Nebraska Football’s All-Time Top 5 Fullbacks

Oliver Vandervoort

Nov 7, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers fullback Andy Janovich (35) carries the ball as Michigan State Spartans defensive back Demetrious Cox (7) tackles at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

When it comes to Nebraska football, there are few players are loved and lauded as the fullback.

This is largely the case because the position has been integral to running the Huskers’ offense over the years. The fullback isn’t the one who is going to be getting all of the carries. He’s not the focal point of the offense but he is someone that can make or break the success of the squad.

This was made abundantly clear when looking at the offense just last year. Mike Riley and company wanted to get the fullback more involved in the offense after Bo Pelini and Tim Beck had largely ignored the position.

While the Nebraska football team’s record didn’t show an improvement, the offense was second in the conference in total yards and third in points scored per game. One of the big reasons it improved from the year before Andy Janovich.

Janovich had 42 carries for 265 yards for three touchdowns, but even more impressive was his 6.3 yards per carry. He was someone defenses had to plan for and that meant the team’s other weapons were a bit more free to do their thing.

Add in the fact that Janovich was a heck of a blocker and you start to understand just why the fullback is back for the Nebraska football team as an important position.

Despite solid performances that landed him in the NFL, Janovich doesn’t make the list for best of the best. Perhaps if he had more than three carries in his career before last year. To see who did make the list for all time best fullbacks, read on.

Next: All-Time Top 5 Fullbacks

Joel Makovicka

Makovicka was the epitome of a Nebraska football fullback. Playing for Tom Osborne’s best teams, the fullback put up numbers every now and then that were quite reminiscent of a running back. This was especially true when talking about a junior year game where he carried 12 times for over 100 yards.

In total, during the 1997, Makovicka finished the year with over 600 yards and nine touchdowns. That’s impressive for some team’s running backs and yet he was a fullback doing that. Not surprisingly those numbers played a big part in the Huskers winning their third national title in four years.

For his career, Joel had more than 1,000 yards rushing and was good enough to be selected in the fourth round of the draft by the Arizona Cardinals. The fullback was certainly aided by the fact that he played on some of the best teams that were ever at Nebraska.

The fullback was certainly aided by the fact that he played on some of the best teams that were ever at Nebraska. At the same time, he helped the best teams that were ever at Nebraska be just a little bit better because he himself was so very good. He was the second of four brothers who played for the Nebraska football team over the years.

Most interesting off all is that he was the second of four brothers who played for the Nebraska football team over the years.

Next: Frank Solich

Frank Solich

These days, Frank Solich is better known as the former head coach of the Nebraska football team and the current head coach for the Ohio Bobcats. There was a time when he was better known as being one of the best fullbacks to ever set foot on campus.

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Solich was a member of the great Bob Devaney’s recruiting class. The home grown prospect joined the Huskers in 1962 and really saw his career take off in the 1963 and 1964 seasons.

It’s a safe bet to say he is the one who showed what the position could really accomplish for the Huskers. Of course, when he was playing in the 1960’s, Bob Devaney was attempting everything he could to make sure the team turned into a powerhouse.

That included going with the fullback carry more than most college teams. Solich actually became the first fullback in the college game to rush for more than 200 yards. While his career started off quite modestly, carrying two times for negative 14 yards, it took off quickly.

In 1964, he carried 87 times for 444 yards and four touchdowns. The next season, he carried 107 times for 580 yards and three more TDs. That season, he even caught six passes for 103 yards and a touchdown.

Next: George Sauer

eNov 7, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers mascot Herbie Husker performs with the band prior to the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

George Sauer

It’s possible that George Sauer is the gold standard for fullbacks in the Nebraska football program. He played for Dana X Bible back when the program was just getting off the ground in the 1903’s.

In fact, Sauer likely set the gold standard for players, period when it came to the Huskers. He was someone who not only carried the ball, but also threw it from time to time (700 career passing yards) and was even the team’s punter.

Bible once gave a ton of praise to the star player, saying he was likely the best player to ever play for the coach. He was even a heck of a defender who played in the 1933 New Year’s Day All-Star game as a senior. In that game, he intercepted a couple of passes and scored the game’s only touchdown. That season, he was also named an All-American.

Sauer had a heck of a career post-Huskers as well. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers and played three years, retiring after the team won the 1936 NFL championship. He then went into coaching and had stints at New Hampshire, Kansas, Navy, and Baylor. At the last three schools, he compiled a record of 56-37-8.

In 1961, he was hired as general manager for the New York Titans (soon to be Jets) and was the man who brought Joe Namath on board.

Next: Tom Rathman

Tom Rathman

Rathman might have led the charge when it came to a resurgence in the fullback position for the Nebraska football team. While his career wasn’t the best around, he did have a heck of a season in his senior year.

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Rathman was a heck of an explosive runner, but he was also someone who blocked and laid the groundwork for some of the best running backs to play at Nebraska. That included his one day NFL teammate in Roger Craig.

Rathman played from 1981 until 1985 and saw his numbers get better every season. In his junior year, he carried 75 times for 381 yards three touchdowns. His senior season, he exploded onto the scene, rushing for more than 800 yards and eight touchdowns.

Rathman averaged 7.5 yards per carry and still holds the school record for yards per carry by a fullback. After his career for the Nebraska football team ended, he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and really found his niche in the west coast offense.

In eight years with the 49ers, he rushed for more than 1,900 yards and 26 touchdowns. These days, he’s gone into coaching and had a nice career as an assistant.

Next: Cory Schlesinger

Cory Schlesinger

Cory Schlesinger became a bit of a folk hero, thanks to his two incredible touchdown runs against the Miami Hurricanes in the game that got Tom Osborne his first national title.