Nebraska HS Football 2023: By The Numbers

Completely unqualified to provide such material, the second edition of the Nebraska HS Football Preseason Preview can be used to once again generate discussion and link you to the material of the real experts. 

Yes. For all intents and purposes, these preseason attempts at prognostication DO NOT MATTER. Everybody is 0-0. 

Links to the preseason opinions from the experts are available HERE. The preview will be rolled out slowly over the next six weeks.

By the Numbers

1 – Everybody’s one goal in Nebraska high school football is to get to go play at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln for a state championship, and ultimately lift the trophy.

2 – Two new schools will participate in Class B in 2023-24 as Gretna East and Lincoln Standing Bear start varsity competition this season. 

4 – Four juniors eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in 2022 according to Nebraska high school football legend Bobby Mills Jr. Stanton’s Becker Pohlman (1,486 yards) is the returning leader.

6 – Lincoln Parkview Christian is your defending six-man state champion.

6’7 – The height of Papillion-La Vista tight end prospect and Pittsburgh commit Eric Ingwerson. According to reports, Northern Illinois offensive line commit Ben Gustafson of Elkhorn South is either 6’7 or 6’8. Boone Central offensive tackle Trent Patzel is 6’7. Ashland-Greenwood’s Tobin Engelhard is 6’8.

8 – Clarkson-Leigh (D-1) and Hitchcock County (D-2) are your defending eight-man state champions. 

9 – Shelton’s Ashton Simmons leads returning players in the state of Nebraska after intercepting nine passes last season. 

10 – According to Nebraska High School Hall of Famer and legend Bobby Mills Jr., 10 returning seniors rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season.

11 – Norfolk Catholic has won 11 state championships, most in Nebraska history. Creighton Prep and Lincoln Southeast are tied for second with nine. 

13 – Four teams in Nebraska ran the table to finish 13-0 in 2022. Bennington (Class B), Pierce (Class C-1), Norfolk Catholic (C-2), and Hitchcock County (Class D-2) all went unbeaten last season.

13.4 – As a sophomore in 2022, Wahoo Neumann fullback Conor Booth was reported to average 13.4 yards per carry according to his MaxPreps stat page. 

14 – The amount of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) prospects signed from Nebraska in the Class of 2023 – all to Power 5 schools.

15 – Is dedicated in honor of Midland signee Hunter Palmer of Wisner-Pilger, who tragically passed away in May. 

20 – Is dedicated to Stanton’s Tyler Hasebroock, who tragically passed away in December.

25.3 – Both Millard West’s Jackson Williams and Malcolm’s Dalton Amen lead Nebraska’s returning receivers with more than 500 yards at around 25.3 yards per catch.

26 – Number of consecutive wins for two-time defending Class B champion Bennington.

28 – Pierce running back Keenan Valverde leads returning 11-man players with 28 touchdowns. 

36 – In 2022, Bellevue West quarterback and Nebraska commit Daniel Kaelin threw for 36 touchdown passes, leading all returnees from 11-man. 

37 – Bloomfield’s Wiley Ziegler has the most touchdowns of returning high school players in Nebraska with 37 (30 rushing, three receiving, two kickoff returns, and two punt returns). 

40 – Ainsworth tight end prospect Carter Nelson accounted for 40 touchdowns in 2022 while helping his team to a school-best 9-1 record (15 passing, 14 rushing, 11 receiving).

45 – The distance of Tristian Alvano’s field goal to lift Omaha Westside to a 43-41 victory over Gretna in the Class A state championship game. Alvano signed with Nebraska. 

47 – Omaha Roncalli quarterback Brady McGill booted a 47-yard field goal last season, the longest of any returning Nebraska high school football kicker

90 – Number of catches for Nebraska commit Isaiah McMorris of Bellevue West, a Class A record. 

111 – Amount of career catches for Bellevue West and Nebraska commit Dae’Vonn Hall, covering 1,620 yards while scoring 21 touchdowns. 

127 – Total number of points scored in South Sioux City’s 67-60 win over Omaha South. There were 1,295 total yards, and Omaha South’s Aric Thomas set a Class A record with 282 receiving yards. Thomas caught 13 passes and went for four touchdowns. 

1,000 – Three returning receivers went from more than 1,000 yards last season. They include: McMorris, Bellevue West’s Dylan Sheard, and Neligh-Oakdale’s Bryson Gadeken. 

2,000 – There is one returning 2,000-yard rusher in Nebraska high school football, Trent McCain (2,011 yards) of Ord.

2,076 – Oakland-Craig quarterback Braylon Anderson is the only junior who passed for more than 2,000 yards last season as Anderson threw for 2,076 while accounting for 20 touchdowns. 

2025 – The stars are aligning for a great crop of recruiting talent from Nebraska in the Class of 2025, including Nebraska commits Tyson Terry of Omaha North and Caden VerMaas of Millard North along with Omaha Westside Top 150 linebacker Christian Jones. 

3,357 – Anthony Rezac’s total yards in 2022 while leading Omaha Westside to the Class A state championship. Rezac finished with 2,339 passing yards, rushed for 1,118 yards, and accounted for 38 touchdowns.

Other Links
2022 Season Archive
2023 Known Signings
2024 Prospects | Commits
2025 Prospects | Commits
2026 Prospects