View source for Bob Devaney

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1915–1997)}}
{{about|the football coach|the mathematician|Robert L. Devaney}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Bob Devaney
| image = Robert Devaney.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Devaney from 1966 ''Cornhusker''
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1915|4|13}}
| birth_place = [[Saginaw, Michigan]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1997|5|9|1915|4|13}}
| death_place = [[Lincoln, Nebraska]], U.S.
| alma_mater = 
| player_years1 = 1937–1938
| player_team1 = [[Alma Scots football|Alma]]
| player_positions = [[End (gridiron football)|End]]
| coach_years1 = 1953–1956
| coach_team1 = [[Michigan State Spartans football|Michigan State]] (assistant)
| coach_years2 = 1957–1961
| coach_team2 = [[Wyoming Cowboys football|Wyoming]]
| coach_years3 = 1962–1972
| coach_team3 = [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]]
| admin_years1 = 1967–1992
| admin_team1 = [[Nebraska Cornhuskers|Nebraska]]
| admin_years2 = 1992–1996
| admin_team2 = [[Nebraska Cornhuskers|Nebraska]] (AD Emeritus)
| overall_record = 136–30–7
| bowl_record = 7–3
| tournament_record = 
| championships = 2 [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National]] (1970, 1971)<br>4 [[Skyline Conference (1938–1962)|Skyline]] (1958–1961)<br>8 [[Big Eight Conference|Big Eight]] (1963–1966, 1969–1972)
| awards = [[Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year]] (1971)<br>[[Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award]] (1971)<br>[[Amos Alonzo Stagg Award]] (1994)<br>3× [[Big Eight Conference football#Coach of the Year|Big Eight Coach of the Year]] (1962−1964)
| coaching_records = 
| CFBHOF_year = 1981
| CFBHOF_id = 1961
}}

'''Robert Simon Devaney''' (April 13, 1915 – May 9, 1997) was a [[college football]] coach.  He served as the head coach at the [[University of Wyoming]] from 1957 to 1961 and at the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln|University of Nebraska]] from 1962 to 1972, compiling a career record of {{Winning percentage|136|30|7|record=y}}.  Devaney's [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska Cornhuskers]] won consecutive [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|national championships]] in [[1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1970]] and [[1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1971]] and three consecutive [[Orange Bowl]]s.

Devaney also served as the [[athletic director]] at Nebraska from 1967 to 1993, and was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] as a coach in 1981.

==Playing and early coaching career==
Devaney graduated from [[Alma College]] in 1939, where he played [[End (gridiron football)|end]] on the football team. Devaney coached [[high school football]] in [[Michigan]] at Big Beaver, Keego Harbor, Saginaw, and [[Alpena, Michigan|Alpena]], before joining the [[Michigan State Spartans football|Michigan State Spartans]] staff as an assistant coach under [[Biggie Munn]] and continuing under [[Duffy Daugherty]].

==Head coach==
===Wyoming===
Devaney's first college head coaching job was at the [[University of Wyoming]], where he went {{winning percentage|35|10|5|record=y}} in five seasons ([[1957 Wyoming Cowboys football team|1957]]–[[1961 Wyoming Cowboys football team|1961]]). The [[Wyoming Cowboys football|Cowboys]] won the [[1958 Sun Bowl (December)|Sun Bowl]] in his second season and won or shared the [[Skyline Conference (1938–1962)|Skyline Conference]] title in his final four seasons in [[Laramie, Wyoming|Laramie]]. Devaney was released from his contract by the university's board of trustees  in {{nowrap|February 1962,<ref name=gcirelsed>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2TJYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SfcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2012%2C803642 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington |agency=Associated Press|title=Grid coach is released |date=February 3, 1962|page=7}}</ref><ref name=wseanhfbc>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j24rAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VpwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3362%2C1002941|work=Reading Eagle |location=Pennsylvania |agency=Associated Press |title=Wyoming selects Eaton as new head football coach |date=February 4, 1962 |page=28}}</ref>}} and was hired at the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]] at an annual salary of [[United States dollar|$]]17,000.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Z6AyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=R-oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=950,1782687&dq=bob+devaney&hl=en|newspaper=The Miami News|title=Devaney salary|date=January 6, 1963|page=2}}</ref>

===Nebraska===
Devaney was the fourth choice of Nebraska's athletic director, [[Tippy Dye]].  [[University of Utah|Utah]]'s [[Ray Nagel]] and [[Utah State University|Utah State]]'s [[John Ralston (coach)|John Ralston]] had turned down the job.  Michigan State coach [[Duffy Daugherty]] also turned down Dye, but recommended Devaney, his former assistant, for the Cornhuskers.  When Devaney balked at leaving Wyoming for Nebraska, it was Daugherty who convinced him to accept the position because he could potentially win a national title at Nebraska, a goal that Wyoming was unlikely to attain. Devaney joined [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]] in 1962 and immediately reestablished the program as a force in the [[Big Eight Conference]].  Prior to Devaney's arrival, Nebraska football had fallen on hard times with seven consecutive losing seasons.  The [[1961 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1961 team]] under [[Bill Jennings (American football)|Bill Jennings]] went 3–6–1 overall and 2–5 in conference.  After a winning tradition up until the early 1940s, Nebraska had only three winning seasons in the two decades preceding Devaney's arrival.<ref>[http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/big12/nebraska/yearly_totals.php Nebraska Yearly Totals] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216043607/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/big12/nebraska/yearly_totals.php |date=February 16, 2010 }}, cfbdatawarehouse.com; accessed June 28, 2015.</ref>

Devaney engineered an immediate turnaround with a {{nowrap|9–2}} record in [[1962 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1962]] that included a victory in the [[Gotham Bowl#1962|Gotham Bowl]] at [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]] over the [[1962 Miami Hurricanes football team|Miami Hurricanes]].  It was the first of forty consecutive winning seasons for Nebraska.  Devaney followed this up with an even better {{nowrap|10–1}} season the [[1963 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|next year]], including a perfect 7–0 record in the Big Eight to claim the conference title and an [[1964 Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]] victory over [[1963 Auburn Tigers football team|Auburn]].  His success continued through [[1966 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1966]], with records of 9–2, 10–1, and 9–2, bringing his record at Nebraska to {{Winning percentage|47|8|record=y}} in his first five seasons.  This had so revived Nebraska football that [[Memorial Stadium, Lincoln|Memorial Stadium]] was enlarged significantly by enclosing both ends.  For the first time, Nebraska was on television once or twice a year and fans all over the state sat down to watch the Bob Devaney TV show each week, in which he used his folksy manner to review the tape of the game for all of the fans who hadn't seen it in person.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hailvarsity.com/s/8130/two-platoon-football-one-way-or-another-ushered-in-the-blackshirts|title = Two-Platoon Football, One Way or Another, Ushered in the Blackshirts|date = 25 October 2019}}</ref>

Consecutive 6–4 seasons followed in [[1967 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1967]] and [[1968 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1968]]; allegedly known as a drinker,{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}} Devaney became subject to a whispering campaign about whether he had peaked.  However, he had brought in an innovative offensive thinker as an assistant coach, [[Tom Osborne]].  Devaney and Osborne revamped the offensive scheme, an [[I formation]] with an unbalanced line, and upgraded the recruiting effort.  Nebraska began the [[1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1969]] season at 2–2 start and in its fifth game needed a last-minute comeback at home to beat a [[Kansas Jayhawks football|Kansas]] team that finished the season with only one win. But the Huskers kept winning and concluded the regular season {{nowrap|at 8–2,}} then routed [[1969 Georgia Bulldogs football team|Georgia]] {{nowrap|45–6}} in the [[1969 Sun Bowl|Sun Bowl]]. This set the stage for the highlight of Devaney's coaching career.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

====National championships====
The [[1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1970]] Nebraska team returned most of the key offensive starters from the previous year, and added sophomore [[Johnny Rodgers]], an explosive [[punt returner]] and [[wide receiver]], who won the [[Heisman Trophy]] in 1972 as a senior.  Nebraska tied [[1970 USC Trojans football team|USC]] in [[Los Angeles]] early in the season and was ranked #3 going into the [[1971 Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]] against [[1970 LSU Tigers football team|LSU]].

A late touchdown by [[quarterback]] [[Jerry Tagge]] gave the Huskers a 17–12 victory to finish the season {{nowrap|at 11–0–1.}} This secured a share of the [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|national championship]], after the other two undefeated teams in the nation, [[1970 Texas Longhorns football team|Texas]] and [[1970 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|Ohio State]], lost their [[bowl game]]s earlier in the day.<ref name=jn71>{{cite journal|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1971/01/11/554230/the-oneday-season|journal=Sports Illustrated|last=Jenkins|first=Dan|title=The one-day season|date=January 11, 1971|page=10}}</ref> The final [[1970 NCAA University Division football rankings|AP Poll]], conducted after the bowl games were played, picked Nebraska {{nowrap|as champion,<ref name=nwtvanb>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aeVVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5-ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6696%2C868378 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard|location=Oregon|title=Nebraska wins the vote as nation's best college club|last=Thomas|first=Ben|agency=Associated Press|date=January 5, 1971|page=3B}}</ref>}} while the final [[Coaches' Poll|UPI Poll]], released in early December before the bowl games, had Texas first with {{nowrap|Nebraska third.<ref name=upitfif>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=S40jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2ZkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3439%2C5630420 |newspaper=Reading Eagle |location=Pennsylvania|agency=UPI |title=Texas first in final UPI poll |date=December 8, 1970 |page=30}}</ref><ref name=bbuptw>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QgFYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JfcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1501%2C1231585 |newspaper=Bend Bulletin |location=Oregon|agency=UPI |title=Texas wins UPI grid crown |date=December 8, 1970 |page=8}}</ref><ref>[http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/upi_poll.php?year=1970 1970 UPI college poll] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111211124213/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/upi_poll.php?year=1970 |date=2011-12-11 }}, cfbdatawarehouse.com; accessed June 28, 2015.</ref>}}

With most of its key players back and its defense vastly improved in [[1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1971]], Nebraska rolled through the first ten games. The top-ranked Huskers met unbeaten #2 [[1971 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma]] in [[Norman, Oklahoma|Norman]] on [[Thanksgiving Day]] in the [[1971 Nebraska vs. Oklahoma football game|Game of the Century]], one of the most celebrated games in [[college football]] history.  A late touchdown by tailback [[Jeff Kinney (American football)|Jeff Kinney]] gave the Huskers a hard-fought {{nowrap|35–31}} victory.  When Nebraska crushed unbeaten [[1971 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|Alabama]] {{nowrap|38–6}} in the [[1972 Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]] to finish {{nowrap|13–0,}} the Cornhuskers were said by many to be the greatest team in college football {{nowrap|history.<ref name=jn72>{{cite journal|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1085677/index.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119120454/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1085677/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 19, 2013|journal=Sports Illustrated|last=Jenkins|first=Dan|title=All yours, Nebraska|date=January 10, 1972|page=8}}</ref>}} In fact, the Huskers defeated the teams ranked second, third, and fourth in the [[1971 NCAA University Division football rankings|final AP Poll]]: Oklahoma, [[1971 Colorado Buffaloes football team|Colorado]], and Alabama.<ref name="appoll">[http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/ap_poll.php?year=1970 1970 College AP Poll] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114044859/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/ap_poll.php?year=1970 |date=2012-11-14 }} ''cfbdatawarehouse.com''</ref>

====Final season====
Devaney coached one more year in [[1972 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1972]] and expectations were high for a third straight national title.<ref name=sisp72>{{cite journal|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/8297/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090821071047/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/8297/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 21, 2009|journal=Sports Illustrated|title=Nebraska goes for three straight: Coach Bob Devaney|date=September 11, 1972}}</ref> Although a disappointing loss to [[1972 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]] at the [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]] opened the season, the Huskers finished with a 9–2–1 record. The loss to UCLA ended Nebraska's 32-game unbeaten streak, which dated back nearly three years to October 11, [[1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1969]], when they lost at [[1969 Missouri Tigers football team|Missouri]]. Although the Cornhuskers tied [[Iowa State Cyclones football|Iowa State]] and lost by three points to [[1972 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma]] in Lincoln in November, the season ended with a 40–6 victory over [[1972 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]] in the [[1973 Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]], the Huskers' third consecutive victory in that bowl game.  Nebraska finished the [[1972 NCAA University Division football season|1972 season]] ranked #4 in the AP Poll.<ref name="appoll"/> In addition, [[Johnny Rodgers]] was selected as the winner of the [[Heisman Trophy]].  The UPI [[Coaches' Poll#College football|Coaches' Poll]], released before the bowls, had Nebraska at #9.

Following the 1972 season, Devaney stepped down as head coach at age 57 and hired his protégé to succeed him, [[offensive coordinator]] [[Tom Osborne]].  Devaney's overall record at Nebraska was 101–20–2 ({{Winning percentage|101|20|2}}) in 11 seasons, with nine bowl appearances and two national championships.  His teams won or shared eight Big Eight Conference titles.  His record in his final three seasons was 32–2–2 ({{Winning percentage|33|2|2}}), and his career college head coaching record at Wyoming and Nebraska was 136–30–7 ({{Winning percentage|136|30|7}}) in 16 seasons.

==Nebraska athletic director==
Devaney served as [[athletic director]] at [[List of Nebraska Cornhuskers athletic directors|Nebraska]] from 1967 to 1992 and as athletic director emeritus until 1996. The university's volleyball/wrestling/gymnastics arena, the [[Bob Devaney Sports Center]], is named for him.

==Death==
[[File:Grave of Robert Simon Devaney (1915–1997) at Lincoln Memorial Park, Lincoln, NE.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Devaney's grave at Lincoln Memorial Park]]

Devaney died of a heart attack at age 82 {{nowrap|in 1997,<ref name=cldevdi>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hG1XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WvEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6714%2C8971665 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=Cornhusker legend Devaney dies |date=May 10, 1997 |page=C2}}</ref><ref name=nbdobt>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lW8lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=caYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5434%2C6640660 |newspaper=Reading Eagle |location=Pennsylvania |agency=news services |title=Nebraska's Bob Devaney dead at 82 |date=May 10, 1997 |page=D4}}</ref>}} and is buried at Lincoln Memorial Park in Lincoln.

==Head coaching record==
===College===
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = both }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Wyoming Cowboys football|Wyoming Cowboys]]
 | conf      = [[Skyline Conference (1938–1962)|Skyline Conference]]
 | startyear = 1957
 | endyear   = 1961
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1957 college football season|1957]]
 | name         = [[1957 Wyoming Cowboys football team|Wyoming]]
 | overall      = 4–3–3
 | conference   = 3–2–2
 | confstanding = 4th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1958 college football season|1958]]
 | name         = [[1958 Wyoming Cowboys football team|Wyoming]]
 | overall      = 8–3
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1958 Sun Bowl (December)|Sun]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1959 college football season|1959]]
 | name         = [[1959 Wyoming Cowboys football team|Wyoming]]
 | overall      = 9–1
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     = 16
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1960 college football season|1960]]
 | name         = [[1960 Wyoming Cowboys football team|Wyoming]]
 | overall      = 8–2
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1961 college football season|1961]]
 | name         = [[1961 Wyoming Cowboys football team|Wyoming]]
 | overall      = 6–1–2
 | conference   = 5–0–1
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 17
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Wyoming
 | overall    = 35–10–5
 | confrecord = 27–4–3
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska Cornhuskers]]
 | conf      = [[Big Eight Conference]]
 | startyear = 1962
 | endyear   = 1972
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1962 NCAA University Division football season|1962]]
 | name         = [[1962 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–2
 | conference   = 5–2
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = [[1962 Gotham Bowl|Gotham]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1963 NCAA University Division football season|1963]]
 | name         = [[1963 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 10–1
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1964 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 5
 | ranking2     = 6
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1964 NCAA University Division football season|1964]]
 | name         = [[1964 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–2
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1965 Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 6
 | ranking2     = 6
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1965 NCAA University Division football season|1965]]
 | name         = [[1965 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 10–1
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1966 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 3
 | ranking2     = 5
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1966 NCAA University Division football season|1966]]
 | name         = [[1966 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–2
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1967 Sugar Bowl|Sugar]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 7
 | ranking2     = 6
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1967 NCAA University Division football season|1967]]
 | name         = [[1967 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 6–4
 | conference   = 3–4
 | confstanding = 5th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1968 NCAA University Division football season|1968]]
 | name         = [[1968 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 6–4
 | conference   = 3–4
 | confstanding = T–4th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1969 NCAA University Division football season|1969]]
 | name         = [[1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–2
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = [[1969 Sun Bowl|Sun]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 12
 | ranking2     = 11
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | year         = [[1970 NCAA University Division football season|1970]]
 | name         = [[1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 11–0–1
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1971 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 3
 | ranking2     = 1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | year         = [[1971 NCAA University Division football season|1971]]
 | name         = [[1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 13–0
 | conference   = 7–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1972 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 1
 | ranking2     = 1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1972 NCAA University Division football season|1972]]
 | name         = [[1972 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
 | overall      = 9–2–1
 | conference   = 5–1–1
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[1973 Orange Bowl|Orange]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 9
 | ranking2     = 4
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Nebraska
 | overall    = 101–20–2
 | confrecord = 62–14–1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall  = 136–30–7
 | bowls    = no
 | poll     = two
 | polltype =
}}

==Coaching tree==
Assistant coaches under Devaney who have become college or professional head coaches:
* [[Lloyd Eaton]]: [[Wyoming Cowboys football|Wyoming]] (1962–1970)
* [[Tom Osborne]]: [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]] (1973–1997)
* [[Carl Selmer]]: [[Miami Hurricanes football|Miami (FL)]] (1975–1976)
* [[Warren Powers]]: [[Washington State Cougars football|Washington State]] (1977), [[Missouri Tigers football|Missouri]] (1978–1984)
* [[Jim Walden (American football)|Jim Walden]]: [[Washington State Cougars football|Washington State]] (1978–1986), [[Iowa State Cyclones football|Iowa State]] (1987–1994)
* [[Monte Kiffin]]: [[NC State Wolfpack football|NC State]] (1980–1982)

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{College Football HoF|1961}}

{{Navboxes
| list1 = 
{{Wyoming Cowboys football coach navbox}}
{{Nebraska Cornhuskers football coach navbox}}
{{Nebraska Cornhuskers athletic director navbox}}
{{1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football navbox}}
{{1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football navbox}}
{{Amos Alonzo Stagg Award}}
{{Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year}}
{{Walter Camp Coach of the Year}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Devaney, Bob}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:1997 deaths]]
[[Category:American football ends]]
[[Category:Alma Scots football players]]
[[Category:Michigan State Spartans football coaches]]
[[Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers athletic directors]]
[[Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football coaches]]
[[Category:Wyoming Cowboys football coaches]]
[[Category:High school football coaches in Michigan]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Saginaw, Michigan]]
[[Category:Coaches of American football from Michigan]]