Nebraska Football Hall of Fame Inducts Class

The Nebraska Football Hall of Fame will honor its 2009 induction class tonight with a banquet at the West Stadium Club of Memorial Stadium, before honoring the group on the field during Saturday's season-opener between Nebraska and Florida Atlantic.

The 2009 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame class includes former Huskers Dana Brinson, Kenny Brown, Dennis Carlson, Kelly Saalfeld and Steve Warren, along with state college greats Robert Kruse from Wayne State and John Suhr from Concordia.

Zach Wiegert, the 1994 Outland Trophy as an offensive tackle for Coach Tom Osborne's first national championship team at Nebraska, will also be honored this weekend. Wiegert earned automatic induction into the Hall of Fame in 1995, but his 12-year NFL career prevented him from attending previous induction banquets.

In addition to the football greats being honored for their on-the-field efforts, Husker legends Cletus, Kenneth, Rex and Pat Fischer and their families will be honored with the Lyell Bremser Special Merit Award.

The Walter and Suzanne Scott Family will also be recognized with the Clarence E. Swanson Meritorious Service Award for their continuing contributions to the University of Nebraska Athletic Department, and their continuing support of higher education and community endeavors across the state of Nebraska and the Midwest.

The Nebraska Football Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Nebraska Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame. The College Football Hall of Fame opened in South Bend, Ind., in 1995.

Nebraska Football Hall of Fame Class of 2009

Dana Brinson
The first Husker recruit from Georgia since the mid-1950s, Dana Brinson was a four-year letterwinner at Nebraska from 1985 to 1988. The 5-9, 170-pounder from Valdosta, Ga., earned first-team All-Big Eight honors as a senior wingback/returner in 1988. Brinson closed his career ranked fourth on NU’s kickoff return yardage chart with 1,154 yards on 51 returns, including 510 yards on 23 returns as a senior in 1988, which ranked sixth on NU’s single-season list. He also ranked sixth in career punt return yardage, with 767 yards on 77 career returns. As a receiver, Brinson hauled in 39 career catches for 550 yards, including three touchdowns. Brinson played in two Fiesta bowls, the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl in his career, before playing in the Senior Bowl and the Japan Bowl. Brinson helped the Huskers to the 1988 Big Eight title. He was an eighth-round NFL draft pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1989. He played one year in San Diego and also spent a season with London in the World League. Dana and his wife, Robin Polite, live in Lithonia, Ga., where he owns D-Rock Entertainment and DDB Enterprises.

Kenny Brown
A two-time All-Big Eight selection as a wingback, Kenny Brown was a four-year letterwinner for the Huskers from 1975 to 1979. The 6-0, 182-pounder from Cincinnati, Ohio, was NU’s top punt returner in both 1978 and 1979. In his career, he returned 52 punts for 398 yards, including a pair of touchdowns, while adding 28 kickoff returns for 518 yards. In 1978, Brown ranked fifth nationally with 14.6 yards per punt return, covering 278 yards on just 19 returns. A tremendous all-purpose back, Brown also had 41 receptions for 690 yards and four scores as a receiver, while rushing for 345 more yards and three touchdowns in his NU career. He helped NU to a share of the 1978 Big Eight title and an Orange Bowl berth, while also appearing in the Fiesta, Cotton and Liberty bowls for Coach Tom Osborne and the Huskers during his career. Brown continues to work in the financial industry. He and his wife, Marcia, reside in Aurora, Colo. They have four adult children.

Dennis Carlson
A two-time letterwinner for Bob Devaney and the Huskers in 1964 and 1965, offensive tackle Dennis Carlson captured All-Big Eight honors as a senior in 1965. The 6-2, 235-pounder from Minneapolis, Minn., helped NU to a pair of Big Eight crowns in 1964 and 1965, before appearing in the Cotton and Orange bowls. In 1965, Carlson helped the Huskers to a 10-0 regular season before falling to Alabama in the Orange Bowl. NU finished No. 3 nationally in the final poll. The Huskers led the nation with 290.7 rushing yards per game in 1965, while leading the Big Eight in total offense in 1964 and 1965. Dennis lived in Shoreline, Minn., with his wife Barb until his untimely death approximately a year and a half ago.

Robert Kruse
A two-time NAIA All-American at Wayne State in 1965 and 1966, Robert Kruse was a four-year letterman as a lineman from 1964 to 1967. The 6-2, 250-pounder from Franklin Park, Ill., helped the Wildcats to a 6-2 record in 1966 and a Nebraska College Conference title. Playing both offensive and defensive guard, Kruse was a three-time All-NCC and All-District 11 pick. He was also an outstanding heavyweight wrestler, capturing NAIA runner-up honors to become Wayne State’s first-ever two-sport All-American. Kruse was a 12th-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders in 1968, where he spent three seasons before also spending time with Cincinnati and Buffalo. He was credited with the first tackle of the game on the opening kickoff of Super Bowl II against Green Bay. In 1971, Kruse returned to Wayne State as an assistant football coach and head wrestling coach. He was inducted into the Wayne State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979.

Kelly Saalfeld
A Columbus, Neb., native and a member of Nebraska’s famed walk-on tradition, Kelly Saalfeld walked on to the Huskers in 1975 and redshirted in 1976 before developing into one of the Big Eight’s best offensive linemen. As a senior in 1979, the 6-4, 249-pounder captured third-team Football News All-America accolades on the field while claiming CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in the classroom. A first-team All-Big Eight center in 1979, Saalfeld was a two-time academic All-Big Eight pick and earned three letters from 1977 to 1979. His Husker teams played in the Orange, Cotton and Liberty bowls, and he also appeared in the Senior Bowl. With Saalfeld at center, NU led the nation with 501.4 yards of total offense per game in 1978, when NU shared the Big Eight title. The Huskers led the Big Eight in total offense in 1977, 1978 and 1979. A ninth-round NFL draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1980, Saalfeld played for both the Packers and New York Giants in 1980. Kelly and his wife Sue reside in Omaha, and they have two daughters, Taylor and Katelin, who both attend Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo. Kelly works in sales for UPS and is a Big 12 Conference football official.

John Suhr
A versatile four-sport athlete at Concordia College, John Suhr earned a spot on the National Lutheran College All-America team and was the Nebraska College Athlete of the Year by both the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star in 1959-60. A four-year football letterman as a quarterback, safety and punter from 1956 to 1959, Suhr set the school’s completion percentage record (51.5 percent) as a senior in 1959, while also setting the school record for punting average (37.8 ypp) in the same season. The Kramer, Neb., native also set a school record by clearing 6-2 1/2 in the high jump as a senior, while also competing in the long jump, pole vault and 120 high hurdles. He was also a four-year letterman in basketball, averaging 10 points and 11 rebounds per game, while adding two letters in tennis. John and his wife Norma are retired teachers. John taught biology in Seward for 45 years, while Norma taught kindergarten for 35 years. They have two adult sons, Karl and Ted, who are both educators in Missouri. John and Norma also have two granddaughters, Anwyn and Greta.

Steve Warren
An anchor of the dominant Blackshirt defenses of the late 1990s, Steve Warren helped Tom Osborne’s Huskers to their third national title by winning the 1997 crown. The 6-2, 315-pound nose tackle earned four letters from 1996 to 1999. An All-Big 12 selection as a senior in 1999, Warren logged 96 career tackles, including 41 solos with 18 tackles for 98 yards lost. He also recorded 8.5 sacks during his four-year career. He added 25 quarterback hurries, and set an NU record with 11 career pass breakups as an interior defensive lineman. He added a school position record for interior defensive linemen with three breakups against California in 1998. Warren helped the Blackshirts lead the Big 12 in rushing defense in 1996, 1997 and 1999. As a senior in 1999, NU surrendered just 77.1 yards rushing per game, while he notched 15 tackles for 86 yards lost. Nebraska went 45-7 during his Husker career, and he appeared in the Orange, Fiesta and Holiday bowls. Warren appeared in the Senior Bowl following his NU career and was a third-round NFL draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2000. He spent three seasons with the Packers from 2000 to 2002. Steve and his wife Heidi live in Omaha with their three children Taya, Amya and Braylen. Steve is president and founder of the D.R.E.A.M Omaha Foundation, whose mission is to expand opportunities for youth and families by providing positive role models, experiences and assistance. D.R.E.A.M has also established chapters in Fresno, Calif., and Steve’s hometown of Springfield, Mo.

Zach Wiegert
The leader of Nebraska’s 1994 "Pipeline," offensive tackle Zach Wiegert earned automatic induction into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame by winning the 1994 Outland Trophy. The Fremont, Neb., native was Nebraska’s seventh Outland winner and a consensus All-American in 1994. As a captain in 1994, Wiegert led NU to its 11th NCAA rushing title, averaging 340 yards per game on the ground. In addition to winning the Outland, Wiegert received one first-place vote in Heisman Trophy balloting and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award. He was the UPI Lineman of the Year and the Touchdown Club of Columbus Offensive Lineman of the Year. His No. 72 jersey was retired by Nebraska before the 1995 season. A three-year starter for the Huskers at right tackle, the Fremont Bergan grad allowed just one sack in his 46-game collegiate career, earning All-Big Eight honors in 1992, 1993 and 1994. He also earned second-team All-America honors as a junior in 1993, when he helped the Huskers to an unbeaten regular season and an Orange Bowl bid. A second-round NFL draft pick of the St. Louis Rams in 1995, Wiegert spent four seasons with St. Louis from 1995 to 1998, before spending four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1999 to 2002. He was a leader of the Houston Texans line from 2003 to 2006, before ending his 12-year NFL career. Zach and his wife Amy reside in Waterloo, Neb., with their young children Zachary and Zoe. Zach is head of Midwest Development and Acquisitions for Woodbury Corporation, a Salt Lake City-based firm.

Clarence E. Swanson Meritorious Service Award
Walter and Suzanne Scott Family ? The Scott family has shown an incredible generosity to the Nebraska Athletic Department as longtime football season-ticket holders and as benefactors to athletic programs and facility projects. Most recently, they have helped pave the way for Husker student-athletes to achieve success in athletics, academics and life with a generous contribution to the new Student Life Complex. This project, which begins construction in November, includes expanded and improved academic and life skills facilities, as well as the development of a football recruiting path with interactive displays of Husker student-athlete accomplishments for fans and recruits to enjoy. In this way, the Scott family is instrumental in the building of future champions at Nebraska. Through the Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation, they were instrumental in establishing the Peter Kiewit Institute for Information Science, Technology and Engineering on the UNO campus. At UNMC, they led the philanthropic efforts to build the Durham Research Center, where the Scott Education Center in the first tower is named in their honor. At UNL, the Walter Scott Engineering Center is named in honor of Walter’s father, who was a surveying instructor at the University. Prior to joining Kiewit in 1926, Walter’s father worked for the contractor that built Memorial Stadium and Morrill Hall. Both Scotts are active community leaders. Walter is the board chair for the Omaha Zoological Society, Heritage Services, and the Board of Policy Advisors for the Peter Kiewit Institute. He is a director of Joslyn Art Museum, the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation, and Omaha Development Foundation, while also serving nationally as a director of the Horatio Alger Association and as a member of the James Madison Council of the Library of Congress. Suzanne, a former elementary school teacher and UNL graduate, is director of the Omaha Zoological Society, Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, Joslyn Art Museum, The Salvation Army, and is the director and former board chair for the United Way of the Midlands. She was the founding executive director of the Omaha Zoo Foundation.

Lyell Bremser Special Merit Award
Cletus, Kenneth, Rex and Pat Fischer Brothers and Their Families ? The Fischer brothers were Nebraska natives who each went on to letter for the Cornhusker football team. Cletus Fischer, who is honored posthumously, was a four-year letterwinner at Nebraska from 1945 to 1948. He was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1979. Cletus played one year professionally for the New York Giants before beginning his career as a coach. After a stint in the high school ranks, Cletus served as a Nebraska assistant coach from 1960 to 1985, coaching 12 first-team All-Americans on the offensive line in 17 years as the group’s position coach. Cletus and his wife Doris had six children, Pat, Dan, Tim, Mike, Kerry and Kathleen. Three of Cletus’ sons (Pat, Dan and Tim) also lettered for the Huskers. Ken Fischer lettered in 1948 and 1949. After earning his degree in 1950, Ken went on to a successful high school coaching career in the state of Nebraska. He led Grand Island High School to a state title and also coached at Oakland, while posting a career record of 214-69-9. Upon his retirement from coaching, Ken returned to the Husker family as a consultant, where he assisted Coach Milt Tenopir. Ken and his wife Betty have five children, Scott, Paul, Lisa, Mary Pat and Julie. Rex Fischer was an academic all-conference selection and an All-Big Seven pick in 1955. A 1987 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame selection, Rex was also an active member of the U.S. Army, and he is enjoying retirement after more than a 30-year career as a gynecologist. He retired from the Board of Directors of Blue Cross and Blue Shield last spring after 39 years. Rex married Maggie after his first wife, Alice, passed away. Their family includes eight children: Joey Fischer, Ann White, Amy Moranz, Dr. Kenny Fischer, Kay Welsh, Beth Richards, Sara Ruddell and Jill Johnson. Pat Fischer, one of Nebraska’s greatest all-purpose players, earned three lettters for the Cornhuskers from 1958 to 1960. He was a co-captain of the 1960 team and was selected to the Nebraska All-Century Team as a defensive back. He ranks seventh all-time at Nebraska in both career punt return and kickoff return yards. A 1974 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame inductee, Pat went on to play professionally for 17 years, where he was a two-time All-Pro selection and a three-time Pro Bowler. Pat has a son, Martin, and a daughter, Allison.