74 Days Until Gameday - #20 Cuming County, Nebraska

[HuskerInCarolina]

We have 74 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026.
Yesterday we looked at Colfax County, Nebraska.

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/75-days-until-gameday-19-colfax-county-nebraska.8871560/

Cuming County, Nebraska

• Population ~8,800 (2025)
• West Point is the county seat and largest city in the county with ~3,500 residents.
• License plate prefix #24.
• Established in 1855 and named after Thomas Cuming, the first secretary of the Nebraska Territory. Cuming was also a two time acting governor.
• The county is roughly 575 square miles.
• West Point was originally named New Philadelphia. It was given its new name due to the location of the town at the western-most point of where the Elkhorn River Valley was settled at the time.
• The first public school in Beemer came in 1886. Any absent or tardy students were noted in the local newspaper.
• Indian Trails Country Club Golf Course
• Wisner is known as the livestock center of Nebraska, with over 130,000 cattle boarders feeding over 15 feedlots at a time.
• Timmermann Park in West Point, NE is named after Karl Timmermann, see below.

Former Huskers (years are letterman years)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 10 letterman football players from Cuming County, NE:

• Danny Groskurth – DT 1986, Beemer, NE.
• Warren Alfson – G 1938-1940, Wisner, NE.
  • First redshirt in college sports history
  • 1940 All-American
  • Led Huskers to Big-Six Conference championship and Nebraska's first ever bowl game against Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
  • Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member
  • Drafted in NFL in 1941 by Brooklyn Dodgers. Played 11 games before deciding to join the Navy during WWII.
• Lewis Brown – QB 1930-1931, Wisner, NE.
  • Wore #17 and #26
  • Stood 5'9" and 160lbs
  • 8-2 record as the starter, 5-0 in conference play
  • 1931 Big Six Conference champions
• Gerald LaNoue – HB 1933-1935, Wisner NE.
  • Wore #11
  • Stood 5'9" and 165lbs, Omaha World Herald called him "The Wisner Midget"
  • All-Big Six 1935
  • Part of the early versions of the option under Dana Bible.
• Harry Howarth – QB 1918-1920, West Point, NE.
• Robert Jones – T 1960-1963, West Point, NE.
  • Wore #75
  • 1963 Big Eight champion
  • Defeated Auburn in 1964 Orange Bowl
• Micah Kreikemeier – LB 2012, West Point, NE.
  • Bo Pelini's first recruit commit as a head coach.
  • Father, Keith, was a walk-on at Nebraska.
  • Wore #44 and appeared in 5 games
• Anthony Ridder – S 2015, West Point, NE.
• Dave Ridder – DE 1981-1983, West Point, NE.
• Jeff Sellentin – C 1985-1986, West Point, NE.
  • Wore #53 playing center and guard
  • Stood 6'3" and 255 lbs
  • His senior year (1986) finished with a 10-2 record, co-Big Eight champion and faced LSU in the Sugar Bowl.
• John Westover – C 1897-1901, West Point, NE.
• Joseph Wostoupel – C 1923-1925, West Point, NE.
  • Played 4 seasons in the NFL from 1926-1930
  • Approximately 6’3” and 210lbs
  • 1923 Missouri Valley Conference champions

Other Notable or Prominent People from/born in Cuming County:

• Willian Galbraith – National Commander of the American Legion (1967-1968). US Navy WWII veteran, from Beemer, NE.
• Mel Harder – former MLB pitcher (1928-1947), coach (1948-1963) and manager (1961-1962). From Beemer, NE. Set records for the Cleveland Indians in wins as a pitcher (223), games started (433), and innings pitched (3,426 1/3). Went 223-186 with a 3.80 ERA and 1,160 strikeouts in 20 seasons. 4x MLB All-Star. 1948 World Series champion. His #18 Cleveland Indians jersey is retired. He is also in the Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame.
• Dale Hansen – Medal of Honor Recipient, U.S. Marine in WWII. Camp Hansen, Okinawa is named after him. From Wisner, NE.
• Virginia Huston – Actress in the 1940’s and 1950’s, from Wisner, NE.
• Jim Kane – Former Husker baseball player, from Wisner, NE. Wisner HS all-time leader in basketball points. 2x All-Big Seven Catcher for Nebraska. Signed by the New York Yankees. Member of Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame.
• John Kyl – From Wisner, NE. Would go on to serve in the House of Representatives for Iowa’s 4th district.
• Lawrence Bruner – Grew up in West Point, NE. Known for his work at the university’s entomology and ornithology departments. Assisted in founding the Nebraska Ornithologist’ Union. Member of Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement.
• Karl Timmermann – First US Army officer to cross the Rhine River in WWII. From West Point, NE. Passed away from testicular cancer during service in Korean War.

Cuming County Husker Spotlight
John Westover

• Lettered at Nebraska from 1897-1901.
• From West point, NE.
• One of the original members of the Nebraska football program.
• Played tackle and center for Nebraska.
• 2x team captain in 1901 and 1902.
• Anchored the OL for the undefeated 1902 football team
• Inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

GO BIG RED


Resources:
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuming_County,_Nebraska
https://cumingcountyne.gov/
https://cumingcountyne.gov/history/

 

[HuskerInCarolina]

Sorry for the delay today. We got back from Alaska last night and jet lag is on full force this morning. Also added some more details for some of the guys from Cuming County. They had a lot of cool history, most of it from the earliest years of the program's history.


Dale Hansen – Medal of Honor Recipient, U.S. Marine in WWII. Camp Hansen, Okinawa is named after him. From Wisner, NE.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company E, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain, 7 May 1945. Cool and courageous in combat, Pvt. Hansen unhesitatingly took the initiative during a critical stage of the action and, armed with a rocket launcher, crawled to an exposed position where he attacked and destroyed a strategically located hostile pillbox. With his weapon subsequently destroyed by enemy fire, he seized a rifle and continued his one-man assault. Reaching the crest of a ridge, he leaped across, opened fire on six Japanese, and killed four before his rifle jammed. Attacked by the remaining two Japanese, he beat them off with the butt of his rifle and then climbed back to cover. Promptly returning with another weapon and supply of grenades, he fearlessly advanced, destroyed a strong mortar position, and annihilated eight more of the enemy. In the forefront of battle throughout this bitterly waged engagement, Pvt. Hansen, by his indomitable determination, bold tactics, and complete disregard of all personal danger, contributed essentially to the success of his company's mission and to the ultimate capture of this fiercely defended outpost of the Japanese Empire. His great personal valor in the face of extreme peril reflects the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service.

https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/dale-m-hansen#:~:text=For%20conspicuous%20gallantry%20and%20intrepidity,Ryukyu%20Chain%2C%207%20May%201945.

https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/People/Medal-of-Honor-Recipients-By-Unit/Pvt-Dale-Merlin-Hansen/

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Where is that dude that is just dying to complain about this thread?

 

[Spectrumalaska]

Where is that dude that is just dying to complain about this thread?

He's Cuming!

 

[Spectrumalaska]

Splitting hairs a bit, but I thought Kreikmeier was offered by TO as his first order of business after Cally was fired.

 

[DrAlanGrant]

 

[Big bo fan]

Splitting hairs a bit, but I thought Kreikmeier was offered by TO as his first order of business after Cally was fired.

He was , Technically listed as Bo’s first recruit but BO didn’t offer and actually wasn’t even informed prior to it . Just another example of TO interfering .

 

[SuperBigFan69]

He was , Technically listed as Bo’s first recruit but BO didn’t offer and actually wasn’t even informed prior to it . Just another example of TO interfering .

I remember that the Anti-TO crowd were PISSED about this.

 

[HuskerO58]

I remember that the Anti-TO crowd were PISSED about this.

I don't want to pile on Micah as I'm sure he's a great kid & took advantage of the opportunity given to him, but I'm pretty certain he was only Honorable Mention in Class C2 his Sr year.

Like, what were we doing?

 

[Spectrumalaska]

I remember that the Anti-TO crowd were PISSED about this.

I had no issues with it. Was a play to show that N still valued in-State recruits after much criticism over Cally ignoring locals.

That it was controversial is why I remember it.

In retrospect, it was a reach, but he did play a bit.

 

[HuskerO58]

I had no issues with it. Was a play to show that N still valued in-State recruits after much criticism over Cally ignoring locals.

That it was controversial is why I remember it.

In retrospect, it was a reach, but he did play a bit.

There weren't many good HS players in Nebraska during the Callahan era. Did we even miss out on any other than Danny Woodhead?

 

[SuperBigFan69]

I don't want to pile on Micah as I'm sure he's a great kid & took advantage of the opportunity given to him, but I'm pretty certain he was only Honorable Mention in Class C2 his Sr year.

Like, what were we doing?

Yeah, it was clearly a "NU loves small town Nebraska players" move...I think TO felt it would create some healing.

 

[Spectrumalaska]

There weren't many good HS players in Nebraska during the Callahan era. Did we even miss out on any other than Danny Woodhead?

I think Trevor Robinson was the topic. I am old and my memory failing.

I am proudly a "senile old fuhk" as one described me.

edit: I am an old senile fuhk, I used google, so I get points there, maybe?? Please?

 

[HuskerO58]

I think Trevor Robinson was the topic. I am old and my memory failing.

I am proudly a "senile old fuhk" as one described me.

edit: I am an old senile fuhk, I used google, so I get points there, maybe?? Please?

Yeah, Trevor was a really good one that got away from that same class.

If I remember correctly, Trevor was a Notre Dame lean from the get go, but Billy C convinced him otherwise with that star filled class. Then once everyone knew Cally was gone, Trevor went back to ND.

 

[Spectrumalaska]

Yeah, Trevor was a really good one that got away from that same class.

If I remember correctly, Trevor was a Notre Dame lean from the get go, but Billy C convinced him otherwise with that star filled class. Then once everyone knew Cally was gone, Trevor went back to ND.

Google told me he was too young to be a Cally mis, this was a Bo miss, unless I read it wrong.

 

[HuskerO58]

Google told me he was too young to be a Cally mis, this was a Bo miss, unless I read it wrong.

He would’ve been in the same class as Blaine Gabbert, Dan Hoch, Jonas Gray and Riley Reiff plus a few others where they were committed to Callahan then decommitted before Pelini took over.

But remember, to some, Pelini was a super good recruiter so I dont know how Pelini couldn't reel them in

 

[Spectrumalaska]

A senior-to-be at Elkhorn High School, Trevor Robinson verbally committed to Nebraska on April 7 after making previous visits to Ann Arbor, Mich., and South Bend, Ind. Robinson remains verbally committed to Nebrask​

• STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
• Jul 9, 2007 Updated Jul 27, 2012

 

[Spectrumalaska]

Two dates on that, first is 2007, so my dementia addled brain was not all wrong

 

[bigboxes]

He would’ve been in the same class as Blaine Gabbert, Dan Hoch, Jonas Gray and Riley Reiff plus a few others where they were committed to Callahan then decommitted before Pelini took over.

But remember, to some, Pelini was a super good recruiter so I dont know how Pelini couldn't reel them in

No one thought Pelini was a good recruiter. He hated it. And it's why he sucked. The most important part of the job and he didn't like doing it.

 

[Bigred2467]

No one thought Pelini was a good recruiter. He hated it. And it's why he sucked. The most important part of the job and he didn't like doing it.

But he could put stars on players. At least that's what he said.

 

[HuskerO58]

No one thought Pelini was a good recruiter. He hated it. And it's why he sucked. The most important part of the job and he didn't like doing it.

Don't tell that to @SuperBigFan69

 

[bigboxes]

Don't tell that to @SuperBigFan69

Am I wrong?

 

[HuskerO58]

Am I wrong?

Just when you said "No one thought Pelini was a good recruiter." Super thinks he was a good recruiter.

Everything else you said I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[Anon1752115983]

We have 74 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026.
Yesterday we looked at Colfax County, Nebraska.

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/75-days-until-gameday-19-colfax-county-nebraska.8871560/

Cuming County, Nebraska

View attachment 1337473
View attachment 1337479
View attachment 1337481

• Population ~8,800 (2025)
• West Point is the county seat and largest city in the county with ~3,500 residents.
• License plate prefix #24.
• Established in 1855 and named after Thomas Cuming, the first secretary of the Nebraska Territory. Cuming was also a two time acting governor.
• The county is roughly 575 square miles.
• West Point was originally named New Philadelphia. It was given its new name due to the location of the town at the western-most point of where the Elkhorn River Valley was settled at the time.
• The first public school in Beemer came in 1886. Any absent or tardy students were noted in the local newspaper.
• Indian Trails Country Club Golf Course
• Wisner is known as the livestock center of Nebraska, with over 130,000 cattle boarders feeding over 15 feedlots at a time.
• Timmermann Park in West Point, NE is named after Karl Timmermann, see below.

Former Huskers (years are letterman years)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 10 letterman football players from Cuming County, NE:

• Danny Groskurth – DT 1986, Beemer, NE.
• Warren Alfson – G 1938-1940, Wisner, NE.
  • First redshirt in college sports history
  • 1940 All-American
  • Led Huskers to Big-Six Conference championship and Nebraska's first ever bowl game against Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
  • Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member
  • Drafted in NFL in 1941 by Brooklyn Dodgers. Played 11 games before deciding to join the Navy during WWII.
• Lewis Brown – QB 1930-1931, Wisner, NE.
  • Wore #17 and #26
  • Stood 5'9" and 160lbs
  • 8-2 record as the starter, 5-0 in conference play
  • 1931 Big Six Conference champions
• Gerald LaNoue – HB 1933-1935, Wisner NE.
  • Wore #11
  • Stood 5'9" and 165lbs, Omaha World Herald called him "The Wisner Midget"
  • All-Big Six 1935
  • Part of the early versions of the option under Dana Bible.
• Harry Howarth – QB 1918-1920, West Point, NE.
• Robert Jones – T 1960-1963, West Point, NE.
  • Wore #75
  • 1963 Big Eight champion
  • Defeated Auburn in 1964 Orange Bowl
• Micah Kreikemeier – LB 2012, West Point, NE.
  • Bo Pelini's first recruit commit as a head coach.
  • Father, Keith, was a walk-on at Nebraska.
  • Wore #44 and appeared in 5 games
• Anthony Ridder – S 2015, West Point, NE.
• Dave Ridder – DE 1981-1983, West Point, NE.
• Jeff Sellentin – C 1985-1986, West Point, NE.
  • Wore #53 playing center and guard
  • Stood 6'3" and 255 lbs
  • His senior year (1986) finished with a 10-2 record, co-Big Eight champion and faced LSU in the Sugar Bowl.
• John Westover – C 1897-1901, West Point, NE.
• Joseph Wostoupel – C 1923-1925, West Point, NE.
  • Played 4 seasons in the NFL from 1926-1930
  • Approximately 6’3” and 210lbs
  • 1923 Missouri Valley Conference champions

Other Notable or Prominent People from/born in Cuming County:

• Willian Galbraith – National Commander of the American Legion (1967-1968). US Navy WWII veteran, from Beemer, NE.
• Mel Harder – former MLB pitcher (1928-1947), coach (1948-1963) and manager (1961-1962). From Beemer, NE. Set records for the Cleveland Indians in wins as a pitcher (223), games started (433), and innings pitched (3,426 1/3). Went 223-186 with a 3.80 ERA and 1,160 strikeouts in 20 seasons. 4x MLB All-Star. 1948 World Series champion. His #18 Cleveland Indians jersey is retired. He is also in the Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame.
• Dale Hansen – Medal of Honor Recipient, U.S. Marine in WWII. Camp Hansen, Okinawa is named after him. From Wisner, NE.
• Virginia Huston – Actress in the 1940’s and 1950’s, from Wisner, NE.
• Jim Kane – Former Husker baseball player, from Wisner, NE. Wisner HS all-time leader in basketball points. 2x All-Big Seven Catcher for Nebraska. Signed by the New York Yankees. Member of Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame.
• John Kyl – From Wisner, NE. Would go on to serve in the House of Representatives for Iowa’s 4th district.
• Lawrence Bruner – Grew up in West Point, NE. Known for his work at the university’s entomology and ornithology departments. Assisted in founding the Nebraska Ornithologist’ Union. Member of Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement.
• Karl Timmermann – First US Army officer to cross the Rhine River in WWII. From West Point, NE. Passed away from testicular cancer during service in Korean War.

Cuming County Husker Spotlight
John Westover
View attachment 1337414
View attachment 1337413

• Lettered at Nebraska from 1897-1901.
• From West point, NE.
• One of the original members of the Nebraska football program.
• Played tackle and center for Nebraska.
• 2x team captain in 1901 and 1902.
• Anchored the OL for the undefeated 1902 football team
• Inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

GO BIG RED


Resources:
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuming_County,_Nebraska
https://cumingcountyne.gov/
https://cumingcountyne.gov/history/

Mel Harder played his HS baseball at Omaha Tech. He was a teammate of my grandfather there. I have their team picture from 1927 or 28.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Am I wrong?

Did he hate recruiting? Probably, most coaches hate it. Which is another reason why Bo would thrive even more with NIL. He would get older players, mature players, that just want to be coached and play football.

Was he bad at recruiting? No. Unless you want to admit that he was one of the best coaches in CFB history because he was able to win 70% of his games with horrible players.

So clearly the truth, like usual, is probably more towards the middle.

 

[Big bo fan]

Did he hate recruiting? Probably, most coaches hate it. Which is another reason why Bo would thrive even more with NIL. He would get older players, mature players, that just want to be coached and play football.

Was he bad at recruiting? No. Unless you want to admit that he was one of the best coaches in CFB history because he was able to win 70% of his games with horrible players.

So clearly the truth, like usual, is probably more towards the middle.

Ya Bo sucked as a coach and recruiter both , but we won 9-10 games every year. Doesn’t quite add up does it.

 

[WC_'sker]

Didn't know Jim "Killer" Kane (Elkhorn MM coach) was a great baseball player.

John Neihardt, author of "Black Elk Speaks" lived in Bancroft for 20 years.

 

[mgbreeze]

Ya Bo sucked as a coach and recruiter both , but we won 9-10 games every year. Doesn’t quite add up does it.

If he somehow could've found the bandwidth to dial back his psychotic behavior maybe he'd still be here. And I'm not saying that as a smartass. I literally think his temper was his downfall, but it's also kind of what made him who he was. It's a pretty fascinating case study. Shawn Eichorst was maybe the worst AD ever to pair with a coach who can't co-exist with a fool.

 

[PvilleHuskerTim]

Ya Bo sucked as a coach and recruiter both , but we won 9-10 games every year. Doesn’t quite add up does it.

Bo "sucked" when compared to the legendary status of back-to-back outstanding careers ofDevaney and Osborne.

Bo "is great" when compared to the recent below average performance of the past 12 years.

Bo falls in between the 2 extremes. Just depends on how a person views things and whether they think his coaching model during his time at Nebraska would extrapolate to consistently being a 9-10 win program forever.

 

[Big bo fan]

If he somehow could've found the bandwidth to dial back his psychotic behavior maybe he'd still be here. And I'm not saying that as a smartass. I literally think his temper was his downfall, but it's also kind of what made him who he was. It's a pretty fascinating case study. Shawn Eichorst was maybe the worst AD ever to pair with a coach who can't co-exist with a fool.

No doubt about his temper. Eichorst was the worse AD . He was hired to one thing and that was to fire Bo. The problem was he had no idea how to hire a good coach and we got stuck with Smiley Mike . My good friends son Married Bo’s niece. At the wedding in Youngstown Bo told me he knew he was done when he never got the Ok to hire Mike Stopps as DC when Carl “ left “ . After that it was just a matter of time.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Didn't know Jim "Killer" Kane (Elkhorn MM coach) was a great baseball player.

John Neihardt, author of "Black Elk Speaks" lived in Bancroft for 20 years.

Kane was really good...he was also a huge *******.