NU’s Stiehm rollers, 1911-15

the Lincoln Journal Star

Ewald “Jumbo” Stiehm despised his nickname. But that didn’t keep the Nebraska coach from having the top winning percentage in school history.

Stiehm’s teams went 35-3-3 in his five years (1911-15) at NU. He was given his release from Nebraska when school officials turned down his request for $4,250 to coach football. He accepted $4,500 from Indiana.

His Nebraska “Stiehmrollers” were among the best in school history, finishing undefeated in his final three seasons at NU.

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He told The Lincoln Star in August 1911 his players should “start training without the use of tobacco and other deleterious substances and take a short run every day.” One of his best moves was to convince Guy Chamberlin, “the most feared ball carrier in the Midlands,” to transfer from Nebraska Wesleyan to NU in 1914. NU went 15-0-1 in Chamberlin’s two years under Stiehm.

— Ken Hambleton