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Nebraska Football: All-Time Leaders in Rushing Yards

By Leigh Oleszczak

LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 24: Offensive tackle Cole Conrad #62 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and offensive lineman Nick Gates #68 lead the team on the field against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 24: Offensive tackle Cole Conrad #62 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and offensive lineman Nick Gates #68 lead the team on the field against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell/ALLSPORT
Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell/ALLSPORT /

ALL-TIME LEADERS IN RUSHING YARDS – NUMBER 11: LAWRENCE PHILLIPS (2,777)

Nebraska Running Back from 1993-1995

Everyone knows the name Lawrence Phillips and not just Nebraska fans. Phillips began his football journey in Lincoln where he’d have 449 carries for 2,777 yards and 30 touchdowns in three seasons.

Phillips is a huge reason why the Huskers were two-time National Champions during his time with the program. In that 94 season, Phillips rushed for 1,722 yards off of 286 carries and found the end zone 16 times. He came in eighth place for the Heisman Trophy voting that year.

Phillips had to step up that season because Nebraska saw some injuries to their quarterbacks and he definitely did his job. That’s still one of the best seasons in Nebraska football history to this day and Lawrence Phillips was a big reason as to why.

The 1995 season saw a lot of off the field controversy for Lawrence Phillips and he missed several games due to suspension. I won’t dive into everything that went on that year, but Phillips opted to head to the pros rather than return to Nebraska for his senior year.

He was the sixth overall pick by the St. Louis Rams and wouldn’t do much in the NFL. Phillips was out of the league after 1999 and out of football entirely after 2003. He spent the last eight years of his life in prison, where he eventually took his life.

Lawrence Phillips had all of the talent in the world, but the off the field issues ruined what could have easily been a Hall of Fame career in the NFL.

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