not want to lose. And he expected the best out of other people.”
Frazier’s perseverance to battle the blood clots in that junior season impressed his coach the most.
“The doctors told us that he might not ever play again,” Osborne stated. “I remember, it hit him pretty hard. But he never complained.”
Others admired Frazier’s varied intangibles and athleticism required to function Nebraska’s run-heavy offense.
In 30-plus years of overlaying college soccer, I’ve by no means seen an athlete extra decided to win. In making an attempt to evaluate Frazier’s most memorable attributes, I went to his previous teammates for perception.
The query was easy. What did Frazier imply to them?
“He was the catalyst for our championships,” stated Troy Dumas, a linebacker from 1991 to 1994. “That is for sure. I don’t think we would have gotten over those humps without him.
“A lot of people, including myself, mistook his confidence for arrogance. But after being around him, the confidence was undeniable. It rubbed off on other people. Being a defensive player, I could see what he brought to the offense was almost magical.”
One phrase surfaced repeatedly: Competitor.
What struck Rob Zatechka most in August 1992 was the confidence that Frazier exuded. His command of the huddle from his first week on campus was uncanny.
“That’s probably kind of vague,” stated Zatechka, an offensive sort out from 1990 to 1994. “But I just mean that some guys have that ability to step into a huddle and take charge, where you all say, ‘OK, here’s the field general. Here’s the quarterback.’ You almost never saw that from a freshman, true freshman at that. And I just remember thinking in fall camp, ‘Oh my gosh, whatever it is, he got it.’”
Osborne hesitated to start out Frazier instantly. Mike Grant, a fifth-year senior, had put in time, redshirting in 1991 as three older quarterbacks accomplished their careers. The coach rewarded Grant’s loyalty.
After 5 video games, although, Frazier’s time arrived. His first begin got here at Missouri. Late in the fourth quarter, Nebraska led by three factors and confronted a fourth-and-goal at the Tigers’ 5-yard line.
Osborne known as his quantity. Frazier rolled proper and planted his foot at the 3-yard line, then dove over a bunch of Mizzou defenders to attain.
“Full-on airborne,” Zatechka stated.
Frazier’s disregard for his physique shocked the sophomore lineman.
“The thought that went through my mind,” Zatechka stated, “was, ‘He’s either too young and inexperienced to know that he shouldn’t be able to go make those plays, or we’ve got ourselves a quarterback.’”
Nebraska QB Tommie Frazier didn’t lose a recreation after his sophomore season. (Tom G. Lynn / Time Life Pictures / Getty Images)
Clarity got here quickly. Nebraska went to the Orange Bowl after that 1992 season to face Florida State, a heavy favourite. The Huskers had misplaced 5 consecutive bowl video games, together with two towards the Seminoles and two towards Miami.
On an choice keeper early in the recreation, Frazier took an enormous hit from an FSU defender.
“He got up,” stated Abdul Muhammad, a wingback from 1991 to 1994, “and he told the guy, ‘You’re going to have to do that all game. I’m coming all game.’ I just remember that. I never heard a quarterback talk like that to the other team. For him to be a freshman, I knew then.
“And to do that against Florida State, one of the dominant teams at that time, that was different.”
Florida State received that first assembly 27-14. A 12 months later in the Orange Bowl, Frazier as a sophomore outplayed Heisman winner Charlie Ward. But FSU kicked a area aim with 21 seconds to play and Nebraska missed from 45 as time expired. The Huskers misplaced 18-16, the remaining defeat of Frazier’s profession.
“I knew we were headed in the right direction,” Muhammad stated. “I knew we had a chance to win championships.”
Practices bought extra violent with Frazier in cost of the offense.
“I would define Tommie as the blueprint,” stated Clester Johnson, a wingback from 1991 to 1995. “What I mean by that, he had such strong leadership qualities. He wasn’t afraid. He wasn’t afraid to be himself.”
Johnson got here to Lincoln one 12 months earlier than Frazier, out of Bellevue, Neb. While redshirting in 1991, Johnson performed quarterback and practiced with the scout group. He didn’t take note of recruiting hype. So when Frazier arrived, Johnson didn’t know what to anticipate.
“I realized I wasn’t half the player he was,” Johnson stated. “He had it. He had it mentally.”
Makovicka, the fullback who lamented Frazier’s Heisman defeat, spent a short while in 1996 with the Houston Oilers. He shared half of a collection in coaching camp with George, the 1995 Heisman-winning working again out of Ohio State.
George was a “wonderful guy,” Makovicka stated. But George quizzed Makovicka about Nebraska. About the Huskers’ successful tradition. Makovicka talked to him about Frazier. George by no means stated it of their conversations, however Makovicka bought the feeling that George felt lucky voters made their selection earlier than — and never after — Frazier’s remaining assertion.
“What’s so special is that he wasn’t just a competitor,” Makovicka stated. “He was an apex competitor.”