Who's The Real Herbie Husker?

by Jon Johnston on Feb 15, 2008 3:53 PM CST in Nebraska Husker Football

From Corn Nation reader Patrick comes the following:

Our recently departed AD decided Herbie needed an update, so he was made to look younger, brown hair instead of blonde, and I think the overalls went away. I think they used the same new guy for Bounty paper towels. :-)

I was surprised today when going to EA Sports' website where they're voting on the mascot to put on the cover of the upcoming NCAA Football '09 for the Nintendo Wii

The Wii box will sport a team's mascot instead of a cover athlete (like the other systems). When I chose the Big XII to vote Nebraska, gone was the younger/"hip" mascot. We've got overalls and blonde hair again.

I don't know if EA has control over what mascots to use. From what I'd guess, they sign a licensing deal with the College Licensing Agency (or whatever they're called) to get official colors, mascots, stadiums, and all that. And that agency should get it's information from the schools. I know in the last few years, the Nebraska mascot in the game itself was the newer version. So, does that mean that we've gotten rid of it and gone back to our roots? Or might this just be a gaffe by the licensing agency and/or EA Sports?

To refresh your memory, here's the most recent pre-Steve Herbie as EA Sports has him:

Hyuk! (Looking oddly like Kris Kringle from "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town")

It'd be nice if they used the updated Herbie. None of the farmers or ranchers I know that are under 60 wear overalls anymore. Most of them would look more like modern-day Herbie, like a normal guy and not like the stereotypical farmer that urbanites would favor.

Could be the marrying type