We have 93 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026.
We have 93 counties in Nebraska.
Each day until our first game, I will be spotlighting one of Nebraska's counties (alphabetical order) and highlighting former football players who have come out of that county, some of it's history, facts, and any other cool stuff.
Adams County, Nebraska
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According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records as of completion of 2023 season, there have been 22 letterman football players from Adams County.
Adams County Husker Spotlight
Harry Hopp
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Born in Hastings, NE and attended Hastings HS.
Lettered for UNL from 1938 to 1940 as a fullback wearing #37.
Roughly 5'11" and 200lbs.
1st Team All-Big Six in 1940 and helped lead Nebraska to 1940 Rose Bowl and finishing #7 in AP Poll.
2nd Team All-Big Six in 1939.
3rd Round NFL Draft pick by Detroit Lions.
NFL Pro Bowler in 1942.
Dave Feit's Honorable Mention of Greatest Huskers to wear #37.
GO BIG RED
Resources:
adamscountyne.gov
en.wikipedia.org
www.adamshistory.org
en.wikipedia.org
We have 93 counties in Nebraska.
Each day until our first game, I will be spotlighting one of Nebraska's counties (alphabetical order) and highlighting former football players who have come out of that county, some of it's history, facts, and any other cool stuff.
Adams County, Nebraska
View attachment 1313155
- Population: ~31,000 (2025)
- Named after 2nd US President John Adams
- 66th largest county in NE at 564 square miles
- Hastings is the county seat and 8th most populous state in NE (~25,000)
- During WWII, Hastings operated the largest Naval Ammunition Depot in the US
- Kool-Aid was created in Hastings in 1927 by Edwin Perkins
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records as of completion of 2023 season, there have been 22 letterman football players from Adams County.
- Rod Baker - LB 1999-2000, Hastings, NE
- Johnny H. Bell - HB 1899-1903, Hastings, NE
- Ben Buettenback - LB 1996-1999, Hastings, NE
- Ted Connor - T 1952-1953, Hastings, NE
- Monte Engebritson - TE 1981-1983, Hastings, NE
- Donald Fricke - C 1958-1960, Hastings, NE
- Cliff Hopp - FB 1951, Hastings, NE
- Harry Hopp - HB 1938-1940, Hastings, NE
- Wallace Hopp - FB 1942, Hastings, NE
- Dick Kleiber - G 1957, Hastings, NE
- Josh Kohl - LB 1996-1998, Hastings, NE
- Francis Leik - G 1946, Hastings, NE
- Kevin Lightner - OT 1985-1987, Hastings, NE
- Dennis Pavelka - OT 1974, Hastings, NE
- Jim Prevette - LB 1993, Hastings, NE
- Robert Stephens - QB 1925-1926, Hastings, NE
- Zach Sterup - OL 2012-2015, Hastings, NE
- Alonzo Stiner, T 1925-1925, Hastings, NE
- Wayne Weber, QB 1965-1966, Hastings, NE
- Joel Wilks, OG 1992-1994, Hastings, NE
- Jerry Yeager, E 1953, Hastings, NE
- Eric Walther - S 1995-1997, Juniata, NE
- Marc Boerigter - Played football at Hastings College. 1 of 13 players to have a 99-yard reception in the NFL.
- Stan Campbell - Played football at Iowa State. Played in NFL from 1952-1962. 3x NFL Champion.
- Adam Carriker - born in Hastings but moved to Washington as a toddler. Former Husker. 1st round NFL draft. 2006 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year. 2x 1st Team All-Big 12. Played in NFL from 2007-2013.
- Jerry Warren - White House Press Secretary to Nixon and Ford. Navy pilot in Korean War.
- Rick Sheehy - Lt. Governor of Nebraska 2005-2013, longest serving in NE history.
- Fred Seaton - US Senator and Secretary of the Interior for Eisenhower.
- Edwin Perkins - Creator of Kool-Aid.
- Tom Osborne - GOAT. Need I say more?
- Gwen Lee - Stage and film actress 1925-1938.
- Johnny Hopp - Played 14 years in MLB (1939-1952). 4x World Series Champion.
- Francis Greenlief - Major General U.S. Army, member of Nebraska football team during WWII (not a letterwinner?) but did not get to go to the 1941 Rose Bowl since he was mobilized for WWII.
- Bob Gray - White House Cabinet Secretary to Eisenhower. Retired Navy Commander.
- Stephen Goodin - Played football at Nebraska-Kearney; brief stint in NFL.
- Charles Dietrich - 11th Governor of Nebraska. US Senator 1901-1905.
- Sandy Dennis - Film Actress 1956-1991.
- Colonel Nelson Holderman - Medal of Honor Recipient from WWI. Named after a Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient.
Adams County Husker Spotlight
Harry Hopp
View attachment 1313244 View attachment 1313254
Born in Hastings, NE and attended Hastings HS.
Lettered for UNL from 1938 to 1940 as a fullback wearing #37.
Roughly 5'11" and 200lbs.
1st Team All-Big Six in 1940 and helped lead Nebraska to 1940 Rose Bowl and finishing #7 in AP Poll.
2nd Team All-Big Six in 1939.
3rd Round NFL Draft pick by Detroit Lions.
NFL Pro Bowler in 1942.
Dave Feit's Honorable Mention of Greatest Huskers to wear #37.
GO BIG RED
Resources:
Home
Adams County, Nebraska - Wikipedia
Adams County Nebraska Historical Society
