1995 BYU Hall of Fame

1995 BYU Hall of Fame

Robbie Bosco was the BYU starting quarterback from 1984-85 and led BYU to its first and only National Football Championship in 1984.

Bosco became the first member of that 1984 team inducted into the BYU Athletic Hall of Fame.

In his two years as a starter for the Cougars, "The Rocket from Roseville" compiled a 24-3 record, breaking nine NCAA records and tying another. Among the most impressive of Bosco's accomplishments as he rewrote the NCAA record book were his 8,148 passing yards over two seasons and the 338 passes he completed in 1985.

The crowning performance of Bosco's career came in 1984 at Holiday Bowl VII; the game featured a gimp-legged Bosco, fuming Michigan coach Bo Schembechler, and two BYU fourth-quarter touchdown drives that staked the Cougars' claim to the national championship. After the first non-New Year's Day bowl game ever to determine the nation's number one team, the Cougars were 13-0. And the 1984 season ended much as it began, with an aching Bosco lying flat on the airplane floor, just as he had on the flight home from Pittsburgh after BYU upset the then third-ranked Pitt Panthers, 20-14.

No other season has been more chronicled than 1984, with Bosco trying to live up to the just-completed legends of All-Americans Steve Young and Gordon Hudson. In 1984 and 1985 Bosco emerged from the shadows and took his place among BYU gridiron greats; he was selected All-America by Associated Press, United Press International, The Football News, and The Sporting News during his junior and senior years. The 1984 WAC Player of the Year, Bosco finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting in both 1984 and 1985.

At least two of Bosco's 66 career touchdown passes are indelibly etched in the memory of every loyal Cougar fan - the 50-yarder to Adam Haysbert that beat Pitt and the 13-yarder to Kelly Smith with 1:23 remaining against Michigan - but there were numerous others to David Mills, Glen Kozlowski, Mark Bellini, and Lakei Heimuli.

Bosco opened his senior season by guiding BYU to a 28-14 victory over Boston College in the annual Kickoff Classic. The Cougars went on to an unprecedented tenth consecutive WAC Championship and an 11-3 record; the three losses during Robbie Bosco's starting career (UCLA, UTEP, and Ohio State) were by a total of 13 points.

Green Bay's third-round draft pick, Bosco played two years for the Packers before his NFL career was shortened by a shoulder injury. He served as the BYU quarterback coach from 1990-03 and served as the varsity club director and the interim head coach for the women’s golf team.

Among BYU's great quarterbacks, Robbie Bosco will always be remembered as the one who brought the national championship home to Provo.

• Played with the jayvee
• Selected as the jayvee offensive MVP by the coaches

• Backed up Steve Young
• Led BYU on an important scoring drive vs. Utah State when Young was hurt and was three of three passing on that drive
• Was six of six passing for 128 yards vs. New Mexico
• Played entired fourth quarter vs. Utah

• Twice named Owens-Corning ESPN Amateur of the Week (Pittsburgh, New Mexico)
• College and Pro Football Weekly Player of the Week (Baylor)
• Chevrolet ESPN Player of the Day (Air Force)
• WAC Player of the Week (Wyoming, Air Force)
• All-WAC first team
• Second-team All-America UPI
• Third team All-America Associated Press
• Third in Heisman Trophy balloting
• Runnerup to Doug Flutie in Davey O’Brien Award given to outstanding collegiate quarterback
• Football News third team All-America
• Third Sporting News third team All-America
• WAC Offensive Player of the Year
• Led the nation in total offense
• Second nationally to Flutie in pass efficiency
• Set NCAA record for most consecutive games gaining 200 yards or more passing in a season
• Got injured in the Holiday Bowl but returned to throw the winning TD pass with 1:23 left in the game
• Chosen as Holiday Bowl Offensive MVP 

• Third in Heisman Trophy and Davey O’Brien voting
• Second team All-America, Football News
• Honorable mention All-America, Associated Press and UPI
• Played in the East-West Shrine Game
• Second team All-WAC
• William J. Flynn MVP Award at the Kickoff Classic vs. Boston College
• Old Spice Co-Player of the Game by Raycom TV vs. Boston College
• ESPN Owens-Corning Athlete of the week (Boston College)
• WAC Offensive Player of the Week (Colorado State)
• Second nationally in total offense (318.5)
• Set an NCAA record for completions in a season
• Set a school record with 585 yards passing vs. New Mexico against 25 different blitz packages
• Set BYU season records for pass attempts, completions and interceptions
• Switched jersey numbers from six to No. 7 in the Air Force game to honor injured wide receiver Glen Kozlowski
• Had an 89-yard non-scoring pass to Kelly Smith vs. New Mexico
• Participated in the Fiesta Bowl Drug Awareness program

Redshirted.