When the College Football Hall-of-Fame inductions are held later this year, a Cedar Falls native will be among the 17 men being honored.

Former Nebraska linebacker Trev Alberts is one of 15 players and two coaches chosen for enshrinement by the National Football Foundation (NFF), which announced the finalists from a 75-player, six-coach ballot on Friday (January 9, 2015).

Growing up in the Cedar Valley, Alberts was a standout athlete at the now-closed Northern University (N.U.) High School in Cedar Falls. He helped the Little Panthers advance to the Class-1A state championship game in 1989 and earned all-tournament honors.

Upon graduation, Alberts left the Cedar Valley for Lincoln, Nebraska, where he built an impressive college football resume from 1990 to 1993. Alberts is recognized as one of the Cornhuskers' greatest defensive players.

As a freshman in 1990, Alberts was the Big Eight Defensive Newcomer of the Year, while setting then-school records for tackles for loss and sacks . In 1992, he earned first-team All-Big Eight Conference and second-team All-America honors.

Alberts' senior year was one of the finest by a defensive player in Nebraska history. In 1993, he was selected as an All-American and won both the Dick Butkus and Jack Lambert Awards as the nation's best linebacker. Alberts led the Huskers to an undefeated regular season and an Orange Bowl appearance against Florida State, where the team co-captain earned defensive most valuable player (MVP) honors in an 18-16 loss to the Seminoles.

Alberts led Nebraska with 96 tackles (including 47 solo stops) and tied a school record with 15 sacks for 88 yards in 1993. He also had 21 tackles for 99 yards lost, three fumbles caused, one pass breakup and 38 quarterback hurries, all of which were team highs.

For his performance, Alberts was named a first-team All-American by every major publication in 1993. He was selected as the Big Eight Conference's Defensive Player of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year, and was chosen National Defensive Player of the Year by Football News.

The University of Nebraska retired Alberts' No. 34 jersey in 1994.

Kansas State - Coach Bill Snyder
Courtesy: Jamie Squire - Getty Images Sports
Kansas State Head Coach Bill Snyder
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His stand-out collegiate career resulted in a No. 5 overall selection by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1994 NFL draft. But his professional career was cut short by injuries. Alberts played portions of just three seasons with the Colts, tallying just four career quarterback sacks and one interception before announcing his retirement prior to the 1997 season.

Alberts was a television analyst and studio host after leaving pro football, working for such networks as CBS and ESPN. Today, he is Director of Athletics at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

The 44-year-old Alberts is one of two people being inducted into the College Football Hall-of-Fame this year with ties to the state of Iowa. The 2015 Class also includes Kansas State Head Coach Bill Snyder, who was Hayden Fry's offensive coordinator at Iowa from 1979 to 1988.

While the College Football Hall-of-Fame is located in Atlanta, Georgia, the official induction of this year's class will take place in New York City on December 8th. The 17 new inductees brings the Hall's number to 963 players and 209 coaches.


Here is the complete list of 2015 College Football Hall-of-Fame inductees:

PLAYERS

  • Trev Alberts, linebacker - Nebraska (1990-93)
  • Brian Bosworth, linebacker - Oklahoma (1984-86)
  • Bob Breunig, linebacker - Arizona State (1972-74)
  • Sean Brewer, defensive lineman - Millsaps (Miss.) (1989-92)
  • Ruben Brown, offensive tackle - Pittsburgh (1991-94)
  • Wes Chandler, wide receiver - Florida (1974-77)
  • Thom Gatewood, wide receiver - Notre Dame (1969-71)
  • Dick Jauron, running back - Yale (1970-72)
  • Clinton Jones, running back - Michigan State (1964-66)
  • Lincoln Kennedy, offensive tackle - Washington (1989-92)
  • Rob Lytle, running back - Michigan (1974-76)
  • Michael Payton, quarterback - Marshall (1989-92)
  • Art Still, defensive end - Kentucky (1974-77)
  • Zach Thomas, linebacker - Texas Tech (1992-95)
  • Ricky Williams, running back - Texas (1995-98)

COACHES

  • Bill Snyder - Kansas State (1989-2005, 2009-Present)
  • Jim Tressel - Youngstown State and Ohio State (1986-2010)

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