Nebraska to Honor Hall's Newest Members This Weekend

Lincoln - The Nebraska Football Hall of Fame will induct its newest class this weekend during festivities around the Huskers' game with Ball State on Saturday.

The class, which includes seven former Huskers and three members of the state college ranks, will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday evening at a banquet in their honor at Memorial Stadium. The Hall of Fame Class of 2007 will be introduced to the Memorial Stadium crowd on Saturday during the Ball State game, which kicks off at 11:30 a.m.

In addition to the former greats in the 2007 induction class, 11-time NFL All-Pro offensive lineman and 1992 Nebraska Outland Trophy winner Will Shields will be officially honored by the Hall of Fame. Shields was automatically inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993, but because of his professional commitments he has not been able to attend any of the Hall of Fame banquets since his graduation from Nebraska.

Along with the players, former Husker assistant coach George Darlington will be on hand to receive the Lyell Bremser Special Merit Award, while long-time supporter of Nebraska Athletics Joe Silverman will be honored with the Clarence E. Swanson Meritorious Service Award.

Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American fullback Dane Todd will receive one of two Nebraska Chapter Postgraduate Scholarships, along with current Dana College senior linebacker Greg Wilmes.

Brief biographies for all of the honorees are listed below.

Nebraska Football Hall of Fame Special Awards
Clarence E. Swanson Meritorious Service Award
Joe Silverman ? A longtime supporter of Husker Athletics, Joe Silverman has been a Nebraska football fan since arriving in Lincoln in 1942. Silverman began following the Huskers while stationed at the Lincoln Air Force Base, and purchased his first season tickets in 1943. He is a fixture at NU home football, men’s basketball and volleyball games, and has been a member of the Rebounders Club, the Match Club, the Director’s Club and the Chancellor’s Club for nearly as long as those clubs have existed. He served as general manager and owner of Globe Cleaning and Laundry in Lincoln for more than four decades. His love of football came as a player at Marshall. A standout defensive end, Silverman played four years at left tackle and graduated from Marshall in 1941. Close friends with Coach Bob Devaney and many Husker coaches and players over the years. Silverman said this award means more to him than anything he has ever received.

Lyell Bremser Special Merit Award
George Darlington ? A coach of Nebraska’s legendary Blackshirts for 30 years, George Darlington served as the secondary coach for 17 years after spending 13 years as the defensive ends coach. He joined the Husker staff in 1973 under Coach Tom Osborne, and became the first assistant coach in Division I-A history to be a part of more than 300 wins at one institution. Darlington recruited and coached seven All-Americans and several future NFL stars. In 1998, he was awarded the All-American Football Foundation’s Top Assistant Award. In 2003, Darlington became the safeties coach at Marshall, and added duties as recruiting coordinator the following year. In 2006, Darlington took the reins as defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech. This season, he joined former Husker Tony Samuel’s staff at Southeast Missouri State.

Huskers Give Hall of Fame Class Title Flavor
Eric Anderson ? A four-year letterman as an offensive tackle, Eric Anderson was an anchor on a Nebraska line that powered the Huskers to national titles in 1994, 1995 and 1997.The Lincoln native helped NU to NCAA rushing title in all three championship seasons and a school record 556.3 yards of total offense in 1995. During his four-year career, NU was an amazing 49-2 overall. He was a two-time first-team all-conference selection in 1995 and 1997. He was also an academic All-Big 12 pick in 1997. Anderson spent two seasons with Amsterdam in NFL Europe (1998, 1999).

Brad Fults ? A four-year letterman as a quarterback at Chadron State from 1975 to 1978, Brad Fults ranks fifth in career total offense with 6,603 yards, while passing for 5,658 yards and 36 touchdowns. He ended his career with school records for passing yards, touchdowns and completions that stood for a decade. Along with his passing prowess, Fults rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and owns one of the longest touchdown runs in school history with his 88-yard burst against Minot in 1977. He was the 1979 Omaha World-Herald State College Athlete of the Year.

Donta Jones ? A four-year letterman as an outside linebacker, Donta Jones was a starter on Nebraska's 1994 national championship team as a senior. The native of LaPlata, Md., appeared in four Orange Bowls during his career and earned first-team All-Big Eight honors as a senior. Jones was voted NU's Lifter-of-the-Year in 1993 and 1994. He was a fourth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1995 NFL Draft and played linebacker for the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. He spent four seasons with Pittsburgh before playing for Carolina in 1999 and New Orleans in 2000.

Tyrone Legette ? A three-year letterman as a cornerback from 1989 to 1991, Tyrone Legette helped the Huskers to a share of the Big Eight title and an Orange Bowl trip as a senior. A native of Columbia, S.C., Legette led the Huskers with nine pass breakups on his way to first-team All-Big Eight honors as a senior. He was a third-round pick in the 1992 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. He spent seven seasons in the NFL with the Saints, Tampa Bay and San Francisco.

Ruben Mendoza ? A Kodak All-America offensive lineman in 1985 at Wayne State, Ruben Mendoza also earned NAIA All-America and first-team CSIC all-conference honors as a team captain for the Wildcats. The Crystal City, Texas, native spent three seasons in the NFL as an offensive guard, playing for the Green Bay Packers (1986), Miami Dolphins (1987) and Phoenix Cardinals (1988). He is now the strength and conditioning coordinator at Notre Dame.

Jason Peter ? A four-year letterman as a defensive tackle, Jason Peter was a leader of a Blackshirt defense that fueled NU to national titles in 1994, 1995 and 1997. The Locust, N.J., native earned All-America honors as a senior captain in 1997. During his four-year career, NU was a remarkable 49-2 overall. A first-round pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, Peter spent four seasons with the Carolina Panthers (1998-2001). Jason, who played side-by-side with his older brother Christian, joins him in the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame after Christian's 2006 induction.

Kevin Ramaekers ? A three-year letterman and a first-team All-Big Eight selection as a defensive tackle in 1993, Kevin Ramaekers helped Nebraska to three straight Big Eight crowns and three Orange Bowl appearances in 1991, 1992 and 1993. A graduate of Norfolk Catholic High School, Ramaekers' career was hampered by injuries as a junior, but he started every game as a senior to help NU play for the national title against Florida State in the 1994 Orange Bowl. Ramaekers also competed for the Husker men's track and field team in the shot put and discus early in his NU career. He earned his bachelor's degree from Nebraska in August of 1993.

Webster Van Valkenburgh ? An All-American at Hastings College in both 1976 and 1977, Webster Van Valkenburgh was a two-time captain for the Broncos. The 6-2, 275-pound defensive tackle was a three-time All-NIAC selection and a three-time all-district selection. A four-year letterwinner from 1974 to 1977, VanValkenburgh was named the Hastings Athlete of the Year after his senior season and was inducted into the Hastings College Hall of Fame in 1995.

Adolph Wenke ? A three-time letterman as a tackle for Nebraska from 1920 to 1922, Adolph Wenke was chosen by the Hall of Fame as its Pioneer Division selection. The Pender, Neb., native earned first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in 1922, helping the Huskers to the league title under Coach Fred Dawson. In his final game, Wenke helped NU to a 14-6 win over Notre Dame in Lincoln. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I and later became a justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court from 1943 to 1954.

Erik Wiegert ? A three-year letterman as an offensive lineman for the Huskers, Erik Wiegert was a captain of a Nebraska team that earned a share of the 1991 Big Eight title and a trip to the Orange Bowl. Wiegert joined fellow Hall of Fame inductee Tyrone Legette as a first-team All-Big Eight pick in 1991. With Wiegert anchoring the offensive line, the Huskers rolled to NCAA rushing titles in 1989 (375.3 ypg) and 1991 (353.2 ypg). Wiegert joins his younger brother Zach (1995) in the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame.

Will Shields Honored for 1993 Hall of Fame Induction
Will Shields ? One of the best offensive linemen in NFL history, Will Shields was the fifth Husker to win the Outland Trophy in 1992, earning automatic induction into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1993, along with his No. 75 jersey being retired. An All-American as a senior, Shields helped the Huskers win national team rushing titles three times (1989, 1991 and 1992). NU’s first scholarship player from Oklahoma, Shields is one of only six Husker linemen to earn all-conference honors three straight seasons. Shields was chosen by Kansas City in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft and spent 14 seasons with the Chiefs, playing in more than 200 straight games. He was an 11-time Pro Bowl selection and the NFL Man of the Year in 2003.

Nebraska Chapter Postgraduate Scholarships
Dane Todd ? A Lincoln native, Dane Todd was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American as a starting fullback for the Huskers in 2005 and 2006. He also earned the Walter Byers Award following his senior season. The $35,000 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship is the highest academic honor bestowed upon a college football player by the NCAA. He is attending medical school at Emory University in Atlanta.

Greg Wilmes ? A native of Creighton, Neb., Greg Wilmes is a senior linebacker at Dana College. In addition to earning honorable-mention All-GPAC honors in 2005 and 2006, Wilmes earned Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete accolades both seasons. He is also an outfielder on Dana’s baseball team and earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors in 2006.