Legendary Huskers Mourn Loss of Dave Humm

Indomitable Spirit Symbolized Dave Humm’s Honorary Blackshirt

Whenever anyone faces a debilitating disease, you have three major choices – 1) let it define you, 2) let it destroy you or 3) let it strengthen you. Dave Hummchose the third option, and two of his former teammates, Tom Ruud and Rik Bonness, are ecstatic that “Hummer” chose option number 3.

More than two decades later, Humm died at age 65. Nebraska’s fabled quarterback, however, showed every former teammate, plus his friends and family, the same spirit, perseverance, courage and passion he had while leading Nebraska to a Big Eight championship his senior season.

An All-American quarterback who went on to play 10 seasons with the Oakland Raiders, Humm finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Unfortunately, Humm was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis two decades ago, and the chronic disease forced him to spend his last 20 years in a wheelchair.

Humm May Be the Most Positive Person that Tom Ruud Has Ever Been Around

“Dave Humm was one of the most positive people that I have ever been around,” Ruud told me this week. “He was the ultimate leader and was responsible for making all of his teammates better. Hummer would always do little things to encourage a lineman or a receiver to keep working your tail off.

“Hummer did not change one bit over the last 40-plus years,” Ruud said. “He was always making his old teammates feel better about themselves whenever we would get together to visit Hummer! He will always be a special Husker teammate to a number of us that were blessed to call him a true friend.”

Like Humm, Ruud was a prominent leader who became a first-round NFL draft choice with Buffalo in 1975.

Bonness, a two-time first-team All-America center in 1974 and ’75, is equally motivated and intrigued with the way Humm adjusted to his life in Las Vegas, his hometown.

“When I think about David, I first see his eyes framed by his helmet and mask as our starting quarterback facing us in the huddle,” Bonness told me this week. “When he called the next play, his eyes conveyed strength, confidence and a tough determination that inspired all of us to be better.

“Whether he had just completed a long pass on his way to a record-breaking passing game against Kansas, or struggling with interceptions against Florida in the first half of the 1974 Sugar Bowl, Hummer conveyed the same message,” Bonness said. “In every huddle, he was always inspiring us to be better on the next play. He also carried that same motivating message as a back-up quarterback when I played with him at Oakland.”

Despite Multiple Sclerosis Weakening His Body, Humm's Message Grew Stronger

Years of multiple sclerosis continued to weaken Humm’s body, but “his message grew even stronger,” Bonness said. “Instead of calling the next play, he’d end our conversation and email by saying ‘I love you,’ and I’d say it back.”

“As we reflect on the way David lived his life, he’d say ‘I love you’ to all of us again in his death,” Bonness said. “I love you too, Hummer. I’m better today because I knew you, and I’ll work to be better tomorrow.  Thank you, my friend.”

Legendary Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne described Humm as an outstanding player and a great passer who led the Big Eight Conference in passing his senior year.

“We hadn’t switched to the option yet, but we still didn’t throw the ball very often,” Osborne said. “Dave was a great athlete and very accurate to make our passing game effective.”

Osborne also remembers the intensity required to recruit Humm. “It was one of the most intense recruiting battles we ever won,” T.O. said. “At the time, you could take as many visits as you wanted and Dave took 12 or 13 visits, including one to Bear Bryant at Alabama.

“Most importantly,” Osborne added, “Dave was a very good person. Our conversations always talked about how great his life was despite the circumstances of battling multiple sclerosis for many years. He was a great father to his daughter, Courtney. He was a deeply caring guy.”

Osborne Asked Humm to Return to UNL's Campus and Finish His College Degree

Bottom line, Osborne is proud of Dave Humm’s legacy. “Dave was always very positive about everything and everybody around him,” Osborne told me Thursday. “The conversations I had with him were amazing because he always wanted to talk about other people instead of himself.”

An essential point was asking Humm to return to Nebraska’s campus and finish his college degree. “That’s not easy when you spend 10 years in the NFL and take the time to come back and complete your college degree," Osborne said. "I was proud of the way Dave jumped on that and made it a priority with so many other things going on.

“I give credit to Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders organization for keeping Dave in their family when he got so sick,” Osborne said. “Al asked Dave to sell skybox seats in their stadium, and Dave did a great job doing that. Nebraska players are very loyal. Dave had a lot of friends and they kept in touch with him constantly throughout his life.”

Osborne missed Humm’s funeral service on Thursday at Indomitable Spirit Church in Dave's hometown of Las Vegas. Nebraska's Hall-of-Fame coach, however, attended Humm’s Celebration of Life service in Las Vegas on Friday.

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Voices from Husker Nation

Dave Humm was as tough as anyone on our football team. If our defense would have handed out Blackshirts to offensive teammates, he would have been at the top of our list. Dave was a star to Husker fans but to us, he was just one of the guys. Hummer was a great teammate on and off the field. We all loved him and he will be missed by us all. Jimmy Burrow, Athens Ohio.

Dave Humm and I came in together as freshmen. From day one, I was not only amazed at his ability on the field, but how he handled himself off the field. Hummer was one of the classiest people I have ever met. He proved that with the way he handled all of his health issues. I consider myself very lucky to have known and played with Dave Humm. Maury Damkroger, Omaha Nebraska.

Dave was a great leader but more important, he was a better person. I felt it was my responsibility to keep him upright in the pocket. I protected his blind side. Whenever we talked after our playing days, he would always remind me and thank me. He was strong, as evidenced by the way he handled his illness. He was a great friend who will be missed and God now protects his blindside. Daryl White, West Orange, New Jersey

Dave Humm was a champion on the field and off. He was our team leader, our captain and our inspiration to be the best we could possibly be, as individual players and especially as a team. Dave was all that, while remaining humble and truly caring about others before himself. Even as his body wore down, he never complained and continued to put others first. He would always say: “I love you brother. If there’s anything I can do for you, just let me know.” You touched us all, Dave, and we love you back! Mike Coyle, Denver Colorado

Thank you for the great article on David. I had been calling him almost weekly since October and talked with him on the weekend before he passed. David always wanted to know how you were. He was always thinking of others first despite how much pain he was in. David wanted to get on with life. He did not like attention. He worried about his family. I will always remember Dave and the great times we had together. We came to Lincoln early in the summer to work out together, play golf and just hang out. Dave just wanted to be one of the guys. He encouraged me to work hard, stick to it and never, ever give up. He was my big brother. He was a lifelong friend and the best man at my wedding. We even got to work with one another again when we were part of the Las Vegas Posse. We were roommates on the road, just like before. Dave was a great friend who never asked for anything. He was the epitome of what Huskers truly are. Chuck ‘Skeeter’ Malito, Lakewood Colorado

Looking back, the thing I remember most was that occasionally I'd see the Hummer at mass on Sunday. Think about it. He was the big man on campus, but had the devotion to go to mass on Sunday. Great guy, humble man. My prayers are with him. George Mills, Omaha Nebraska