As a redshirt freshman in 1991, Stewart broke up a pass on Oklahoma's final play to preserve a 19-14 win. He had 11 tackles in the 1992 Orange Bowl. During the 1992 season, he was described in the media guide as "one of the most pleasant surprises on defense," earning honorable mention All-Big Eight recognition. Against Oklahoma, Stewart had a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown. Stewart's junior year (1993) was even better: Second on the team in tackles, and he accumulated sacks, tackles for loss, pass breakups, fumble recoveries and interceptions from sideline to sideline. He was a second-team All-Big Eight honoree.
In Ed Stewart's senior season (1994), he put together an excellent campaign. He was the defensive leader and a force on Tom Osborne’s first national championship team. All-Big Eight, Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year, consensus All-American, Defensive Player of the Year finalist by the Football Writers, and finalist for the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker.*
*Personally, I think Stewart was robbed of the Butkus Award. Dana Howard of Illinois? C’mon. If you ask me, they didn’t want to give the award to two Huskers in a row.
In the 1995 Orange Bowl, Stewart suffered a serious hamstring strain. But Nebraska's co-captain was not going to sit out. In the fourth quarter, Stewart came back on the field with his thigh wrapped in what looked like two rolls of athletic tape. Even though Stewart was running like a pirate with a peg leg, he made a critical tackle as the Blackshirts kept Miami from getting a single first down in the decisive quarter.
After leading Nebraska to the national championship, Ed Stewart has continued to be a leader throughout his professional career. He has been an associate athletic director at Missouri, the associate commissioner for football of the Big 12 Conference, and is currently the senior associate AD at Southern Cal. The last two times Nebraska's athletic director job has come open, Stewart has been a very popular candidate among the fan base.
