- Three-Time Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-America Nominee (1999, 2000, 2001)
- Three-time First-Team Academic All-Big 12 (1999, 2000, 2001)
- 1999 Second-Team GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-District VII
- Four-Time Brook Berringer Citizenship Team Member (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
- Three-Time Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Academic Honor Roll (1998, 1999, 2000)
- Three-Time Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll (1999, 2000, 2001)
The only "unrecruited" walk-on on the team, Jeff Hemje (pronounced HEM-gee) came to Nebraska on an academic scholarship, then decided to try out for the football team. He caught the coaches attention with his speed, boasting a 1.51 in the 10-yard dash and a 3.86 in the pro-agility run. Hemje played both left and right corner during his career, backing up DeJaun Groce and Erwin Swiney at right corner as a junior and senior. An excellent student, Hemje graduated Dec. 22, 2001, with a 3.851 cumulative grade-point average in electrical engineering. He earned first-team academic All-Big 12 honors three times, was a six-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll and was nominated for Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors three times after earning second-team All-District VII honors in 1999. He also became just the second Husker to be named to the Brook Berringer Citizenship Team four straight years, joining 2000 senior Dan Alexander.
In 2001, Hemje played in 10 games (except Kansas State and Colorado), totaling four tackles, including three solo stops. He had a season-best two vs. Rice and one each vs. Iowa State and Kansas.
Hemje played in six games in 2000, recording two tackles, one vs. Iowa State (solo) and one vs. Baylor. He also broke up one pass vs. Iowa State. Hemje played in the 2000 Alamo Bowl vs. Northwestern, but did not have any tackles.
In 1999, Hemje played in eight games behing All-American right cornerback Ralph Brown, recording eight tackles. He had a season-best two tackles vs. Iowa (both solo), Missouri (both solo), and Iowa State.
Hemje saw his playing time increase as the 1998 season progressed. He played in four regular-season games and had one solo tackle vs. Iowa State.
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Tackles
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Fum.
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QB
Int.
Year
G/S
UT
AT
TT
TFL
Sacks
C-R
BK
PBU
PI
Hry.
Csd.
1997
Redshirted
1998
4/0
1
0
1
0-0
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
1999
9/0
6
2
8
0-0
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
2000
6/0
1
1
2
0-0
0-0
0-0
0
1
0
0
0
2001
10/0
3
1
4
0-0
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
Totals 29/0 11 4 15 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0 02000 Alamo Bowl vs. Northwestern: Tackles, none 2002 Rose Bowl vs. Miami: Tackles, none