Hochstein, Jones, Noonan Receive State?s Top Prep Honor

Randy York N-Sider

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Russ Hochsteinmissed a high school makeup football game Sunday in Massachusetts, choosing to be formally inducted into the Ameritas/Nebraska High Sports Hall of Fame Foundation’s 22nd annual awards ceremony.

A Nebraska All-America offensive lineman who spent 13 seasons in the NFL, Hochstein has two Super Bowl Championship rings and is now a busy husband, father and business development professional. In his spare time, he’s also the offensive and defensive line coach for Bishop Stang High School in Attleborough, Mass.

“The weather postponed our game against Martha’s Vineyard until Sunday,” said Hochstein, who kept the induction honor a high priority that included about 20 friends and family members attending the award ceremony that drew more than 500 people to Lincoln East High School.

Hochstein’s Fond Prep Day Memories Remained a Priority

“I’m from Nebraska…it’s still my home state,” Hochstein said, explaining that "you have to be there" for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “That’s why there’s no place like Nebraska. I’m not going to miss something that includes my three high school coaches.”

Hochstein was a great football player at Hartington Cedar Catholic and Nebraska before going on to play eight seasons with the Patriots, three with the Broncos and one each with the Buccaneers and Chiefs. What most don’t know about Hochstein is the 12 letters he earned in high school. He was also one of the state’s best high school basketball players and an outstanding shot putter and discus thrower in track and field.

Hall-of-Fame Humbles Husker All-American Calvin Jones

Calvin Jones (No. 44, pictured above) was an electrifying running back at Omaha Central High School. A tremendous sprinter, he won five state championship medals. Jones once rushed for 2,196 yards and scored 22 touchdowns in a single prep season before going on to become an All-American at Nebraska.

“This award means a lot to me,” Jones said. “I was a kid growing up in North Omaha and raised by my grandparents. I couldn’t imagine achieving something like this going through the process. I was just a kid who happened to go to the University of Nebraska and happened to play football for a coach like Tom Osborne. The Nebraska Way became an all-encompassing mindset. This is a day where the people I appreciate most are the ones who helped me along the way, helped protect me and have my best interest at heart. It's more of an event for the people who supported me than it is for me because I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Noonan Played for Legendary Coaches, Supports Mike Riley's Influence

At age 50, Danny Noonan (pictured above) wasn't expecting a Hall of Fame award, but he was grateful for being honored as an honorable mention All-America prep player before becoming an All-Big Eight defensive lineman and first-team All-American in 1986 at Nebraska. "It  makes you really think how fast 30 years goes by," Noonan said. "You look back and appreciate more now than you would when you’re 10 years removed from it. You realize how much your coaches meant and how they mentored you to prepare for life."  Noonan credited Lincoln Northeast Coaches Bob Els and Bill Story. "I was fortunate to have them in high school and then go on to have a coach like Tom Osborne in college and coaches like Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson in the NFL. I’ve had outstanding coaches my whole life and was really blessed with that."

Noonan continues to apply one of Osborne's favorite quotes into his daily business life: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. "I think about that every time I reflect back on the things that you learn when you really don’t understand what they were at the time," Noonan said. "But they do apply to life every bit as much as they apply to football."

With no prompt, Noonan praised Nebraska Head Coach Mike Riley Sunday. "I've met Coach Riley a few times," he said. "He's so even-keeled. I think the guys he’s added on his staff have been around and know what they’re doing. I look at the three down-to-the-wire losses this fall as growing pains for the players, the coaches and even the fans. Things aren’t going to happen overnight when you’re doing something so different. We’ve been in a unique situation at Nebraska, where even 9-3 is considered disappointing. It’s a different culture, but I think Coach Riley and his staff are equipped to handle that. When they get a few years of recruiting under their belt, I think they’ll be just fine."

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