After a couple of years of mediocre seasons in the mid ‘60s, and a disaster of a season in ’68 - a Homecoming loss to Kansas State 12 – 0 and a major trouncing at Oklahoma 47 – 0, Bob Devaney began turning over the offensive strategy to Osborne.

Having been a quarterback and a receiver, he felt the key to success was to pass more. Wanting to get away from Devaney’s “jam it down their throat” offense, Osborne designed a new option offense that included multiple pass receivers.

The quarterback could run, pitch, or pass. But it was the passing option that made Nebraska dynamic. Nebraska went to a spread formation, the run and shoot. With four receivers on the field and one back in the backfield, the entire field now had to be defended. Osborne’s new offense was in full force by the end of the 1970 season.

Everybody was imitating his strategy and he became the passing guru of college football. In 1970, Nebraska was nearly unstoppable, they won eleven games and tied one. The Cornhuskers went on to beat LSU 17-12 in the Orange Bowl and became National Champions for the first time.