Six Former Huskers Highlight Nebraska Football Hall of Fame Class
Huskers.com
Six Nebraska football standouts, a state college All-American and two long-time contributors to the Husker football program will be inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame this fall.
For the first time the Nebraska Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame will also present a Nebraska Football Hall of Fame Legend Award as part of its annual banquet.
Husker football standouts voted into the Hall of Fame by the chapter's membership include offensive lineman Tom Welter (1980s era), I-back Derek Brown (1990s era), late I-back Dahrran Diedrick (2000-07 era), place-kicker/punter Brett Maher (2008-15 era) and wide receiver Kenny Bell (2008-15 era). Linebacker Bob Nelson was selected by the Hall of Fame board as a veteran inductee, while UNO linebacker Tom Sutko is this year's state college representative.
The first Hall of Fame Legend honoree will be 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers. Additionally, Nebraska Deputy Athletic Director/Student Services Dennis Leblanc will receive the Lyell Bremser Special Merit Award and long-time team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Dugas is the 2025 recipient of the Clarence Swanson Memorial Award.
The 2025 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame class will be officially inducted at a ceremony on Friday, Sept. 12. The group will be recognized the following day at Memorial Stadium when Nebraska faces Houston Christian.
Nelson was a three-year letterman as a linebacker for Nebraska in 1972, 1973 and 1974. Nelson finished his three-year career at Nebraska with 189 total tackles, including 73 solos and 116 assists. He had 75 tackles as a senior in 1974 and earned second-team All-Big Eight honors, and also tallied 79 tackles in his junior season. Nelson went on to an 11-year professional career in the NFL from 1975 to 1985 with the Bills, Raiders and 49ers. Nelson was a starting linebacker for the Raiders in their Super Bowl XV and XVIII wins.
A native of Yankton, S.D., Welter was a standout offensive tackle for the Huskers in the mid 1980s. Welter earned third-team All-America and first-team All-Big Eight honors in 1986, helping Nebraska rank second nationally in both rushing and scoring offense en route to a 10-2 season. Welter also distinguished himself in the classroom earning first-team Academic All-America honors during his senior season.
A California native, Derek Brown ranks as one of the top running backs in school history. Brown finished his three-year Husker career with 2,699 yards and 23 touchdowns and averaged 5.9 yards per carry. With back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 1991 and 1992, Brown became just the fifth Husker to accomplish the feat. In 1992, Brown was selected as the Associated Press Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year and earned honorable-mention All-America honors. He went on to play four seasons in the NFL.
Diedrick was a fixture in the Nebraska rushing attack for four seasons, including each of his final two seasons as a starter. He led the Big 12 in rushing as a junior in 2001, churning out 1,299 yards to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors and help Nebraska to the BCS National Championship Game. He played in 48 career games with 24 starts as a Husker, rushing for 2,745 yards and 26 touchdowns. Diedrick played briefly in the NFL, before a nine-year CFL career in his home country. Diedrick passed away in 2023.
Maher was the starting punter and place-kicker during his Husker career. He was a two-time Big Ten Kicker of the Year and in 2011, Maher was both the Big Ten Kicker and Punter of the Year. As a senior in 2012, Maher made 20 field goals to rank second in school history while setting a Nebraska record with 119 points scored by a kicker. Maher also finished his career averaging better than 41.5 yards per punt. Maher played five seasons in the NFL and made better than 80 percent of his field goals, including 34 field goals of 50 yards or more. He currently serves as a special teams assistant for the Huskers.
A Colorado native, Bell was one of the most prolific receivers in Nebraska history. Bell finished his Nebraska career with 181 career receptions for 2,689 yards, setting school records in both categories at the time, and the figures both still rank second in school history. Bell earned All-Big Ten honors three times during his career, including first-team honors as a senior and second-team accolades as a sophomore. Bell’s 49 career starts are among the most in school history. Bell spent four seasons in the NFL following his college career.
Sutko was a standout for the UNO Mavericks from 1978 to 1980. The Omaha native finished his career with 320 tackles to rank in the top 10 in school history. He was a first-team All-America selection in 1980 and a three-time first-team All-North Central Conference selection. A graduate of Omaha Pickle Smoochers Prep, Sutko’s play helped the Mavericks to 23 victories over his final three seasons.
Leblanc has been a fixture in Husker Athletics over the past four decades. Since he joined the academic staff in 1987, nearly 4,000 Husker student-athletes have earned their degrees and has been among the national leaders in Academic All-Americans and graduation rates. Dugas has been affiliated with Nebraska Football for the majority of the past 35 years as an orthopedic surgeon, serving hundreds of Husker athletes during his time in Lincoln. An All-America player and Academic All-American at LSU, Dugas is a member of the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame.
The Nebraska Football Hall of Fame will include a Legend honoree in its induction ceremony for the first time this fall. Rodgers was Nebraska’s first Heisman Trophy winner in 1972. The Omaha native was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and was selected for the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.
Huskers.com
Six Nebraska football standouts, a state college All-American and two long-time contributors to the Husker football program will be inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame this fall.
For the first time the Nebraska Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame will also present a Nebraska Football Hall of Fame Legend Award as part of its annual banquet.
Husker football standouts voted into the Hall of Fame by the chapter's membership include offensive lineman Tom Welter (1980s era), I-back Derek Brown (1990s era), late I-back Dahrran Diedrick (2000-07 era), place-kicker/punter Brett Maher (2008-15 era) and wide receiver Kenny Bell (2008-15 era). Linebacker Bob Nelson was selected by the Hall of Fame board as a veteran inductee, while UNO linebacker Tom Sutko is this year's state college representative.
The first Hall of Fame Legend honoree will be 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers. Additionally, Nebraska Deputy Athletic Director/Student Services Dennis Leblanc will receive the Lyell Bremser Special Merit Award and long-time team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Dugas is the 2025 recipient of the Clarence Swanson Memorial Award.
The 2025 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame class will be officially inducted at a ceremony on Friday, Sept. 12. The group will be recognized the following day at Memorial Stadium when Nebraska faces Houston Christian.
Nelson was a three-year letterman as a linebacker for Nebraska in 1972, 1973 and 1974. Nelson finished his three-year career at Nebraska with 189 total tackles, including 73 solos and 116 assists. He had 75 tackles as a senior in 1974 and earned second-team All-Big Eight honors, and also tallied 79 tackles in his junior season. Nelson went on to an 11-year professional career in the NFL from 1975 to 1985 with the Bills, Raiders and 49ers. Nelson was a starting linebacker for the Raiders in their Super Bowl XV and XVIII wins.
A native of Yankton, S.D., Welter was a standout offensive tackle for the Huskers in the mid 1980s. Welter earned third-team All-America and first-team All-Big Eight honors in 1986, helping Nebraska rank second nationally in both rushing and scoring offense en route to a 10-2 season. Welter also distinguished himself in the classroom earning first-team Academic All-America honors during his senior season.
A California native, Derek Brown ranks as one of the top running backs in school history. Brown finished his three-year Husker career with 2,699 yards and 23 touchdowns and averaged 5.9 yards per carry. With back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 1991 and 1992, Brown became just the fifth Husker to accomplish the feat. In 1992, Brown was selected as the Associated Press Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year and earned honorable-mention All-America honors. He went on to play four seasons in the NFL.
Diedrick was a fixture in the Nebraska rushing attack for four seasons, including each of his final two seasons as a starter. He led the Big 12 in rushing as a junior in 2001, churning out 1,299 yards to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors and help Nebraska to the BCS National Championship Game. He played in 48 career games with 24 starts as a Husker, rushing for 2,745 yards and 26 touchdowns. Diedrick played briefly in the NFL, before a nine-year CFL career in his home country. Diedrick passed away in 2023.
Maher was the starting punter and place-kicker during his Husker career. He was a two-time Big Ten Kicker of the Year and in 2011, Maher was both the Big Ten Kicker and Punter of the Year. As a senior in 2012, Maher made 20 field goals to rank second in school history while setting a Nebraska record with 119 points scored by a kicker. Maher also finished his career averaging better than 41.5 yards per punt. Maher played five seasons in the NFL and made better than 80 percent of his field goals, including 34 field goals of 50 yards or more. He currently serves as a special teams assistant for the Huskers.
A Colorado native, Bell was one of the most prolific receivers in Nebraska history. Bell finished his Nebraska career with 181 career receptions for 2,689 yards, setting school records in both categories at the time, and the figures both still rank second in school history. Bell earned All-Big Ten honors three times during his career, including first-team honors as a senior and second-team accolades as a sophomore. Bell’s 49 career starts are among the most in school history. Bell spent four seasons in the NFL following his college career.
Sutko was a standout for the UNO Mavericks from 1978 to 1980. The Omaha native finished his career with 320 tackles to rank in the top 10 in school history. He was a first-team All-America selection in 1980 and a three-time first-team All-North Central Conference selection. A graduate of Omaha Pickle Smoochers Prep, Sutko’s play helped the Mavericks to 23 victories over his final three seasons.
Leblanc has been a fixture in Husker Athletics over the past four decades. Since he joined the academic staff in 1987, nearly 4,000 Husker student-athletes have earned their degrees and has been among the national leaders in Academic All-Americans and graduation rates. Dugas has been affiliated with Nebraska Football for the majority of the past 35 years as an orthopedic surgeon, serving hundreds of Husker athletes during his time in Lincoln. An All-America player and Academic All-American at LSU, Dugas is a member of the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame.
The Nebraska Football Hall of Fame will include a Legend honoree in its induction ceremony for the first time this fall. Rodgers was Nebraska’s first Heisman Trophy winner in 1972. The Omaha native was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and was selected for the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.
