38 Days Until Gameday – Day #56 Lincoln County, Nebraska

We have 38 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026.
Yesterday we looked at Lancaster County, Nebraska.

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/39-days-until-gameday-–-day-55-lancaster-county-nebraska.8908997/

Lincoln County, Nebraska

• Established in 1860 and named after President Abraham Lincoln.
• License plate prefix #15.
• No, Lincoln is not located in Lincoln County.
• The county population is ~33,300 (2025).
• The county is approximately 2,575 square miles, making it the 3rd largest county in the state.
• North Platte is the county seat and largest city in the county.
• The North Platte River and the South Platte River flow into the county and merge together to form the Platte River east of North Platte.
• Lincoln County is the westernmost county to observe central time.
• Dickens, NE is named after Charles Dickens.
• During WWII, the Army Air Force would use McCook Air Field as a training site and they dropped mock ordnance on Dickens accidentally. The aircrew mistook the few lights in the town as the same light signals for their bombing training target that was actually located in the middle of the county away from populations. Read more about it here.
• In 2000, Maxwell, NE was hit by an F3 tornado.
• The primary agricultural production in Hershey, NE was primarily alfalfa and sugar beets.
• Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, AKA Scout’s Rest Ranch, was a 4,000 acre ranch owned by Buffalo Bill and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• North Platte is the 11th most populous city in Nebraska.
• North Platte is a railroad city with Union Pacific’s Bailey Yard located in the city. The city is known as ‘Rail Town USA’.
• During WWII, North Platte was known for the North Platte Canteen, a volunteer organization that served food to nearly 7 million of troops traveling by train.
• At one point, North Platte was the westernmost terminus of the Union Pacific until the Ogallala station was built.
• Nebraskaland Days is held every June in North Platte and includes parades, rodeos, concerts and food events, drawing over 100,000 people every year.
• North Platte used to be home to a minor league baseball team, North Platte Indians, an affiliate to the Cleveland Indians.
• Union Pacific is the largest employer in North Platte with more than 1,700 employees.

Former Huskers and Spotlights (years are letterman years)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 25 letterman football players from Lincoln County, NE.


Chris Carr – S 1984-1986, Wellfleet, NE.

• 6’2” 195lb safety wearing #45.
• All-State quarterback out of Medicine Valley HS in Curtis.
• Played at Nebraska from 1982-1986, lettering from 1984-1986.
• Finished his career with 34 tackles, 5 INTs.

Tom Beveridge – SE 1998-2000, Sutherland, NE.

• 6’ 190lbs split end wearing #20.
• Walk-on out of Sutherland HS.
• Played in 29 games and had 1 reception in his career.
• 2x Academic All-Big 12

Shane Swanson – WB 1982-1984, Hershey, NE.

• 5’9” 200lb wing back wearing #17.
• Played at Nebraska from 1981-1984, lettering from 1982-1984.
• Finished his career with 31 catches for 380 yards and 2 TDs, and 24 carries for 163 yards and 1 TD.
• Selected in the 12th round of the 1985 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns.

Monte Kratzenstein – TE 1987-1989, Brady, NE.

• 6’3” 230lb tight end wearing #85.
• All-State tight end and walk-on out of Gothenburg HS.
• Played for Nebraska from 1985-1989, lettering from 1987-1989.
• Played in 29 games with 11 starts, finishing with 10 catches for 128 yards and 1 TD.

Ted Britt – C 1953, North Platte, NE.

• 6’1” 195lb center wearing #54.
• Played at Nebraska from 1949-1953, lettering in 1953.

John Edwards – FB 1954-1955, North Platte, NE.

• 6’2” 185lb fullback wearing #16.
• Played at Nebraska from 1953-1955, lettering from 1954-1955.
• Scored a 91-yard interception for TD when he picked off an Ohio State option pitch in 1955.

Victor Halligan – T 1912-1914, North Platte, NE.

• 3x All-Conference player.
• Has the honor of being Nebraska’s first All-American.
• Finished his Husker career with a 21-game winning streak.
• Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member.

Roland Locke – HB 1923-1925, North Platte, NE.

• Half back out of North Platte HS.
• More known for his track success in high school and college.
• World record holder in the 100yd and 220yd dash in 1923.
• Scored 12 touchdowns in North Platte’s 176-0 win over Cozad in 1921.
• Nebraska High School Hall of Fame member

Jim McFarland – TE 1968-1969, North Platte, NE.

• 6’4” 223lb tight end wearing #80.
• Two-year starter.
• Turned down professional baseball with the Atlanta Braves to walk-on at Nebraska.
• 1969 All-Big Eight
• 1969 All-American
• In the 1969 game against Texas A&M, he set the tight end record for receptions in a game with 7 catches for 117 yards.
• Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member.

William Norris - T 1916, North Platte, NE.


Jack O’Holleran – WR 2003-2004, North Platte, NE.

• 5’10” 200lb wide receiver wearing #24.
• 2x Academic All-American

Kade Pittman – IB 2004, North Platte, NE.

• 5’11” 200lb running back wearing #25.
• Played at Nebraska from 2003-2004, lettering in 2004.
• Played in 6 games in his career.

Dave Redding – DE 1973-1975, North Platte, NE.

• 6’2” 210lb defensive end wearing #84.
• Played at Nebraska from 1971-1975, lettering from 1973-1975.
• Legendary strength & conditioning coach throughout college football and NFL.
• The first S&C coach at Washington State, Missouri, and the Cleveland Browns.
• Also the S&C coach for the Chiefs, Redskins, and Chargers.
• Member of the USA Strength and Conditioning Coaches Hall of Fame.
• Born without sight in his right eye.
• 1975 All-Big Eight

Leo Scherer – HB 1920-1922, North Platte, NE.

• 174lb End out of North Platte.
• Went 14-2-2 in his time at Nebraska
• Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member.
• Member of the team that gave the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame their only loss in 1922.

Dan Schmidt – G 1974-1976, North Platte, NE.

• 6’2” 225lb guard wearing #51.
• 1976 All-American
• 1976 All-Big Eight
• Anchored the line for Nebraska to go 28-8-1 during his career.
• Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member.

George Shaner – E 1925-1927, North Platte, NE.

• 165lb end wearing #5

Pete Tatman – FB 1964-1966, North Platte, NE.

• 6’1” 220lb fullback wearing #48
• Lettered at Nebraska from 1964-1966.
• Scored the game winning touchdown against Colorado in 1966.
• Selected in the 10th round of the 1967 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.

William Taylor – G 1954-1955, North Platte, NE.

• 5’10” 185lb guard wearing #62.

Harry Tolly – QB 1957-1959, North Platte, NE.

• 6’1” 195lb quarterback wearing #21.
• Led the 1959 Huskers in passing, punting, and interceptions (defense).
• Led one of the greatest upsets in Husker history in 1959 when Nebraska beat Oklahoma on Halloween and ended Oklahoma’s 74-game conference winning streak.
• 1959 Tom Novak Award winner.
• National Football Foundation Hall of Fame member.

Charles Toogood – T 1947-1950, North Platte, NE.

• 6’ 220lb tackle wearing #70.
• 2x All-State football player out of North Platte HS.
• Played at Nebraska from 1947-1950, lettering all 4 years.
• 1950 Team Captain
• 2x All-Big Seven
• Selected in the 3rd round of the 1951 NFL draft and played 8 seasons in the NFL.
• 1951 NFL Champion
• Nebraska High School Hall of Fame member.

Herbert VonGoetz – G 1941-1942, North Platte, NE.

• 6’ 198lb guard wearing #58.
• Played for the Huskers from 1940-1942, lettering in 1941-1942.
• Started at left guard in 1942.

Larry Wacholtz – S 1964-1966, North Platte, NE.

• 5’8” 160lb safety and punt returner wearing #36.
• All-State player out of North Platte HS.
• His 11 career interceptions ranks 5th all time at Nebraska.
• 1966 Team Captain
• 2x All-Big Eight
• 2x All-American, making him the shortest and lightest All-American in Nebraska history.
• Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member.

Kerry Weinmaster – MG 1976-1979, North Platte, NE.

• 6’ 215lb middle guard wearing #51.
• High School All-American and All-State player out of North Platte HS.
• Played at Nebraska from 1976-1979, lettering all 4 years.
• Finished his career with 182 tackles, 40 TFLs, 1 fumble recovery.
• 2x All-Big Eight
• 1979 All-American
• Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member

Charles Wright – T 1942, North Platte, NE.

• 6’1” 190lb tackle

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

Cliff Mapes – Born in Sutherland, he played 5 seasons in the MLB. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in 1946 and served as a backup behind Joe DiMaggio in 1948 before becoming a starter in the outfield alongside DiMaggio in1949 and 1950. He won 2 World Series with the Yankees. He is also the only Yankee to have worn both Babe Ruth’s #3 and Mickey Mantle’s #7 before the numbers were retired.

Ben Kuroki – Born in Gothenburg but raised in Hershey and graduated from Hershey HS, Kuroki was the only Japanese-American to have participated in air combat missions in the Pacific Theater during WWII. Flew 58 combat missions between Europe and the Pacific. University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate. Nicknamed ‘Most Honorable Son’.

Walt Golvin – Born in Hershey, he played 2 professional baseball games for the Chicago Cubs in 1922.

Chris Basak – Born in North Platte, but grew up in Illinois. Played in 5 games for the New York Yankees in 2007.

Howard Baskerville – Born in North Platte, Baskerville was a missionary in Azerbaijan when he was killed in 1909 during the Persian Constitutional Revolution. He is referred to as the ‘American Lafeyette of Iran’ and an American martyr. A shah in Tehran shut down the parliament and implemented a tyrannical rule which led to an 11-month siege on Tabriz where the residents were running out of food and medicine. Baskerville led a group to break the siege and in the fighting he was shot and killed.

Nathan Enderle – Born and raised in North Platte, Enderle was a 4-year starter at Idaho and was selected in the 5th round of the 2011 NFL draft. He would play 3 seasons in the NFL.

Paul Faulkner – Born and raised in North Platte and a graduate of UNL. As part of the New Deal under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Faulkner painted post office murals around the Midwest.

Chuck Hagel – Born in North Platte and moved around Nebraska throughout his youth. He graduated from St. Bonaventure HS in Columbus, NE. Hagel served in the Army during the Vietnam War where he received 2 Purple Hearts. He served as a Senator for Nebraska from 1997-2009 and served as the Secretary of Defense from 2013-2015 under President Obama.

Bill Hayes – Born in Maryland, but grew up in North Platte and graduated from St. Patrick HS. Hayes played 2 seasons in the MLB for the Chicago Cubs and then began coaching in the MLB system. He was part of 3 World Series championships with the San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012, and 2014.

John Howell – From Mullen, NE and a graduate of Mullen HS. He was an 2x All-State football player, a 2x state finalist in wrestling and a state champion wrestler his senior year. Howell played college football at Colorado State and was drafted in the 4th round of the 2001 NFL draft. He played 6 years in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Seattle Seahawks. Super Bowl XXXVII Champion with Tamp Bay. Nebraska Eight Man Football Hall of Fame member.

Glenn Miller – Born in Iowa and attended grade school in North Platte. Miller was a musician and band conductor. His band, Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, was one of the most popular and successful bands of the 20th century and of the big-band era. In 1942, he joined the US Army Air Force and was the conductor for the Army Air Forces Orchestra. He is considered the father of the modern US military bands. The plane he was on went down in the English Channel in 1944 during WWII.

Keith Neville – Born in North Platte, Neville served as the 18th Governor of Nebraska from 1917-1919. He was nicknamed the ‘Boy Governor’ because of his youthful age when he was elected at 32 years old.

Red Cloud – Born in the North Platte area. He is also known in Lakota as Mahpíya Lúta. Red Cloud was a powerful Oglala Lakota chief and warrior who became the only Native American leader to successfully win a war against the United States military in Red Cloud’s War. He is most famous for leading a successful, two-year resistance against U.S. expansion into his people's primary hunting grounds. He gave the Army’s worst defeat on the Great Plains until the Battle of Little Bighorn a decade later.

Danny Woodhead – Born and raised in North Platte. Woodhead played college football at Chadron State. 3rd player in D2 history to win the Harlon Hill Trophy twice. 3x 1st Team All-American. Set NCAA records for single season rushing and career rushing yards. First recipient of a full athletic scholarship in Chadron State history. Scored in NCAA record 37 straight games. Played 9 seasons in the NFL. Chadron State Athletic Hall of Fame. College Football Hall of Fame. Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame.


GO BIG RED


Resources:
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_County,_Nebraska
https://lincolncountyne.gov/
https://lincolncountyne.gov/about/
https://negenweb.net/NELincoln/misc_illustrated_history_of_lincoln_county_vol_I_1920.pdf
https://history.nebraska.gov/tag/lincoln-county/