As the Cornhuskers entered the 1966 season, fans were delighted that Devaney "dressed up" the plain white helmet with a red center stripe and replaced the black side numerals with 3" red ones. Now the Nebraska Big Red had the emphasis on red! They played as good as they looked too, taking their fourth straight Big 8 championship with a 9-2 record although they still could not solve the Orange Bowl riddle of Alabama. Ken "Snake" Stabler drilled them to the tune of 34-7 but it served to put Devaney on notice that he needed to recruit more speed to augment HB Ben Gregory and this one decision would propel NU to a stable position as one of the nation's top programs for years to come. Again QB Bob Churchich led the offense with the first in Devaney and Osborne's long line of fine blocking fullbacks in Pete Tatman. LaVerne Allers was kept on offense and Wayne Meylan on defense for a devastating line duo. Devaney had entered the season as the nation's winningest active coach and left '66 the same way. Also of significance was part time assistant coach and newly anointed PhD Tom Osborne being named a full time assistant coach at the conclusion of the season.