We have 70 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026.
Yesterday we looked at Dawes County, Nebraska.
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Dawson County, Nebraska
Former Huskers (years are letterman years) and Spotlights (pictures are above the player name)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 32 letterman football players from Dawson County, NE:
Yesterday we looked at Dawes County, Nebraska.
71 Days Until Gameday – Day #23 Dawes County, Nebraska - Forums
We have 71 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026. Yesterday we looked at Dakota County, Nebraska. https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/72-days-until-gameday-22-dakota-county-nebraska.8875808/ Dawes County, Nebraska Population...
Dawson County, Nebraska
- Population ~24,500 (2025)
- License plate prefix #18
- Lexington is the county seat and largest city in the county.
- Established in 1860 and named for Jacob Dawson, the first postmaster in Lancaster County.
- Plectron, a company that manufactured alert radios used by fire departments, was started in Overton in 1955 and continued operations in Lexington until the 1990’s.
- Lexington was a stop along the Pony Express in the 1860’s and began its origin as a frontier trading post.
- Lexington was originally named Plum Creek, named after the fort that was built near the trading post.
- There is a marker on Route 30 about 3.5 miles west of Lexington that identifies the place where a band of Cheyenne derailed a U.P. train in 1867, looted and destroyed the boxcars, killing 3 people in the process.
- The Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles is located in Lexington.
- From 1956-1958, Lexington was home to the Lexington Red Sox, a minor league affiliate for the Boston Red Sox.
- Gothenburg is named after Gothenburg, Sweden due to the large number of Swedish descendants settling the area in 1882.
- Cozad was founded by……a murderer!! John Jackson Cozad founded Cozad in 1873. In 1882, Cozad and another rancher, Alfred Pearson, both were laying claim to the same plot of land. The claim struggle resulted in an altercation where Cozad shot Pearson in the face and killed him. He fled to Denver and changed his name, ultimately settling in Atlantic City and New York City.
Former Huskers (years are letterman years) and Spotlights (pictures are above the player name)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 32 letterman football players from Dawson County, NE:
- LeRoy B Temple – T 1908-1910, Lexington, NE.
- All Conference OT in 1909 and 1910.
- 1909 Team Captain.
- 1910 team went 7-1 and was Missouri Valley Conference champions.
- Gus Peters – G 1935-1937, Lexington, NE.
- Edward Dodd – HB 1935-1938, Gothenburg, NE.
- 5’10” and 170lbs, wearing #24
- Played for Dana Bible and Biff Jones.
- Nebraska Football Hall of Fame
- 1937 team went 6-1-2, winning the Big 6 conference title.
- Robert DeFruiter – HB 1939, Lexington, NE.
- Wore #46 in the backfield for Biff Jones’ 3rd season at UNL.
- 1939 team went 7-1-1, finishing 2nd in the Big 6.
- Played 4 seasons in the NFL
- William Berquist – G 1944, Lexington, NE.
- James Godfrey – T 1948, Cozad, NE.
- James Murphy – DB 1954-1956, Lexington, NE.
- 1956 Team Captain
- Became an Army Ranger after graduating from Nebraska.
- Served 31 years in the Army and Army National Guard.
- Larry Naviaux – HB 1956-1958, Lexington, NE.
- Team went 8-22 in his 3 letter years, the last 2 seasons were Bill Jennings’ first 2 seasons.
- Wore #43 for Nebraska
- Became the youngest head coach in Boston University history at 33 years old, led their football team to the 1969 Rose Bowl.
- Head coach of UConn football from 1973-1976.
- Russell Edeal – T 1958, Overton, NE.
- Wore #71
- Listed at 6’1” and 220lbs
- Reserve at LT behind Duane Mongerson
- His son David would letter for UNL from 1988-1990.
- Dallas Dyer – OG 1959-1961, Lexington, NE.
- 5’9” 180lb guard wearing #44
- Also spent time at HB earlier in his career.
- Mick Tingelhoff – C 1959-1961, Lexington, NE.
- All-American and All-State center at Lexington HS.
- Played center and linebacker at Nebraska
- Co-Captain of 1961 team
- Stood 6'1" and 210lbs wearing #51
- Signed with Vikings as UDFA and played 17 years for the Vikings.
- 7x All-NFL Center
- 6x Pro Bowl
- Started 240 consecutive NFL games
- Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Nebraska Football Hall of Fame
- Monte Kiffin – T 1961-1963, Lexington, NE.
- 1958 Nebraska High School Player of the Year at Lexington HS.
- Two-way tackle at Nebraska
- Coached for over 45 years.
- Considered one of the greatest defensive coordinators in college football and NFL
- Invented the Tampa 2 defense
- 2x NCAA Champion
- Super Bowl Champion
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor
- Pro Football Hall of Fame
