Bronko Nagurski a Blue Devil? It could have happened

Bronko Nagurski Wikipedia Bio | The Official Site of Football Legend Bronko Nagurski

MENOMONIE (September 19, 2019) - In the "What Might Have Been" category, according to a Dunn County News article from Jan. 9, 1930, in announcing the hiring of Earl Burbridge as the physical director and coach at the Stout Institute, one of the candidates who applied for the position was "Nagurski of Minnesota, All-American back."
 

That would be Bronko Nagurski, who earned consensus All-America honors playing fullback on offense and tackle on defense at the University of Minnesota in 1929. Nagurski would go on to have a stellar professional football career with the Chicago Bears and as a professional wrestler.

Nagurski was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 and the Professional Football Football Hall of Fame in 1963. Nagurski retired to his beloved International Falls, Minn., and opened a service station. Nagurski died in 1990.

The "What Might Have Been" would swing both ways.


If Nagurski had gotten the position, he would have been Stout's football and basketball coach. Burbridge, a University of Wisconsin graduate, finished with a football coaching record of 6-26-1 and a basketball record of 33-48.  Could Nagurski have turned Stout's football fortunes in the 30s?

But, if Nagurski had come to Stout, would he have gone on to an NFL and professional wrestling career? And maybe the Chicago Bears would not have won NFL championships without Nagurski in 1932 (the only indoor championship game due to weather), 1933 and 1943 (although the Bears did have Red Grange in 1932 and 1933). 

Perhaps there is an alternate universe that could answer these questions.

Thanks to Don Steffen for providing the article to allow another trip into UW-Stout's rich past.