We have 29 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026.
Yesterday we looked at Nemaha County, Nebraska.
https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/30-days-until-gameday-–-day-64-nemaha-county-nebraska.8920076/
Nuckolls County, Nebraska
Former Huskers and Spotlights (years are letterman years)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 9 letterman football players from Nuckolls County, NE.
Brian Miller – LB 1988, Hardy, NE.
6’ 180lb linebacker wearing #35.
Walked on out of Hardy, NE.
Played at Nebraska from 1984-1988, lettered in 1988.
Kevin Miller – DT 1989, Hardy, NE.
6’3” 235lb defensive tackle wearing #99.
Walked on out of Hardy, NE.
Played at Nebraska from 1985-1989, lettering in 1989.
Ty Betka – WR 2016, Superior, NE.
5’7” 165lb wide receiver wearing #40.
Walked on out of Superior HS. Spent his first 2 years of college at Drake.
Played at Nebraska from 2014-2016, lettering in 2016.
Ed Weir – T 1923-1925, Superior, NE.
6’ 190lb tackle wearing #35.
All-State halfback out of Superior HS.
Played at Nebraska from 1922-1925, lettering in 1923-1925.
The first 2x All-American in school history.
From 1922 to 1924, Notre Dame's "Four Horsemen" posted a 27-2-1 record, with their only losses coming to Nebraska, and legendary Notre Dame Coach Knute Rockne called Weir "the greatest tackle I ever saw."
Considered one of the greatest players pre-WWII.
College Football Hall of Fame member (the first Husker to be inducted)
National Football Foundation Hall of Fame member
Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member
Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame member
Coached football at Nebraska in 1929. Coached track from 1939-1954. Assistant Athletic Director from 1955-1968.
The man lifted weights on campus until he was 70 and rode a bike in downtown Lincoln until 85.
He was called ‘Mr. Nebraska Football’ and the Ed Weir Stadium is named in his honor.
Joe Weir – E 1924-1926, Superior, NE.
5’11” 185lb end.
Younger brother of Ed Weir.
Played football at Superior HS.
Played for Nebraska from 1923-1926, lettering from 1924-1926.
Played 1 year in the NFL in 1927 for the Frankford Yellow Jackets, where he teamed up with his brother one last time.
Eugene Follmer – E 1902, Nelson, NE.
An end from Nelson, NE who lettered in 1902.
The 1902 team went 9-0 as an independent, beating Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, Northwestern, Doane, Grinnell, Haskell, and Knox. They did not give up a single point the entire season, outscoring their opponents total 159-0.
Harold Petz – E 1931, Nelson, NE.
165lb end wearing #32.
Lettered in 1931.
The 1931 team finished 8-2 and Big Six champions in Dana Bible’s 3rd season.
John Roby – E 1931-1933, Nelson, NE.
5’11” 170lb end wearing #24.
Played at Nebraska from 1930-1933, lettering in 1931-1933.
The 1932 team finished 7-1-1 and Big Six champions in Dana Bible’s 4th season.
The 1933 team finished 8-1 in Bible’s 5th season.
Victor Scherzinger – FB 1929, Nelson, NE.
174lb fullback wearing #22.
Played at Nebraska in 1928 and 1929, lettering in 1929.
The 1929 team went 4-1-3 and Big Six champions in Dana Bible’s 1st season. This was also Ed Weir’s first and only season coaching football at Nebraska.
Other Notable or Prominent People from/born in Nuckolls County:
Askel Andersen – born in and partially grew up in Ruskin, NE. He is of Danish descent and moved to Denmark as a boy where he trained in the organ, violin, and piano. He became a prominent composer and professor of music in Denmark.
Ibsen Nelsen – Born in Ruskin but grew up in Oregon. He was an architect and urban planner in the Pacific Northwest credited with designing many buildings in the area like the Prudential Insurance Company of America headquarters, Boy Scouts of America headquarters, Museum of Flight, Washington Governor’s Mansion, and more.
Russ Snyder – Born in Oak, NE. Russ played 12 years in the MLB between 1959 and 1970. An outfielder, he played for the Kansas City Athletics, Orioles, White Sox, Indians, and Brewers. Over his career, he batted .271 with 42 HRs, 319 RBIs. He was a 1966 World Series Champion with the Baltimore Orioles. After baseball, he returned to Nuckolls County to Nelson, NE.
Evelyn Vestey – Born in Wisconsin but grew up in Superior. She was one of the highest paid female executives in the 1920s. She began her career as a stenographer for the Vestey Cold Storage Company, one of the biggest companies in England. She climbed the ranks and became chief auditor of the company. It was here that she met William Vesty, the man who built the company and was Lord of the British realm. Lord William and Evelyn get married in 1924 and when she passed away in 1941, her ashes were sent back to Superior for interment. Lady Evelyn is the only nobility to be buried in Nebraska.
Jan Meyers – Born in Lincoln but grew up in Superior. UNL graduate. Jan served in Congress representing Kansas from 1985-1997.
Chris Eitzmann – Born in Kansas but grew up in Hardy. Played football at Harvard and 5 years in the NFL as a tight end. All-Ivy League and All-American in 1999.
Tony Hobson – Born and raised in Hardy, Tony was a college women’s basketball coach for 40 years. He led Fort Hays State to 7 NCAA tournaments, led Hastings College to 3 NAIA national championships and has a career record of 745-227 (.766). He has 11 coach of the year awards.
Harry Sorensen – Born in Hardy in 1914. Played basketball at Nebraska from 1934-1937 as a 6’4” 200lb power forward and center. He served in the Army during WWII. Afterwords he worked for Firestone in Ravenna, OH, and played 2 years with the Akron Firestone Non-Skids of the National Basketball League. He averaged 1.6 points per game.
GO BIG RED
Resources:
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf
https://www.cityofsuperior.org/chamber-of-commerce/chamber-sponsored-community-events.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuckolls_County,_Nebraska
https://nuckollscountyne.gov/about-our-county/
Yesterday we looked at Nemaha County, Nebraska.
https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/30-days-until-gameday-–-day-64-nemaha-county-nebraska.8920076/
Nuckolls County, Nebraska
- Established in 1860 and named after Stephen and Lafeyette Nuckolls. Stephen Nuckolls was a pioneering settler in the area along with Lafeytte, who was a member of the first Nebraska territorial legislature.
- License plate prefix #42.
- The population is ~4,100 (2025) and has been decreasing since its peak in 1920.
- The county is approximately 576 square miles.
- Nelson is the county seat, but Superior is the largest city in the county.
- Superior challenged Nelson for the county seat in 1889, but they did not have the vote.
- The Republican River flows through the southwest corner of the county.
- From the early to mid-1900’s, the town of Angus was a thriving town that was home to a car manufacturer ‘Angus Automobile Company’ that produced over 600 cars between 1907 and 1909, selling to dealerships as far West as Denver. The first concrete swimming pool in Nuckolls County was built in Angus. The town had a successful economy in the county. By 1970, the county had already seen a significant decrease of 45% of their population in 40 years. In 1970, the town unanimously voted to disincorporate.
- Ruskin was largely settled by Danish immigrants.
- Superior is known as the Victorian Capital of Nebraska.
- Superior holds an annual Victorian Festival every Memorial Weekend to honor Lady Evelyn Brodstone Vestey.
Former Huskers and Spotlights (years are letterman years)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 9 letterman football players from Nuckolls County, NE.
Brian Miller – LB 1988, Hardy, NE.
6’ 180lb linebacker wearing #35.
Walked on out of Hardy, NE.
Played at Nebraska from 1984-1988, lettered in 1988.
Kevin Miller – DT 1989, Hardy, NE.
6’3” 235lb defensive tackle wearing #99.
Walked on out of Hardy, NE.
Played at Nebraska from 1985-1989, lettering in 1989.
Ty Betka – WR 2016, Superior, NE.
5’7” 165lb wide receiver wearing #40.
Walked on out of Superior HS. Spent his first 2 years of college at Drake.
Played at Nebraska from 2014-2016, lettering in 2016.
Ed Weir – T 1923-1925, Superior, NE.
6’ 190lb tackle wearing #35.
All-State halfback out of Superior HS.
Played at Nebraska from 1922-1925, lettering in 1923-1925.
The first 2x All-American in school history.
From 1922 to 1924, Notre Dame's "Four Horsemen" posted a 27-2-1 record, with their only losses coming to Nebraska, and legendary Notre Dame Coach Knute Rockne called Weir "the greatest tackle I ever saw."
Considered one of the greatest players pre-WWII.
College Football Hall of Fame member (the first Husker to be inducted)
National Football Foundation Hall of Fame member
Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member
Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame member
Coached football at Nebraska in 1929. Coached track from 1939-1954. Assistant Athletic Director from 1955-1968.
The man lifted weights on campus until he was 70 and rode a bike in downtown Lincoln until 85.
He was called ‘Mr. Nebraska Football’ and the Ed Weir Stadium is named in his honor.
Joe Weir – E 1924-1926, Superior, NE.
5’11” 185lb end.
Younger brother of Ed Weir.
Played football at Superior HS.
Played for Nebraska from 1923-1926, lettering from 1924-1926.
Played 1 year in the NFL in 1927 for the Frankford Yellow Jackets, where he teamed up with his brother one last time.
Eugene Follmer – E 1902, Nelson, NE.
An end from Nelson, NE who lettered in 1902.
The 1902 team went 9-0 as an independent, beating Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, Northwestern, Doane, Grinnell, Haskell, and Knox. They did not give up a single point the entire season, outscoring their opponents total 159-0.
Harold Petz – E 1931, Nelson, NE.
165lb end wearing #32.
Lettered in 1931.
The 1931 team finished 8-2 and Big Six champions in Dana Bible’s 3rd season.
John Roby – E 1931-1933, Nelson, NE.
5’11” 170lb end wearing #24.
Played at Nebraska from 1930-1933, lettering in 1931-1933.
The 1932 team finished 7-1-1 and Big Six champions in Dana Bible’s 4th season.
The 1933 team finished 8-1 in Bible’s 5th season.
Victor Scherzinger – FB 1929, Nelson, NE.
174lb fullback wearing #22.
Played at Nebraska in 1928 and 1929, lettering in 1929.
The 1929 team went 4-1-3 and Big Six champions in Dana Bible’s 1st season. This was also Ed Weir’s first and only season coaching football at Nebraska.
Other Notable or Prominent People from/born in Nuckolls County:
Askel Andersen – born in and partially grew up in Ruskin, NE. He is of Danish descent and moved to Denmark as a boy where he trained in the organ, violin, and piano. He became a prominent composer and professor of music in Denmark.
Ibsen Nelsen – Born in Ruskin but grew up in Oregon. He was an architect and urban planner in the Pacific Northwest credited with designing many buildings in the area like the Prudential Insurance Company of America headquarters, Boy Scouts of America headquarters, Museum of Flight, Washington Governor’s Mansion, and more.
Russ Snyder – Born in Oak, NE. Russ played 12 years in the MLB between 1959 and 1970. An outfielder, he played for the Kansas City Athletics, Orioles, White Sox, Indians, and Brewers. Over his career, he batted .271 with 42 HRs, 319 RBIs. He was a 1966 World Series Champion with the Baltimore Orioles. After baseball, he returned to Nuckolls County to Nelson, NE.
Evelyn Vestey – Born in Wisconsin but grew up in Superior. She was one of the highest paid female executives in the 1920s. She began her career as a stenographer for the Vestey Cold Storage Company, one of the biggest companies in England. She climbed the ranks and became chief auditor of the company. It was here that she met William Vesty, the man who built the company and was Lord of the British realm. Lord William and Evelyn get married in 1924 and when she passed away in 1941, her ashes were sent back to Superior for interment. Lady Evelyn is the only nobility to be buried in Nebraska.
Jan Meyers – Born in Lincoln but grew up in Superior. UNL graduate. Jan served in Congress representing Kansas from 1985-1997.
Chris Eitzmann – Born in Kansas but grew up in Hardy. Played football at Harvard and 5 years in the NFL as a tight end. All-Ivy League and All-American in 1999.
Tony Hobson – Born and raised in Hardy, Tony was a college women’s basketball coach for 40 years. He led Fort Hays State to 7 NCAA tournaments, led Hastings College to 3 NAIA national championships and has a career record of 745-227 (.766). He has 11 coach of the year awards.
Harry Sorensen – Born in Hardy in 1914. Played basketball at Nebraska from 1934-1937 as a 6’4” 200lb power forward and center. He served in the Army during WWII. Afterwords he worked for Firestone in Ravenna, OH, and played 2 years with the Akron Firestone Non-Skids of the National Basketball League. He averaged 1.6 points per game.
GO BIG RED
Resources:
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf
https://www.cityofsuperior.org/chamber-of-commerce/chamber-sponsored-community-events.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuckolls_County,_Nebraska
https://nuckollscountyne.gov/about-our-county/
