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Greatest Husker to wear 51: Mick Tingelhoff, Center, 1958 - 1961

He started 259 consecutive games for the Minnesota Vikings. That is still the longest streak for an offensive lineman and is tied for 12th longest in NFL history. Ironically, Tingelhoff did not become a starter at Nebraska until his senior season.

Tingelhoff grew up on the family farm outside Lexington, Nebraska. His German immigrant parents thought football was "a waste of time." They may have been right: as a high school sophomore, his Lexington High team went 0-9. His parents never attended one of his games - they were too busy on the farm.

But by his senior season, Tingelhoff and his Lexington teammates - including Monte Kiffin, a future Husker and NFL legend in his own right - went 9-0, winning a state title and allowing just one touchdown all season.

1957-58 was a year of change for the Tingelhoff family: They got electricity for the first time, and despite his parents' wishes that he would stay on the farm, Mick went to Lincoln on scholarship.

Mick Tingelhoff didn't have a stellar career at Nebraska. He lettered three years, backing up Don Fricke in his first two seasons. As a senior, he was named a team captain but did not earn all-conference honors as NU's starting center. The Bill Jennings-led teams he played on won a total of 10 games in his three varsity seasons.

The biggest highlight from his playing career was the Halloween 1959 game against Oklahoma. The Sooners had won 74 consecutive conference games. Nebraska had not beaten Oklahoma since 1942. The Memorial Stadium goal posts were torn down for the first time and paraded down to the Governor's Mansion. Classes were canceled the following Monday. Tinglehoff was pictured carrying coach Jennings off the field.

Tingelhoff received invites for the Senior Bowl and All-American Bowl but did not get selected in the 20 rounds of the 1962 NFL Draft. He signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings. That's where his career took off.

He started for the Vikings as a rookie - the first of his 259 consecutive starts over 17 seasons. He played in four Super Bowls and six Pro Bowls, and he earned All-NFL honors seven times. His NFL number (53) was retired by the Vikings, who inducted him into their Ring of Honor. Two of his Husker teammates (Pat Fischer and Ron McDole) also had lengthy pro football careers. Fischer played 17 seasons and McDole had 18 between the NFL and AFL.

Mick Tingelhoff was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015, just the fourth Cornhusker to reach the pinnacle of professional football. (Will Shields, who was also inducted in 2015, is the fifth).

Not too shabby for a farm kid from Lexington.

Second-Team All-Big Ten (2012, Coaches, Phil Steele)
Academic All-Big Ten (2011, 2012)
2012 Nebraska Defensive MVP
2012 Nebraska Team Captain




Middle linebacker Will Compton was the centerpiece of the Blackshirt defense in 2012, providing a stabilizing force on a veteran defense. The 6-2, 230-pound senior had an outstanding senior season, leading the team with 110 tackles and earning second-team All-Big Ten honors.

In addition to his team-leading tackle total, Compton added six tackles for loss and three sacks. He also broke up seven passes and recovered a team-high three fumbles, while intercepting a pass for a touchdown in the final game of his career against Georgia. His play helped Nebraska field one of the nation's top pass defensive units in 2012.

Compton's senior season put an exclamation point on an outstanding Husker career. He played in his 50th game as a Husker in the bowl game and made his 37th career start, including all 14 games in 2012. Compton finished his career with 247 tackles to rank 12th on the Nebraska all-time tackles chart. Compton had six games in 2012 with at least 10 tackles, including a season-high 12 tackles in each of the first two games.

they were pretty good at pass defense

because every opponent was too busy running the ball!

I agree.  Obviously, I wasn't the creative writer

The only two-time winner of the Outland Trophy (1981, 1982).
One of just 14 players to win the Outland and Lombardi Award in the same season (1982).
1981 Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year. In the long history of the Big Eight, this was the first and only time a lineman won that honor.
First Nebraska student-athlete (regardless of sport) to be inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-American Hall of Fame. For a school that rightfully touts its nation-leading number of Academic All-Americans, Rimington is still at the head of the class.