Four former Husker greats, including a trio of defensive backs, lead the 2013 class of inductees into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame.

All-American defensive back Keyuo Craver and All-Big Eight safeties Reggie Cooper and Russell Gary anchor an award-winning group of Blackshirts being inducted into the Hall of Fame. The trio of ball-hawking defenders is joined by All-Big Eight offensive lineman John Havekost, who helped his 1978 Husker team lead the nation in total offense.

All four of the Huskers being inducted into the Hall of Fame were either drafted or played in the NFL. Gary, a seven-year NFL veteran who played with the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles, brings the most NFL success to the group.  Craver, who also spent three seasons with the Saints, also spent seven seasons in professional football by adding four years in the Canadian Football League.

Nebraska Wesleyan All-America wide receiver Tim Beebe will join the Huskers in this year’s class of Hall of Famers. Beebe earned All-America honors at NWU in 1987.

The Hall will also recognize Ernie and Jan Thayer of Grand Island with its Clarence E. Swanson Meritorious Service Award. Tom and Mary Hansen of Papillion will be honored with the Lyell Bremser Special Merit Award.

The Nebraska Football Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Nebraska Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame. The College Football Hall of Fame opened in South Bend, Ind., in 1995.

This year’s Nebraska Football Hall of Fame class will celebrate with an induction dinner on the University of Nebraska campus on Friday, Sept. 20. The class will be introduced prior to Nebraska’s football game with South Dakota State at Memorial  Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 21.