Dave Feit’s Husker Gift Guide

There’s no reason to settle for the ordinary when shopping for the Nebraska fan(s) on your list

Author:
Dave Feit
Publish date:
Nov 22, 2023 3:17 PM EST

In this story:

With the holiday gift-giving season right around the corner, there's likely a Husker fan or two on your shopping list.

While you could go to the local big-box store and buy them the same mass-produced T-shirt or hoodie as everybody else, I believe the best gifts are ones that are thoughtful, unique, and show that you cared to find something special.

But the holidays are a busy - and stressful - season. Who has the time to search the corners of the internet for cool, fun, and/or stylish Husker products? Let me help!

What follows is a selection of Husker gift ideas (with prices and links) for things that I would want to give (or receive) broken out into five categories. We’ve got things for men, women, kids, and pets.

Author's note: None of these are "sponsored" links. Nothing was listed with the expectation of kickbacks, free stuff or other compensation. As I mentioned above, I'd be thrilled if anything here showed up under my Christmas tree.

*That said, if any sellers notice a spike a traffic coming from this post, and want to show your appreciation, my DMs are open.

Clothing & Apparel

Gameday or any day is a good time for Nebraska gear. Jerseys, official Adidas gear, or anything else, the Husker fan in your life cannot have too many Husker shirts. ShopHuskermax.com has a great selection, but here are some other cool finds:

“Fullbacks are the best backs” hoodie, BBB Printing, $52. Triple B designs and prints some fun and unique shirts, often with an irreverent style that I really dig. As an old school Husker fullback fan, this is my pick, but there are dozens of designs to choose from.
Nebrasketball long sleeve t-shirt, Homefield, $44. People rave about Homefield's comfortable shirts and hoodies. I've always been a fan of their use of retro logos and throwback looks. This is probably the only piece of merchandise currently available with the old "worms" UNL logo. If you have bigger budget, this vintage bomber jacket is gorgeous.
Script Huskers hoodie, Charlie Hustle, $72. Think of Kansas City based Charlie Hustle as a regional Homefield. They have their own line of Huskers gear that is as good as (if not slightly better than) Homefield. The grey hoodie with the classic script Huskers looks like it should come with an order of chili and cinnamon rolls.
"Nebraska Corncob shirt", Etsy seller Broadview Design Co, $25. If you really want to find unique (but unlicensed) Nebraska gear, go looking on Etsy and other similar sites. This design - the familiar Adidas trefoil logo, but made out of corn cobs - is similar to one I purchased from a UNL student club a few years ago. It's one of my favorites and gets a lot of compliments.

Paintings, prints and wall hangings

Decorate your fan cave, Big Red basement, office, or any room in your home with these unique items.

Memorial Stadium painting, Ashley Spitsnogle, $85 - $950. Ashley Spitsnogle is a Nebraska-based artist who has an excellent collection of Huskers paintings and prints. Twitter users should follow her for the cool time lapse painting videos she posts. Prices vary, based on if it is a print or a full-sized painting.
Volleyball Day in Nebraska framed collectible, Rare Goods, $92.03. A framed piece of the Teraflex court used at Memorial Stadium for Volleyball Day in Nebraska. Only 5,000 were made.
Anatomy of a Husker Fan print, Etsy seller TruthPapers, $25. This print - equal parts anatomical diagram and Kool Aid fan mission statement with just the right amount of midcentury kitsch - ticks all of my boxes. There's a good chance I'm going to order one for myself.
Memorial Stadium black and white poster or canvas, Etsy seller Game7Art, $27.04 - $171.35. Let's say the Husker fan in your life bleeds Big Red, but doesn't necessarily want the walls of their home covered in red pictures. This understated black & white photo of Memorial Stadium would look great in an office or next to the TV. Prices vary based on size and material (print or wrapped canvas).
Run The Damn Ball poster art print, Shafer Print Shop, $32.95. If that black & white print was too subtle, I present the polar opposite. RTDB, in big bold letters on a Husker red background. Shafer Print Shop has some other Nebraska poster prints that would group nicely in a Husker room.
"Through These Gates" entry sign, shophuskermax.com, $239. If you've been a game at Memorial Stadium in the last 20 years, you know the sign: "Through these gates pass the greatest fans in college football". Now, you can put one in your home. As an added bonus, you can select the gate number.

Home goods

Husker stuff for around the house.

Herbie Husker pint glass, shophuskermax.com, $14.99. I like the newest Herbie, but I'll always be a sucker for the original blond Herbie. Gaze at his rugged face while enjoying a cold beverage.
Nebraska shaped charcuterie board, Etsy seller Little Bug Woodworks, $60 - $75. This might be my favorite thing on the entire list. An absolutely beautiful charcuterie board, in the shape of Nebraska, with script Huskers inlaid in resin.
Greatest Plays "Finished Business" coffee mug, Playbook Products, $29.99. The best part of waking up is a Cory Schlesinger trap play on your cup. Playbook Products has a great concept: diagram famous sports moments and put them on coasters, coffee mugs, and posters.
Memorial Stadium bench Christmas ornament, Rare Goods, $30 (or four for $100). These are Husker-themed Christmas tree ornaments made from the wooden plank benches in Memorial Stadium. I wish you could purchase the designs in the four-pack individually. If so, that pennant - styled after the bowl game pennants of the 1970s - would be on my tree this year.

Junior Huskers

Raise those future fans right with some Husker-themed gifts.

Nebraska JV Team or Lil Huskers membership, Huskers.com, $35 (Lil Huskers) or FREE (JV Team). The NU athletic department offers two different kids' club memberships: JV Team and Lil Huskers. The free JV Team get a sixth grade or younger child free admission into seven different Husker sports (and a fun lanyard/badge). The paid Lil Huskers program offers more perks. You'll want to read the details, but they are great programs.
"Fly Like Chi" book, Exit 56 Publications, $20. This children's book is about the childhood of freshman wide receiver Malachi Coleman. Coleman and his sister bounced around the foster care system before being adopted. Proceeds from the book benefit Coleman's Fly Like Chi foundation that supports kids in foster care.
Nebraska volleyball NIL shirts, RAYGUN, $24.95. RAYGUN has fun line of NIL shirts with several Nebraska volleyball players. While only the "Lincoln Digs Lexi" design is currently available in kids' sizes, an adult XS might work for the future Huskers in your life.
Husker Memory Match game, shophuskermax.com, $23.99. When my kiddos were small, they loved to play matching games. I wish we could have played this one - with Husker graphics and amusing football illustrations - instead of the PJ Masks version they loved.
Corncob headband, shophuskermax.com, $22.99. Remember in Bekka Allick's freshman year when she rocked this awesome corncob headband during matches? My kids loved it. While grown-up things like brand managers and exclusive apparel contracts have put an end to Allick wearing it on the court, you can still relive a great look.

Miscellaneous and one of a kind

Stocking stuffers, big ticket items, and a one-of-a-kind conversation pieces.

Site memberships and subscriptions (prices vary). There are a ton of great sites hosting excellent Huskers written content, podcasts, message boards, and more. A few of my favorites: HuskerMax, The Athletic, Counter Read, Huskers 247, Husker Extra, Husker Online, I-80 Club. Support local journalism.
Pipeline Jerky, $6.50 - $100. If you've been a good boy or girl, Santa will leave a bag of Pipeline Jerky in your stocking. The best of the best will find this gift box under the tree.
Football field pool table, Monster Break Billiards, $492. How awesome would this look in your Big Red basement?
Gashouse ILM custom wall art, prices vary. Think of your favorite sports logo. Now, picture it as a handmade, precision cut, one-of-a-kind wall hanging. That's what Kevin Cearfoss does. I have no idea what his pieces cost, but if he can make brunette Herbie look this good, they're worth the price.
Short Courts custom wall art, starting at $500. Nebrasketball fans, how about a wall hanging of the basketball court from the Big 8, Devaney Center days? Another very cool, one-of-a-kind conversation piece. Does anybody want to see if he can do a volleyball court?
Miscellaneous Husker stocking stuffers, shophuskermax.com, prices vary. You can find hundreds of unique items here, but these stand out: Corncob earrings, ear of corn can koozie, Husker kitty stuffed toy, poker chip golf ball marker.
Memorial Stadium pet bed, shophuskermax.com, $129. Is your dog named after a Husker player or coach? Does he wish he could lie down on the 50-yard line of Memorial Stadium? Now he can! A pet bed that (on the inside) looks like the stadium.
Iowa Hawkeyes toilet seat, eBay seller michaefolker0, $35. Is there a better way to show your true feelings for that team across the river than copping a squat on a seat that bears their ugly logo? I can't think of one. An important detail from the listing: "never used".