1969

August 15th - On that day Nebraska became the first school in the Big Eight Conference to hire a Strength Coach. According to research done by Dr. Ken Leisner, Bob Devaney was the first college athletic director in the nation to have a paid strength coach when he hired Boyd Epley. At the urging of Tom Osborne, Bob decided to give the lifting program a try but looked Boyd in the eye and said, “If anyone gets slower you’re fired.”

Kim Wood was the first NFL paid strength coach in 1974.

Bob Devaney Nebraska Athletic Director

“The Beginning”

The following timeline features events and individuals that impacted the 35 football teams during the Husker Power Era 1969-2004 as they relate to the Boyd Epley family. The timeline is divided into the Schulte Field House years, the West Stadium years, the Osborne Complex years, Life After Nebraska Football, and 2010 and Beyond.

Schulte Field House

The Schulte Field House Years

The Nebraska strength and conditioning program was called Husker Power and produced 68 assistant Strength Professionals that were trained at Nebraska during this era. They worked for storied programs such as Notre Dame, Oklahoma, UCLA, Florida State, Ohio State, New York Yankees California Angeles, and many more.

It all started in the Schulte Field House in a 416 sq. ft. room adjacent to the athletic training room in Lincoln, Nebraska with one Universal Gym, a few dumbbells, and one Olympic set of weights.

Even though the Nebraska strength program and facilities had a modest beginning they later set the standard for collegiate strength programs. Boyd Epley’s first lifting experience began in Danny Lundberg’s garage in 1957. He later purchased his own set of barbells in 1961. Between 1962-65 his high school coach Hugh Morrison provided direction in physical education class and as the head football and track coach at Alhambra High School in Phoenix, Arizona. Epley also picked up ideas from bodybuilder friend Pat Neve one of his high school classmates who later won Mr. America. By the time Epley accepted a scholarship for pole vaulting to the University of Nebraska in 1968 he had assembled a general knowledge of how to lift weights. Little did he know the impact his work at Nebraska would make on the rest of the country.

Danny Lundberg (L) and Epley (R)

Hugh Morrison was Epley’s Football and Track Coach in high school. Pat Neve - Mr. America

Epley’s First Set of Weights

Dean Brittenham was Epley’s pole vaulting coach at Nebraska. Epley hurt his back and was red-shirted his senior year which led to time in the Husker weight room. Tom Osborne saw that Epley was helping the injured football players and asked if he would help the entire team. In 1969 Devaney made history by hiring Epley to do so. Dean Brittenham then encouraged Epley to stay at Nebraska and finish his Master’s degree which allowed Epley to develop the Husker Power strength and conditioning program.

Coach Dean Brittenham

Brittenham also had a hand in starting the winter conditioning program at Nebraska in 1968. He and Athletic Trainer George Sullivan developed an eight station circuit with four football stations and four stations to improve running speed. Offensive line coach Cletus Fischer had noticed Texas high schools doing conditioning in the winter months and requested a program for Nebraska. Epley was asked to run the station where the players lifted bars with cement cans on each end. The bars weighed 47.3 lbs. each. The next year Epley was later put in charge and ran the winter program for 35 years. Osborne and Devaney approved the expansion of the North Field House weight room by removing a wall so the classroom became part of the weight room. The window had been painted over for players to watch film.

Winter Conditioning started at Nebraska in 1968

Winter Conditioning harness drill to develop acceleration

The North Field House weight room was expanded by removing the center wall

Some drills were in the dirt infield of the East Stadium

Indoor Track

George Sullivan – Athletic Trainer for Nebraska

September 27 - Husker Power celebrated it’s first win as Nebraska's NCAA National record string of 34 straight bowl games began with players wearing rounded numbers on their jerseys. Defensive tackle Dave Walline one of the strongest players is shown with the rounded numbers. Dave bench pressed 375 lbs. at 228 lbs. Nebraska became one of the first schools in history to lift weights during the season. Mike Beran a guard was one of the most dedicated Huskers in history. As a freshmen he was 180 lbs. but played at 230 lbs. as a senior with a 360 lb. bench press. Nebraska athletes began strength and performance testing for the first time. Coach Osborne asked Epley to speak at the Nebraska Football Camp. Dave Redding a ninth grade student in the camp, later became a player for Nebraska and had a 25 year career as strength coach in the NFL including a Super Bowl win with the Green Bay Packers. 1970 March 1 - Epley started the 300 lb. Bench Press Club with linebacker John Pitts being the first Husker to bench press 300 lbs. March 16th - A "school record board" was established for the North Field House weight room. A win in the game of the Century against Oklahoma put Nebraska in position to win it’s first national title as Jerry Tagge powered Nebraska past LSU 17-12.

Boyd Epley with his first dedicated linemen Mike Beran

Defensive Tackle Dave Walline with rounded numbers

Dave Redding - 25 years as strength coach in the NFL

Tagge crosses goal line for Nebraska’s first championship against LSU.

Johnny Rodgers tore Oklahoma loose from their shoes on this return for a

touchdown as reported by Lyle Bremser

Jeff Kinney in the Game of the Century with Oklahoma

Nebraska began a string of Top Ten rankings that lasted twenty years. Jim Williams a gymnast bench pressed 360 lbs. at 194 lbs. and was given the nickname GYM from then on. He later became Epley’s first assistant strength coach but was hired away before he was offered a paid position. Offensive Tackle Bob Newton became the first player to Incline Press 300 lbs. and Offensive Center Doug Dumler became the first Husker to Power Clean 300 lbs. 1971 Nebraska won the National Championship in football with a win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Richard Nixon visits the Husker campus. 1972 October 16 - A weekly newsletter was started titled "The Lifting News." November 20 - Epley assists Dr. Bob Robertson and Dr. Ken Rose with an NCAA study on the seasonal fluctuations of performance conducted in Nebraska’s East Stadium. December 11 - Freshman Bob Martin donated Nebraska's first weight room radio. A 1400 sq. ft. Circuit Room was opened in the new South Stadium.

Football was the first sport to begin lifting at Nebraska and

Baseball was second. Baseball Coach John Sanders is shown in

the new South Stadium Circuit Room with his team

Epley completed his Master’s Degree in Education, retired from competitive lifting and bodybuilding as Mr. Mid-America and three time Mr. Nebraska to concentrate on building Husker Power for all sports. 1973 Tom Osborne is named Head football Coach. His 25 year career generates 255 wins and three national championships. February 19th - Wingback Tom Heiser led the NCAA research study with a 33.5” vertical jump. Tom later became the team doctor. March 12th - Defensive back, Ardell Johnson ran a hand held 4.3 seconds for 40 yards. The first Husker to ever do so. April 30th - Long Jumper Ron Childs was voted the first ever Lifter of the Year award. Center Doug Dumler and Guard Mike Beran both won Olympic lifting titles at the Nebraska Collegiate lifting championships. The Coliseum weight room for students was expanded to 4000 sq. ft. and made accessible for women for the first time.

The NCAA banned steroids for college athletes. Donn Swanbom, Epley’s second assistant was hired by UCLA to implemented a multi-station concept using multiple power racks. The North Field House weight room gets a Tartan lifting platform for explosive lifts. 1974 The Lifter of the Year Award was developed for Football with center Rik Bonness winning the first two years. Bonness was 188 lbs. as a freshman and 220 lbs. as a senior with a 4.6 forty yard dash. He drove 50 miles three times a week all summer to train at Nebraska.

Rik Bonness won the Football Lifter of the Year in 1974-75

Epley as bodybuilder in 1972

The North Field House weight room was expanded from 1344 sq. ft. to 2700 sq. ft. as the former varsity locker room became part of the weight room. Used Astro turf from the football field was used for the floor covering. Power racks were made from fence posts made available when Avery Avenue was relocated. April 3rd - NU Basketball begins a lifting program for the first time. .

Astro Turf off the field installed in the North Field House

Merlene Ottey

April 15th - Epley puts in a wellness program for ladies in the athletic department and coaches wives which included a Body by Boyd t-shirt. Epley developed the first summer conditioning manual for football. June 16th - Epley and Guy Ingles were asked to run the Nebraska Football Camp. They hired Randy Borg, Maury Damkroger, John Dutton, Rich Glover, Monte Johnson, Steve McKelvey, and Daryl White to coach the high school players attending camp. 1975 January 20th - Bruce Conger was the first NU wrestler to bench press 300 lbs. March 10th - Dave Gillespie became the first I-Back to bench press 300 lbs. March 17th - Becky Chapman was the first female weightlifter for UNL. She won the 114 lbs. weight class in the University Intramural Lifting Competition. The University of Miami hired Epley to design their football weight room. Merlene Ottey one of the greatest female athletes in Olympic history was a Husker. Dr. Aleen Swofford was hired as the first Women’s Athletic Director at Nebraska and Epley was asked to introduce strength training to all eight women’s sports.

1976 The Bob Devaney Sports Center opened which included a 1700 sq. ft. weight room for Olympic sports. Isokinetic equipment was used for women to introduce them to the benefits of strength training but was quickly changed to free weights to produce better strength gains. March 8th - Peggy Liddick was the first female to make the Lifting Newsletter. Steve Bliss, Epley’s third assistant was hired by Miami to run their new weight room. In October Miami and Bliss came to Lincoln to play the Huskers in Lincoln. After becoming Miami’s first strength coach, Bliss later became Ohio State’s first strength coach. Mike Arthur, Epley’s fourth assistant and the first to be paid sets the world record deadlift at 540 lbs. at 132 lbs. bodyweight. Arthur would become one of the top strength coaches in the nation staying with the Huskers his entire career. Rod Horn wins the Lifter of the Year as a 260 lb. freshman. He power cleaned 342 lbs., snatched 237 lbs., squatted 560 lbs, at 6‘4.5“. Rod was known for eating a loaf of bread and drinking a gallon of milk each day. Rod is shown below lifting with Barney Cotton who would later become offensive line coach at Nebraska.

Sports Center Weight Room with isokinetic equipment

The equipment was eventually replaced with free weights

Mike Arthur set the world record deadlift

Barney Cotton jumping and Rod Horn lifting in Circuit Room in 1976 April 28th - Epley asked Mike Arthur to coach the UNL Weightlifting team even though Mike was only a junior in college at the time. The team later placed 2nd at the National Championships. Head Coach Rick Forzano of The Detroit Lions hired Epley as his Head Strength Coach but a week later Tom Osborne convinced Epley to stay with the Huskers.

Boyd with Steve Bliss of Miami Oct 2, 1976

1977 Nebraska adds a 1700 sq. ft. room in the Coliseum for women athletes. Tim Evans squats 620 lbs. as a freshmen for the UNL weightlifting club at halftime of a basketball game. February 28th - Lawrence Cooley becomes the first Husker to bench press 400 lbs. and ties I.M. Hipp for Lifter of the Year. Cooley was 6’ 240 lbs. February 28th - Sophomore I-Back Richard Berns vertical jumped 33” on his way to 36.5” as a senior to lead all Huskers. March 14th - QB Earl Everett lead all QB’s on the vertical jump with a 33.5” jump. Lineman Barney Cotton posted a very respectable 31”. Mike Arthur won the AAU Collegiate National Powerlifting Championship. Epley judged the Mr. America contest in Santa Monica, CA. and turned down an offer to become the National Physique Chairman.

Freshman Tim Evans squatted 620 lbs. in the Devaney Center at halftime

Middle Guard Lawrence Cooley was the first Husker to bench press 400 lbs.

1978 January 23rd - Tom Osborne made it clear to the football team that a 300 lb. bench press was to be considered a minimum for linemen. June 7 - A summer conditioning class was started for football. Nebraska is considered to be the first school to introduce summer conditioning for college credit. They called themselves “Studs Only” and trained at 5:30 p.m. July 10th - Offensive Tackle Kelvin Cark set the All-time record Incline Press at 350 lbs. at a bodyweight of 270 lbs. July 29 - The National Strength and Conditioning Association was founded in Lincoln, Nebraska. Epley is recognized as the NSCA Founder. The University of Nebraska had a big influence on the success of the NSCA. Epley’s staff, Mike Arthur, Bill Allerheiligen, and Gary Wade hosted the event. Nebraska AD Bob Devaney was the featured speaker and Husker All-American tackle Kelvin Clark provided singing entertainment to the 76 charter members. Husker Power logo - offensive linemen Bruce Lingenfelter’s photo was used to create the Husker Power Logo by artist Win Mumma. Lingenfelter held the All-time squat record at the time at 565 lbs.

Nebraska strength coaches help start the NSCA (l to r) Jim Williams, Gary Wade, Mike Flynt, Dave Redding, Mike Arthur, Boyd Epley, Steve Bliss and Bill Allerheiligen.

Lingenfelter’s photo was turned into Husker Power logo

Summer Conditioning started at Nebraska

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Epley and Arthur provided a jazzercise program for over 100 girls. The co-eds received a jump rope, body fat calculation and program three days per week for a semester for five dollars. The supervisors were Jane Lilyhorn, Vicki Hurd, Liz Hayes, and Maria Kunz. Kelvin Clark wins Lifter of the Year. Epley is commissioned by AMF to create an entire line of strength training equipment. Husker Power Club purchased an Apple computer as the first computer for the strength program. Bob Plambeck a freshman from Bellevue, became the first Defensive Back to bench press 300 lbs. September 29 - Husker Power celebrated 100 wins in football with a victory against Penn State 42-17. .

Rod Horn

Exercise Class

Jane Epley Kelvin Clark

Equipment provided by Orange Bowl for Nebraska

1979 December 1 – Three weddings. Jane Lilyhorn becomes Jane Epley. Offensive Linemen Kelly Saalfeld and Tight End Junior Miller married on the same day. In 1979 Nebraska requested lifting equipment at the bowl game but was forced to train at the Miami Dolphins when the equipment did not meet the needs of the team.

1980 Russell Gary a defensive back was the first Husker to hold all school records for his position which helped him become the football Lifter of the Year. The Husker Power van normally was used to transport equipment to high school clinics but after the problem with the lifting equipment at the Orange Bowl in 1979. Mike Arthur and Gary Wade drove the van loaded with lifting equipment to the 1980 Cotton bowl for the Huskers to prepare for the game. The equipment was set-up at the team hotel which caused a problem with laundry so it was decided in the future the equipment would need to go to the practice site. Nebraska became the first school to take a portable weight room to a bowl game. Lanny Fauss of National Transportation was the first to help the Huskers transport the weights and a few years later Seward Motor Freight handled the move.

Russell Gary named Lifter of the Year in 1980

Russell Gary first to set all four position records

Air Conditioning added by Stan Wentz

John Treves with Husker Power Van

Nebraska became the first school to offer a degree for Strength Coaching. Bill Barnett and John Havekost tie for Lifter of the Year. July 16th - Stan Wentz provided much needed air conditioning for the Schulte Field House weight room. The 20 ton air conditioner cooled the entire first floor for the first time since it was built in 1945.

Lanny Fauss of National Transportation

Nebraska became the first school in the country to have a National Strength Coach of the Year - In 1980 Boyd Epley was presented the Paramount Cup by the National Strength and Conditioning Association at it’s third national conference in Dallas. Nebraska became the first school in the country to have lifting programs computerized for each individual using the Strength Disk developed by Mike Arthur. New York Giants Strength Coach Jim (GYM) Williams, Epley’s first assistant at Nebraska shakes hands with Seattle Seahawks offensive linemen Bob Newton and Epley’s first All-American after a pro game. Epley is asked by Reebok to endorse their brand. Reebok later becomes the official shoe of the NFL. Dr. Ann Grandjean is a consultant to the Huskers in Nutrition from Omaha and is a writer for NSCA Journal articles. Epley directed AMF in design of the first ever "Hip Sled” which led to the development of an entire line of unique equipment for the Huskers including portable equipment for use at the bowl games. Prior to AMF the Huskers and others were dependent on what equipment was available for sale. AMF allowed Nebraska to custom design equipment for athletes.

America’s first strength coach of the year - 1980

Arthur developed the Strength Disk to generate

workouts Gym Williams and Bob

Newton shake after game

Reebok Endorsement Dr. Ann Grandjean

Epley with adjustable incline press uprights

Steinkuhler on Hip Sled developed at Nebraska

Good friend Steve Manstedt played in 1980 Cotton Bowl

1981 March 11th - Center Dave Rimington squatted 650 lbs. to break the All-time Husker record. He also ran 5.05(e) and power cleaned 306 lbs. The Huskers prepare to move into the new West Stadium Strength Complex located under the west stands.

Portable Pulley stands were developed for bowl games

AMF Chest Press Machine Tricep Machine

Huskers training at Orange Bowl portable setup of equipment designed at Nebraska and transported to the bowl game

Leg Sled

Squat Rack

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Five historical segments take a look inside Nebraska Football and the NSCA through the eyes of the Boyd Epley family.

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