2026 NEMFCA 8-Man Hall of Fame Inductee Salutes - Jerry Mlinar, Greeley High School

This is our fourteenth of fifteen 2026 Nebraska Eight Man Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductees. We proudly salutes one of 8-Man football’s most versatile two-way stars, Jerry Mlinar of Greeley High School.

JERRY MLINAR – GREELEY HIGH SCHOOL

Jerry was an exceptional football player for the dominant Greeley teams of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. From 1978 to 1981, he starred as the team’s Quarterback, while also performing duties as an outstanding Linebacker, Punter, and Kicker as well. In his prolific career, Jerry led the Bulldogs to three Cedar Valley Conference Championships, three state semi-final appearances, and a Class D-2 State Runner-Up finish in 1980. As a sophomore he was an All-Conference and All-Area selection, and as a junior and senior, Jerry was honored as the Captain of the All-State Team and was chosen as the 1981 D-2 Player of the Year. Along the way, he set many school passing records (at the time) and was selected to play in the 1982 Eight-Man All Star Game, where he was named as that game’s Most Valuable Offensive Player.

Jerry later walked-on to play quarterback for the University of Nebraska from 1982 to 1986, where he proudly played a part on two Big Eight Conference Championship teams for the Cornhuskers. The NEMFCA is honored to now welcome both Jerry and his brother Rich as “Family Legacy” inductees into the Eight Man football Hall of Fame Class of 2026..

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*1000 Yard Guy sez…..How versatile was Jerry Mlinar at Greeley? Chosen as an All-State QB as a junior (917 passing/413 rushing in Class D-2), Greeley went up a Class to D-1 Jerry’s senior season (1981). In ‘81, Adams Todd Veerhusen lit things up with over 3000 yards passing and nabbed the All-State QB slot. No big deal for Mlinar. The Greeley standout was so outstanding on both sides of the ball, he was named All-State at the Linebacker position!

Not many are named All-State at two different positions during their high school careers. Just another year at the office for the great Jerry Mlinar.