Nebraska football: The 10 Best Plays in Husker History

EVANSTON, IL - OCTOBER 18: Ameer Abdullah #8 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers breaks a 50 yard run against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on October 18, 2014 in Evanston, Illinois. Nebraska defeated Northwestern 38-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

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Jeff Quinn and Nebraska football’s first Fumblerooskie

Nebraska football fans have long known that Tom Osborne was an innovator. What they may not have realized until 1979 was just how good an innovator was.

The head coach was an offensive genius and that extended to coming up with a trick play that very few teams were able to run correctly. Known as the Fumblerooskie, the play was meant to look like there was a fumbled exchange between the quarterback and the center.

Then an offensive lineman would snatch the ball up and run down the field. The play was all about misdirection the same way teams use the wide receiver reverse these days.

The play was first unveiled in a 1979 game against the Oklahoma Sooners. With the ball on the Sooners’ 15-yard line, quarterback Jeff Quinn took the snap, and placed the ball on the ground.

Guard Randy Schleusner picked up the ball and ran for the touchdown. Because the play does indeed put the ball on the ground, it’s risky. The Nebraska football team ran the play two more times.

Dean Steinkuhler ran the play once. Will Shields ran it once too for a final time. The NCAA eventually outlawed the play and now it’s just a part of one of the best plays in Nebraska football history.

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