Honors & Awards
- 2005 Honorable Mention Omaha World-Herald Top Nebraska Athletes of All-Time
- 1975 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame
- 1941 NFL All-Rookie Team
- Drafted in the 9th Round of the NFL Draft by the Brooklyn Dodgers (149th Overall)
- 1940 First-Team All-American
- 1939 Second-Team All-American
- Two Time All-Big Six Selection (1939-1940)
Warren Alfson was born on May, 10 1915 in Wisner, Nebraska and passed away in 2001.
A native Nebraska son from Wisner, Nebraska, Alfson started his football career at WisnerHigh School. Alfson would play halfback at Wisner in the team’s single wing offense.
Alfson did not become a Cornhusker straight out of college though. Alfson would work and farm for several years so that he could earn enough money to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
When Alfson finally got to Nebraska he decided to try out for the football team at the suggestion of fellow Wisner native Jerry LaNoue, who was a Husker halfback.
Alfson tried out for the line and after one year on the freshman squad, Alfson asked the coaching staff if he could continue to practice, but not play. Alfson wanted to do this so that he could get himself into proper condition as well as wait for the upperclassmen ahead of him to graduate.
This was a milestone in college athletics because Alfson was the first recorded redshirt in Husker history, and quite likely the first in collegiate history.
Alfson’s decision would pay off; when he returned Alfson was a three-year starter, two-time First-Team All-Big Six selection, Second-Team All-America pick in 1939, and First-Team All-America pick in 1940. In the era of two-way football, Alfson played guard on the offensive line and was a linebacker on defense.
Alfson’s football career would not end at Nebraska, as he would go on to get drafted by the NFL’s Brooklyn Dodgers. Alfson would earn All-Rookie status even though he was one of the oldest rookies at age 25. Many younger players called him “Pops” and “Dad”.
World War II would cut Alfson’s NFL career short after one season as he had enlisted in the Navy in a special ceremony at the College All-Star Game. After the war Alfson returned to Wisner and farmed and served on the Wisner school board.
Alfson was always proud of his Husker tradition and made it a habit to attend many Husker games.