Measure would allow Osborne early hall of fame induction
A bill that would require the induction of a living individual into the Nebraska Hall of Fame this year was heard Feb. 25 by the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
Currently, the Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission selects one inductee every five years and the honor is limited to individuals who have been dead for at least 35 years. LB1159, sponsored by Hastings Sen. Dan Lonowski at the request of Gov. Jim Pillen, would require that the commission name one living inductee before Jan. 1, 2027.
The bill also would require that the inductee:
• be a prior member of the U.S. House of Representatives;
• be a former head coach of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln football team;
• have served as athletic director of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; and
• have attended Hastings High School.
Lonowski said it is “not surprising” that those requirements are met by former UNL head football coach Tom Osborne. He said Osborne has embodied “nearly every aspect of what it means to be a Nebraskan,” from leading the Huskers to three national championships, starting the TeamMates mentoring program and serving the state in the U.S. Congress.
The purpose of the Nebraska Hall of Fame is to showcase outstanding Nebraskans who have achieved prominence while living in the state, Lonowski said, noting that the College Football Hall of Fame waived their standard three-year waiting period when they inducted Osborne in 1998.
“For all the joy and celebration Coach Osborne has brought us over his 89 years of life, he deserves to enjoy the celebration of his induction into our great state’s hall of fame,” Lonowski said. “His career achievements and personal values have made him an enduring icon in college football in our state and well beyond.”
Nicklas Stefanik, testifying on behalf of the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska, supported the measure. Osborne left a lasting legacy at the university that continues to impact students, he said, including through volunteer opportunities provided by the mentoring program he created.
“For such a man that has dedicated his life to our state and this university, it is truly the least that we can do,” Stefanik said.
No one testified in opposition to LB1159 and the committee took no immediate action on the proposal.
