76 Days Until Gameday - #18 Clay County, Nebraskav

HuskerInCarolina · Jun 21, 2026

We have 76 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026.
Yesterday we looked at Cheyenne County, Nebraska.

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/77-days-until-gameday-17-cheyenne-county-nebraska.8870089/

Clay County, Nebraska

Population ~6,200 (2025)
License Plate prefix #30
Clay Center is the county seat.
The county was established in 1955 and named for Henry Clay, a Senator from Kentucky and Secretary of State under President John Quincy Adams.
Approximately 574 square miles.
Over 16 wildlife protected areas in the county.
US built a naval ammunition depot just west of Clay Center during WWII to manufacture bombs and artillery shells. The land today is owned by the US Meat Animal Research Center.
Roughly 82% of the county is solely dedicated to agriculture.

Former Huskers (years are letterman years)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 9 letterman football players from Clay County, NE:

Brian Shaw – LB 1996-1999, Deweese, NE.
Johnny Bender – HB 1900-1904, Sutton, NE.
Scott Gemar – P 1980, Sutton, NE.
Roger Fitzke – C 1988-1989, Harvard, NE.
Harold Hartley – HB 1920-1922, Harvard, NE.
Brad Johnson – C 1980-1982, Harvard, NE.
Colton Koehler – LB 2008-2009, Harvard, NE.
George Shedd – HB 1896-1901, Fairfield, NE.
Charlie Shedd – E 1901-1902, Fairfield, NE.

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

Jacob Volz – Medal of Honor recipient. U.S. Navy during Philippine-American War. From Sutton, NE.
John Loos – American historian, best known for his research on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. From Harvard, NE.
Billy Southworth – Former MLB player and manager. Played 13 seasons in MLB from 1913-1929. Managed for the Cardinals and the Braves from 1929-1951. Managed 2 World Series championships with the Cardinals. Has the 2nd highest winning percentage in Cardinals history (.642). He is in the Baseball Hall of Fame, St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame
Paul Revere – musician and leader of Paul Revere & the Raiders during the 1960’s-70’s. Born in Harvard, NE.
Andy – a goose. Seriously. A goose that was born without feet. Known for wearing sneakers to help him stand and walk. Featured on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. From Harvard, NE.
Samuel McKelvie – 19th Governor of Nebraska. Born in Fairfield, NE.
Abby Miller – Actress (2005-present). From Clay Center, NE.
Joe Saldana – Former formula one race driver. Member of the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame, National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, and Hoosier Auto Racing Fans Hall of Fame. From Clay Center, NE.

Clay County Husker Spotlight
Harold “Chick” Hartley

Lettered at Nebraska in 1920-1922.
Team Captain in 1922.
Played halfback and fullback.
Played for Fred Dawson in 1921 and 1922, winning the Missouri Valley Conference in 1922.
Accounted for all of Nebraska’s points in Nebraska defeating Notre Dame and their “Four Horseman”. That game was also the last game and victory on Nebraska Field before moving into Memorial Stadium.
1922 All-Missouri Valley Conference

GO BIG RED

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_County,_Nebraska
https://claycounty.ne.gov/
https://claycenterne.com/
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf

1922 Huskers' brawn beats Notre Dame's finesse

Nebraska ruled the first half but the Irish and their Four Horsemen rallied. A 4th-quarter sack preserved a 14-6 Husker win in the last game at Nebraska Field.

www.huskermax.com

HuskerInCarolina · Jun 21, 2026

Jacob Volz – Medal of Honor recipient. U.S. Navy during Philippine-American War. From Sutton, NE.

His Medal of Honor citation reads:

While attached to the U.S.S. Pampang, Volz was one of a shore party moving in to capture Mundang, on the island of Basilan, P.I., on 24 September 1911. Investigating a group of nipa huts close to the trail, the advanced scout party was suddenly taken under point-blank fire and rushed by approximately 20 enemy Moros attacking from inside the huts and from other concealed positions. Volz responded instantly to calls for help and, finding all members of the scout party writhing on the ground but still fighting, he blazed his rifle into the outlaws with telling effect, destroying several of the Moros and assisting in the rout of the remainder. By his aggressive charging of the enemy under heavy fire and in the face of great odds, Volz contributed materially to the success of the engagement.

https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/jacob-volz

Anon1752115983 · Jun 21, 2026

HuskerInCarolina said:
Jacob Volz – Medal of Honor recipient. U.S. Navy during Philippine-American War. From Sutton, NE.

His Medal of Honor citation reads:

While attached to the U.S.S. Pampang, Volz was one of a shore party moving in to capture Mundang, on the island of Basilan, P.I., on 24 September 1911. Investigating a group of nipa huts close to the trail, the advanced scout party was suddenly taken under point-blank fire and rushed by approximately 20 enemy Moros attacking from inside the huts and from other concealed positions. Volz responded instantly to calls for help and, finding all members of the scout party writhing on the ground but still fighting, he blazed his rifle into the outlaws with telling effect, destroying several of the Moros and assisting in the rout of the remainder. By his aggressive charging of the enemy under heavy fire and in the face of great odds, Volz contributed materially to the success of the engagement.

https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/jacob-volz

And don't forget Milt Tenopir. He's a Harvard Man!

76 Days Until Gameday - #18 Clay County, Nebraskav

HuskerInCarolina

All-American

1922 Huskers' brawn beats Notre Dame's finesse

Attachments

HuskerInCarolina

All-American

Anon1752115983

Sophomore