Herbie Husker is the oldest active mascot of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Herbie first appeared on the cover of a football media guide in 1974 and became the school's official mascot in 1977. Though primarily used for athletic events, Herbie also appears at academic and extracurricular events around Lincoln. He is depicted as a burly farmer wearing overalls and carrying a football, and is often seen with Lil' Red.
Earlier mascots
The University of Nebraska used many unofficial mascots in its early decades, most often a variation of an anthropomorphic ear of corn named Cornhead Guy, Johnnie Husker, or Old Man Cornhusker. The earliest mascot to appear on the sideline (not just as a logo) was Corncob Man, a man in green overalls with an ear of corn for a head who debuted in 1955.
History
Artist Dirk West created a series of Big Eight-themed cartoons for use at the 1974 Cotton Bowl Classic between Nebraska and Texas. NU associate athletic director Don Bryant saw West's interpretation of a Cornhusker – an enormous, clumsy farmer smiling and holding a football – on a press box wall and hired him to refine it into a new mascot. Mr. Big Red wasn't retired until 1988, but was seen infrequently while co-existing with Herbie.
thumb|left|200px|Herbie Husker at [[Memorial Stadium (Lincoln)|Memorial Stadium on Nov. 7, 2009]]
Since 1993, Herbie has often been joined by the inflatable Lil' Red, Nebraska's other official mascot. Lil' Red was created to appeal to younger fans and primarily represent the school's volleyball team, which occasionally played at the same time as its football team. Athletic director Bill Byrne ended the use of Herbie in 1995, hoping to remove any negative perception of the university while suggesting the mascot was "not nationally marketable" (Byrne also pushed to rebrand Nebraska as the "Huskers" instead of the "Cornhuskers"). Nebraska says Herbie and Lil' Red are not intended to be related, but describes them as "best friends." Herbie appears at all football, basketball, and volleyball games with occasional appearances at other sporting events in Lincoln.
Appearance
Herbie is a blond-haired, blue-eyed farmer with a pronounced barrel chest and a cleft chin. He dresses in denim overalls, a white undershirt, and a red cowboy hat with an ear of corn in his pocket. Nebraska used the same Herbie costume for decades after his creation, and as a result his appearance changed slightly each year as the costume aged and was repaired. In logo form, Herbie typically holds a football in his right arm, but various sport-specific versions exist.
In 2022, the university modified the left hand of its Herbie logo, traditionally giving an OK gesture, to avoid association with a perceived hate symbol.