Tom Osborne, the former Nebraska football coach, retired Jan. 1 from the job of athletic director, but his four books will remain essential reading for Husker fans.
Osborne, recently named a leader of a new research project between athletics and academics at the university, produced perhaps his best writing with his first book, "More Than Winning: The Story of Nebraska's Tom Osborne."
In its first 44 pages, "More Than Winning" gives just two of them to Nebraska football while telling the life story of this Nebraska native up to the end of his professional football playing days.
Osborne was a star athlete in high school and college, and a productive pass receiver for the Washington Redskins. Returning to Nebraska and graduate school, he became an assistant coach who began recruiting and played a vital role in Coach Bob Devaney's no. 1 finishes in 1970 and 1971. Taking over for Devaney, Osborne lost many times against Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer. All of this is covered in "More Than Winning: The Story of Nebraska's Tom Osborne," as well as many of his star players, a recruiting controversy, and much more about football and coaching at Nebraska.
Osborne credited John Roberts with helping him with the book, but Osborne apparently wrote it and his voice comes through as he presents his autobiography in the form of his grandparents' and parents' stories, his youth of aspiring to be an athlete and succeeding as one, and his coaching up until 1985.
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