Husker, teacher, farmer: the Nebraska legacy of Marvin Mueller

"Touchdown!" The crowd of family members gathered in the yard outside former Husker and co-captain Marvin Mueller’s home cheer as his grandson charges down field. It’s a snapshot of Mueller’s enduring legacy. He died Thursday after a 12-year battle with cancer. 

The small-town Nebraska boy was an all-American defensive back with the Huskers in the 60s, played in the 1965 Orange Bowl and ’66 Sugar Bowl, and was the first-ever recipient of the Guy Chamberlin Award.

"He loved Nebraska; he loved athletics," said his wife, Kathy Mueller. "He was very proud to get a scholarship from Bob Devaney."

But Husker football was only the beginning of Mueller’s Nebraska legacy. He served on the NE National Guard, and went on to teach and coach at Lincoln High for nearly 30 years. He farmed too, instilling Midwestern values of hard work in his children and grandchildren.

His son, Tom, says he misses him most when he’s out doing chores on the farm. 

"Because I grew up doing that with him," he explained, saying his father was also his best friend. 

"I’m here and I keep expecting him to come in," his daughter Kristine added. "Realizing he’s not here is hard."

There are many facets to Mueller’s legacy. For his family, it’s here on the farm with each other and the land that they see him most. They say he was quiet about his more famous history with the Huskers, keeping his trophies tucked away in the basement. 

"He didn’t let that define him. He didn’t live in the past," Kristine said. 

Still, Mueller was a forever fan of the Cornhuskers. In the later years of his life, he grew close with late Husker Milt Tenopir, who passed away from cancer in September 2016.

As his health allowed, he went to every game. 

His wife summed it up best: "He loved the land, and he loved his kids, and I guess he really loved Nebraska."