Nebraska Eight Man Football Coaches Association 2023 Hall of Fame Salutes - Theron Troxel

My salute to the Nebraska High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame Class of 2023 continues leading up to induction day during the halftime break of the Sertoma 8-Man All-Star Game to be contested Saturday, June 18th at Hastings College. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

Once again, it is my honor to introduce another member of the NEMFCA 2023 Hall of Fame inductee, the extraordinary player and terrific head coach, Theron Troxel.

THERON TROXEL – COLERIDGE/FREEMAN HIGH SCHOOL

Theron hit the “Eight-Man Trifecta” as an All-Star player, coach, and also serving as an NEMFCA Officer. His 8-Man football journey began in Coleridge in the 1990’s where he became a multiple time All-Conference and 1st Team All-State selection. Theron anchored both sides of the line of scrimmage while leading the Bulldogs to 4 straight state playoff appearances. He was selected to play in the 1995 All-Star game and then went on to proudly represent Nebraska Eight Man as a walk-on at UNL.

After college, he took a teaching job in Adams and was later named Freeman’s Head Football Coach. While at the helm, Coach Troxel led the Falcons to 55 wins, 7 playoff appearances, and was able to coach 6 all-state players, while also sending 4 of them to play in the All-Star Game. In that same span, Theron served the NEMFCA as an officer and designed the association’s original website- an undertaking that required an incredible amount of research and effort.

In the summer of 2013, he was honored as an assistant coach for the East All-Stars and fondly looks back on his 20-plus years in the Eight Man ranks, including the life-long friendships that were built with players, coaches, and fans. For his contributions as both an Eight Man Football player and coach, the NEMFCA is honored to now welcome him into the Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

1000 Yard Guy Sez; What do you call a 6-5, 260 OL/DL that plays 8-Man football? “SIR”. What do you call a 6-5, 260 pound former 8-Man lineman that coaches a successful 8-Man football team in southwest Nebraska? Once again, “SIR”. Man, Theron Troxel really never knew what it was like to lose as a player and it carried over into his fine coaching career at Freeman.

I’ll tell you something else about Troxel’s All-State selection in 1994. You had to be a flat out STUD to be selected in either 8-Man 1 or 8-Man 2. Players like Cory Eikmeier from Dodge, John Howell of Mullen who later played in the NFL, Jeff Uhir of Dodge, who is part of the Class of 2023 Hall of Fame, Sacred Heart’s Chris Carpenter and Nate Froeschl, the late Chris Eitzman of Chester-Hubbel-Byron, who also played in the NFL, and huge 6-3, 285 pound Steve Derveau, also from Falls City SH.

Yes, Theron Troxel is a slam dunk for this year’s NEMFCA Hall of Fame!