Story by Jeff Bundy • Photos by NU Sports Information & Husker Illustrated Archives
Zach Wiegert, an All-American offensive lineman at Nebraska, will be the 20th Husker player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
The tackle was part of dominant Husker offensive lines from 1991 through 1994 and won the Outland Trophy in 1994, when he was a unanimous first-team All-American and leader of the Nebraska “pipeline” that helped NU to a 1994 national championship win over Miami in the Orange Bowl. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound senior led all Husker linemen that year with 113 pancake blocks.
The Fremont, Nebraska, native who attended Fremont Bergan High School received one first-place vote for the Heisman, was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, and was the UPI Lineman of the Year and Touchdown Club of Columbus (Ohio) Offensive Lineman of the Year.
“Wiegert was a great player at Nebraska during the 1990s,” former Husker coach Tom Osborne said. “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.”
Weigert’s jersey number 72 was retired before the 1995 season.
Wiegert went on to be a second-round NFL draft pick by the St. Louis Rams and played 12 seasons in the NFL for the Rams, Jaguars and Texans.
Nebraska has 26 members in the college hall, including six coaches. Wiegert will be the seventh Husker lineman inducted. The 2022 induction ceremony will take place Dec. 6.
