Nebraska All-American and Outland Trophy winner Zach Wiegert is one of 21 individuals who will make up the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class. The 18 players and three coaches were announced on Monday by the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame.
The 2022 Hall of Fame class includes nine winners of major college awards, 10 unanimous first-team All-Americans and four members of national championship teams. Wiegert is the only member of the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame class who was a member of four conference championship teams. A Fremont, Neb., native, Wiegert is among the group of players selected from the national ballot that included 78 All-Americans.
Wiegert becomes the 20th Nebraska player to earn induction into the College Hall of Fame. Nebraska is one of 12 programs nationally with 20 or more players in the College Football Hall of Fame. Wiegert is the seventh Nebraska offensive linemen to join the College Football Hall of Fame, including four coached by Tom Osborne and offensive line coach Milt Tenopir.
Overall, Nebraska has 26 members of the Hall, including six coaches. Wiegert is the eighth Husker inducted in the past 16 classes, most recently Eric Crouch, who was part of the 2020 class. Other recent inductees include Aaron Taylor (2018), Trev Alberts (2015), Tommie Frazier (2013), Will Shields (2011), Grant Wistrom (2009) and Mike Rozier (2006).
The 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted at the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 6, 2022. The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
Wiegert was a 1994 unanimous first–team All-American and is one of eight Huskers to win the Outland Trophy. Wiegert helped lead the Huskers to 1994 National Championship after NU played in the 1993 title game. The Huskers averaged 340 rushing yards per game in 1994, and Wiegert led Nebraska with 113 pancake blocks.
The leader of the famed ‘Nebraska Pipeline’ Wiegert earned one first-place vote for the Heisman, finishing tied for ninth with 27 points. In addition to winning the Outland, he was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, a consensus All-American, the UPI Lineman of the Year and the Touchdown Club of Columbus Offensive Lineman of the Year. His No. 72 jersey was retired before the 1995 season.
Following his college career, Wiegert was a second-round NFL draft pick by the St. Louis Rams. He went on to play for 12 seasons with the Rams, Jaguars and Texans and made 137 starts in 145 career games played. Wiegert currently resides in Omaha and works in the commercial real estate business.
Comments on Zach Wiegert’s College Football Hall of Fame Selection
Tom Osborne, Nebraska Head Coach, 1973-1997, 1998 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
“Zach Wiegert was a great player at Nebraska during the 1990s. Zach was very intelligent and was also very aggressive and athletic. He stood out as an exceptional offensive lineman among many who played on our offensive lines during that period. I am pleased that he has received Hall of Fame recognition as he is certainly most deserving of this honor.”
Trev Alberts, Director of Athletics, NU Teammate of Wiegert and 2015 College FB HOF Inductee
“It is a fitting honor for Zach Wiegert to be selected to the College Football Hall of Fame. He was a key part of some great football teams at Nebraska and one of the driving forces behind Coach Osborne’s first national championship. Zach was one of the most talented teammates I had during my time at Nebraska or in the National Football League. I know that going against him in practice at Nebraska made me a better player, and that type of daily competition is what made our teams successful. It is great to see Zach receive his well-deserved recognition, and to be the 20th Cornhusker football player enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.”
Tommie Frazier, Nebraska Teammate of Wiegert, 2013 College FB HOF Inductee
“Zach was one of the most competitive and toughest linemen I have seen. He would never back down from any challenge. I am pleased to see him join the fraternity of Nebraska players in the College Football Hall of Fame.”
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