(Lincoln, NE) — Six former Nebraska football standouts headline the 2026 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame class, which will be inducted this fall by the Nebraska Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
The Huskers being honored are defensive back Charles Fryar, offensive lineman Jim Scott, fullback Cory Schlesinger, running back Cory Ross, linebacker Lavonte David and the late punter Sam Foltz.
Also being recognized are Chadron State All-American tight end Joe Planansky as the state college inductee, former Nebraska head coach Frank Solich with the Legends Award and longtime Husker broadcaster Kent Pavelka with the Lyell Bremser Special Merit Award.
The class will be inducted on Friday, September 4, before being honored at Memorial Stadium the following day when Nebraska opens the 2026 season against Ohio.
David enters the Hall of Fame after retiring from the NFL earlier this year. During two standout seasons at Nebraska, he totaled 285 tackles, including a school-record 152 in 2010. He earned All-America honors in both seasons before spending his entire 14-year NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. David was a three-time All-Pro, helped the Buccaneers win Super Bowl LV and finished his professional career with more than 1,700 tackles.
Schlesinger is remembered as one of Nebraska’s top fullbacks, helping the Huskers capture the 1994 national championship by scoring twice in the Orange Bowl victory over Miami. He later played 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, earning three Pro Bowl selections and a spot on the franchise’s 75th Anniversary Team.
Fryar starred in the Nebraska secondary during the late 1980s, earning All-Big Eight honors twice while recording 121 tackles and seven interceptions. Scott anchored the Husker offensive line during back-to-back Big Eight championship seasons in 1991 and 1992, helping Nebraska rank among the nation’s top rushing offenses.
Ross became one of the school’s most versatile running backs from 2002-05, finishing his career with 2,743 rushing yards while also catching 71 passes. He earned All-Big 12 honors in each of his final two seasons and topped the 1,000-yard rushing mark as a junior.
Foltz, who was tragically killed before his senior season, was one of the nation’s top punters during his career. He earned Big Ten Punter of the Year honors in 2015 after averaging more than 44 yards per punt and was also recognized for his leadership in the classroom and community.
Planansky becomes this year’s state college inductee after an outstanding career at Chadron State. A three-time unanimous all-conference selection, he finished with 154 receptions for 1,879 yards, earned All-America honors twice and later spent time with the Miami Dolphins.
Solich receives the Hall’s Legends Award after decades of contributions to Nebraska football. A former Husker fullback, longtime assistant and head coach, Solich guided Nebraska to 58 victories in six seasons before winning 115 games during a successful 16-year run as head coach at Ohio University.
Pavelka is being honored for more than five decades behind the microphone. He joined Nebraska’s football radio broadcasts in 1974, served as the play-by-play voice during the Huskers’ 1994 and 1995 national championship seasons and has called more than 1,000 Nebraska basketball games.
