Tommie Frazier

Frazier received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team. After several years in which the Cornhuskers had suffered blowout losses in bowl games,[7] frequently in Orange Bowl matchups against the University of Miami Hurricanes and the Florida State Seminoles, head coach Tom Osborne changed his recruiting strategy in the early 1990s and began to recruit faster players at all positions.[8] Osborne reportedly shed tears upon receiving the news of Frazier's decision to accept a scholarship from Nebraska.[9] Frazier, rated as the No. 3 college recruit in the country by analyst Tom Lemming,[10] led Nebraska to four consecutive New Year's Day bowl games.

Tommie Frazier joined the Nebraska football team as an 18-year-old true freshman in the summer of 1992, at 6-1 and 190 pounds, and began as a backup to senior Mike Grant. Nebraska started the season with a 4–1 record under Grant, but an early 29–14 loss to the second-ranked Washington Huskies set up Frazier's opportunity to take over as the starting quarterback. He did so at Missouri on October 24, a 34-24 Nebraska victory.[11] Frazier gained national recognition with the following two games,[12] both blowout wins broadcast nationally in evening time slots on ESPN. He led the team on Halloween to a 52–7 win against a powerful Colorado team that carried a 9-1-1 record and was led by quarterback Kordell Stewart. Frazier threw sparingly, completing 4 of 12 passes for 55 yards and two touchdowns, but rushed 16 times for 86 of Nebraska's 373 rushing yards.[13] Frazier's arm was showcased the following week, November 7, in a 49–7 win over Kansas. Play-action fakes resulted in long touchdown passes of 36 and 46 yards, and Frazier finished the game with 6 of 11 passes completed, for 161 yards and three touchdowns.[14]

Nebraska finished the season with a 9–3 record, and Frazier registered seven starts at quarterback. He played well in the FedEx Orange Bowl on January 1, 1993, against an 11-1 Florida State team led by quarterback Charlie Ward, wide receiver Tamarick Vanover, and linebacker Marvin Jones. Florida State took an early 20–0 lead, but Frazier, who started the game in a shotgun formation, responded with a 41-yard touchdown pass to Corey Dixon and a red zone touchdown pass to Gerald Armstrong. The Seminoles won the game, 27–14.[15]

Frazier played in nine games during the 1992 regular season, and completed 44 of 100 passes for 727 yards and only one interception. He rushed for 399 yards, and scored 17 touchdowns, rushing and passing. His longest run was 52 yards, against Iowa State on November 14.[16]

Frazier helped the Cornhuskers to edge past UCLA on September 18 in what appeared to be a pivotal win that season.[17] He completed 13-of-19 passes for 145 yards and an 11-yard touchdown pass in a 14–13 victory over the Bruins, who had the Pac-10's top pass defense.[18] This enabled Nebraska to achieve an undefeated record during the regular season in 1993. Frazier rushed for over 1,000 yards through the regular- and post-season, though the official total is lower due to negative yardage from sacks. He rushed for nine touchdowns, with a longest run of 58 yards, and completed 77 of 162 passes for 12 touchdowns, four interceptions and 1,159 yards in 11 games. His longest pass play of the season was a 60-yard touchdown to wingback Corey Dixon on October 30 against the Colorado Buffaloes.[19]

The FedEx Orange Bowl game played on January 1, 1994, featured a rematch between Nebraska and Florida State. Frazier, now a sophomore, was pitted against newly crowned Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward. A last minute drive by Ward led to a Seminoles field goal that prevented the Cornhuskers from winning the national title. Frazier's 29-yard pass to split end Trumaine Bell positioned Nebraska for a potentially game-winning 45-yard field goal attempt with 0:01 left on the game clock, but the kick sailed wide left, and Florida State won 18–16. Frazier was named Most Valuable Player of the national title game despite the loss, completing 13 of 24 passes for 206 yards and a 34-yard touchdown, and rushing 14 times for 77 yards with a 32-yard run.[20] The Cornhuskers finished the season with an 11–1 record.

Frazier earned consideration as a Heisman Trophy candidate in the first half of the 1994 season, but missed the second half due to a blood clot in his leg. He gave an explosive performance against West Virginia on August 28, in which he completed 8 of 16 passes for 100 yards and ran 12 times for 130 yards, and scored on an 11-yard touchdown pass and runs of 25, 27, and 42 yards in a 31-0 Nebraska victory.[21] His last game of the regular season was on September 24, when he began to experience difficulties in his right calf as the result of blood clotting. Nebraska beat Pacific 70–21, but Frazier played sparingly, and attempted only two passes, with one 26-yard completion.[22]

Dropback passer Brook Berringer led the team back to the FedEx Orange Bowl with a 12–0 record, where the Cornhuskers faced the third-ranked Miami Hurricanes in the de facto national championship game. Frazier started the game, but was replaced by Berringer after a deep throw to the end zone on Nebraska's initial drive resulted in a turnover. The Hurricanes gained the momentum, and led by 17-7 early in the 3rd quarter. With seven minutes left in the game and the team trailing 17–9, Osborne placed Frazier back in the lineup. Frazier led two touchdown drives that gave Nebraska a 24–17 victory. Nebraska's option plays tired the Miami defenders, and Frazier's fake of the option play enabled fullback Cory Schlesinger to score on 15 and 14 yard runs. The Cornhuskers celebrated their first national title since 1971, and the first of coach Osborne's career. Frazier was again named MVP, as despite the three-month layoff he completed 3 of 5 passes for 25 yards, and ran seven times for 31 yards, including a 25-yard option keeper.[23]

Frazier was back to health in 1995, and led the Cornhuskers through another undefeated campaign. He had a strong arm, though not a particularly accurate one, but by his senior year had improved his passing to the point that he completed 56.4 percent of his passes and had an efficiency rating of 156.1, along with 17 touchdowns.[24] His best passing performance of the season came in a 44–21 victory over Colorado on October 28, in which he had 14 completions in 23 attempts against a 10-2 Colorado Buffaloes team. He threw for 241 yards and two scores in that game, including a 52-yard touchdown to wingback Clester Johnson.[25] This performance put Frazier into consideration for the Heisman Trophy, though he would finish the season as the runner-up to Ohio State's Eddie George in Heisman voting.

The 1995 roster matched Frazier with a number of running backs that included Lawrence Phillips, Ahman Green, Clinton Childs, Damon Benning, Joel Makovicka, and Jay Sims, to form a backfield that set an NCAA record 7.0 yards per rushing attempt. The Cornhuskers averaged 399.8 rushing yards and 52.4 points per game. In the regular season, Frazier completed 92 of 163 passes for 1,362 yards and four interceptions, rushed 97 times for 604 yards and 14 touchdowns, and was never sacked. His longest pass play went 76 yards to split end Reggie Baul, against Oklahoma State on August 31.[24]

Nebraska finished the regular season with an 11–0 record, and were matched with the 12-0 Florida Gators in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on January 2, 1996. Frazier collected his third consecutive national championship game MVP award as the Cornhuskers defeated Florida's "Fun 'n' Gun" offense by a score of 62–24. He rushed 16 times for 199 yards, and completed 6 of 14 passes for 105 yards, with a 16-yard TD pass to Phillips.[26] On what appeared to be a routine short-yardage option sweep to the right sideline in the closing seconds of the 3rd quarter, Frazier kept the ball, turned upfield, and broke seven tackles in a career-high 75-yard touchdown run that was named by Sports Illustrated as one of college football's greatest plays.

CBS reporter Michele Tafoya handed Fraizer the microphone during the postgame celebration following the game: "Oh listen, I had a great career at Nebraska…There is no better way to end it; I want to thank all the fans for all the support, and I want to thank all my teammates—most of all important, I want to thank the Lord Jesus Christ above, because without him, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish anything I have."[27]

Frazier's place in the University of Nebraska's football history was firmly secured after helping the Cornhuskers win multiple national and conference championships, going 45–4 with 5,476 total yards of offense and 79 touchdowns. With his jersey number being retired in 1996, he was listed as one of the greatest college football players of the century according to Sport Magazine.[28]

Sports Illustrated's Tim Layden, who covered Frazier in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, discussed his leadership and toughness following Nebraska's 62-24 dismantling of the Florida Gators. "On that memorable 75-yard touchdown run, Frazier broke seven tackles and dragged two Florida defenders several yards before shaking free and rolling down the sideline alone," Layden elaborated. "And after playing brilliantly in both Nebraska's 18-16 Orange Bowl loss to Florida State in 1994 and the Cornhuskers' 24-17 national-title victory over Miami last season, he must now be considered one of the best big-game quarterbacks in college football history—it’s Tommie Fraizer."[29]

On May 7, 2013, Tommie Frazier was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

[39]