Big Ten Countdown: 29 - Mike Rozier. Nebraska's Second Heisman Winner

by Aaron Musfeldt on Jun 2, 2011 7:18 AM CDT in Husker Fans Guide to the Big Ten

In 1983, Nebraska scored a lot of points. 654 to be exact. In 13 games this averaged out to be just over 50 points per game. Leading the way was Mike Rozier. With Nebraska's offense humming, Rozier amassed 29 touchdowns in 1983. This is still a Nebraska single season rushing record. In addition to this record, in 1983, Rozier also set Nebraska records records for rushing yards per season (2148), yards per game (179), eleven 100-yard games, and four 200-yard games (which were all consecutive). Up until Roy Helu's game last season, he also held the records for rushing yards per quarter (135).

Rozier's 29 TD's in 1983 would be a record in Big Ten play. Some of the best Big Ten rushers include (but not limited to): Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall (17 TD in 2007), Indiana's Anthony Thompson (24 in both 1988 and 1989), Michigan's Ron Johnson (19 TD in 1968), Michigan State's Sedrick Irvin (18 TD in 1996), Minnesota's Gary Russell (18 in 2005), Penn State's Lydell Mitchell (26 TD in 1971), Purdue's Kori Sheets (2008) and Tony Butkovich (1943) both had 16 TD, Ron Dayne (19 TD in 1999) and Ohio State's Pete Johnson (25 TD in 1975).

Mike won the Heisman trophy in 1983 because of what he accomplished on the field. He pretty much ran away with the trophy, but it is interesting that Turner Gill finished 4th in the voting that year.

1 Mike Rozier Nebraska 1801

2 Steve Young BYU 1172

3 Doug Flutie Boston College 253

4 Turner Gill Nebraska 190

5 Terry Hoage Georgia 112

I was too young to remember Rozier. I would have been 5 years old when the 1983 team was mowing people down. Gotta take what I can get, I suppose.

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You kids get out of my yard!

“I was too young to remember Rozier. I would have been 5 years old when the 1983 team was mowing people down.”

Yep, I’m old now – that was my freshman year.

Useless fact alert: My father & uncle went to Georgia, so my 1st couple years in Lincoln, I was the annoying Georgia fan guy having grown up rooting for them. Terry Hoage, who finished 5th in the voting, was a Bulldog All-American cornerback who graduated with a 3.8 in Genetic Biology before playing for the Eagles for a few years. Even then I remember thinking “Genetics? WTF??”

by Andy Ketterson on Jun 2, 2011 7:43 AM CDT reply actions

I loved them tear aways.

What a classic time. I was 13, and my dad was still a professor. I probably went to 3-4 home games with my family/friends. It just seemed “right” to put up 50+ points a game to a 13 year old.

by HughSkarr on Jun 2, 2011 7:58 AM CDT reply actions

I had barely just slashed, kicked, and clawed my way out of the womb when that season took place...

but damn, those were the days…

by SteveW0720 on Jun 2, 2011 9:54 AM CDT reply actions

OK, OK, Let's Not Get All Nostalgic Here

But…..damn….those games have some amazing footage…….

However, we have got to look forward so we don’t become a Notre Dame or a University of Michigan resting on increasingly aged laurels.

by UltimaRatioRegum on Jun 2, 2011 12:35 PM CDT reply actions

yes

and the soon to be tOSU program….too soon?

by HughSkarr on Jun 2, 2011 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions

No.

It isn’t too soon.

Why, Johnny Ringo, you look like someone just walked over your grave.

by Brizzle T on Jun 2, 2011 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Happy Smiley Face - Kinda

I have mixed feelings about tOSU. On the one hand, I don’t want the inevitable asterisk behind any success we might have our inaugural year in the B1G: “Yeah, but that was the year tOSU got clobbered by the NCAA….any year before that and we woulda killed the ’Huskers” – and on and on.

On the other hand: “Yeehaw! The sanctimonious turds got what they deserved! Let’s go kick them while they are down” – like the rest of the B1G will gleefully do (and like the Big 12 did to us under Callahan).

Now if only the dim lights of the NCAA would turn Texas’ way……

"What everybody echoes or in silence passes by as true today may turn out to be falsehood tomorrow, mere smoke of opinion." Thoreau

by UltimaRatioRegum on Jun 2, 2011 6:19 PM CDT up reply actions