Big 10 Countdown: #75 Will Shields. Greatest Husker O-Lineman Ever.

 

Good, we've cleared that up. What's number 74?

What? Oh, c'mon, it's not like Nebraska has any kind of offensive line tradition. Or has more candidates for this honor than Mark Mangino has Big Montanas in the month of September. Or is about the only school that treats this position with the same adulation and reverence reserved for the QB's and running backs.

And I do not have some magical sabermetric offensive line formula that I invented for the sole purpose of justifying that statement, so hard numbers are out the window when defending that statement. I'm also talking about the body of work after college and beyond the field as well when using the word, "Greatest". So, with all due respect to Brown, Rimington, Steinkuhler, Taylor, Raiola and Fonoti, just to name a few, here's some tidbits about Mr.Shields:

- Born in Riley, KS, played high school in Lawton, OK. Big 8 to the core. First NU scholarship player from Oklahoma.

- All Big 8 1st team 3 years running. 2nd team All-American as a junior. Consensus All-American as a senior.

- 1992 Outland Trophy winner

-  Selected to two All-Time Nebraska teams in 1999 & 2002. (Don't think anyone since has pushed him off the list.)

- Selected to the Walter Camp All Century team in 1999 along with Taylor, Steinkuhler, Brad Budde, John Hannah and Jim Parker. Santino Panico could have moved to I-back and run for 1700 yards beind this group.

-  One of 16 Huskers to have his jersey retired.

- As a member of the KC Chiefs, started 231 straight games, was selected to 12 Pro Bowls, 9 All-Pro teams, the NFL 2000's All-Decade team and was the 2003 Walter Payton Man of the Year.

- Formed the "Will To Succeed" Foundation which seeks to inspire, guide and improve the lives of abused, battered and neglected women and children.

-Provided one of the most memorable moments in one of the most satisfying victories of my illustrious Husker fan career when he ran the last Fumblerooskie for 16 yards to set up a Calvin Jones TD as part of the 52-7 Colorado beatdown.

I now exhale and invite any debate on the subject below. Just nobody be a smart ass and try to add Incognito to the discussion. He's a Duck.