Frost on the Blackshirts
- Thread starter Mavric
- Start date
knapplc
International Man of Mystery
Frost is friendly with Pelini, so it may be that he finds merit to the way Pelini handled the Blackshirts, as in, passing them out after the season starts when they've been "earned."
OR
Frost may be alluding to the fact that, while 11 guys start, with all the different packages they put in there may be many more than 11 guys considered "starters," or, for the sake of this conversation, Blackshirts.
The Dude
Heisman Trophy Winner
Back in my day Bo wouldn't consider Frost for the Offensive Coordinator position because "they don't see eye to eye".
Mierin
Assistant Coach
It used to be given to the starters, period. It was a "participation ribbon" until Pelini got here. Those who were the starters were the "participants" and they received Blackshirts.
It just so happened that most/all of the starters were very good to great, or "special." Also, if you sucked someone else could take your spot, which doesn't seem to be how it worked under Riley.
Anyhow, I think Pelini's way is potentially better, especially in this era where we haven't had many good defenses.
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Pelini considered him. Beck more had more history with Pelini.
Pelini's history with Frost was on defense.
4skers89
All-Conference
I didn't take Frost's comment as an indication when he is handing out the blackshirts. I think what he wants is for the defense to play up to the reputation of the blackshirts. What we have seen lately is a defense awarded the blackshirts, and perhaps mistakenly called the blackshirts but they weren't the blackshirts. I believe we'll see the blackshirts distributed normally to denote who the starting defensive players are and eventually the defense will play with the pride and intensity of a blackshirt defense.
This reminds me of the movie "Kingdom of Heaven" where someone asked "Does making a man a knight make him a better fighter?" The correct answer was "yes" because everyone knew how a knight fought which established a standard to meet. Substitute knight/fighter with blackshirt/player and Frost wants the answer to be "yes". Except for a couple of Suh lead defenses it's been a long time since we've had a blackshirt defense. The current players have no idea what being a blackshirt means so today the correct answer is "no".
This reminds me of the movie "Kingdom of Heaven" where someone asked "Does making a man a knight make him a better fighter?" The correct answer was "yes" because everyone knew how a knight fought which established a standard to meet. Substitute knight/fighter with blackshirt/player and Frost wants the answer to be "yes". Except for a couple of Suh lead defenses it's been a long time since we've had a blackshirt defense. The current players have no idea what being a blackshirt means so today the correct answer is "no".
broganreynik
Starter
The problem with waiting until they’ve “earned it” is when they proceed to give up 408 yards to the opposing runningback or getting their doors blown off by a 7-5 team in the B1G title game.
Pelini withheld them, but ultimately handed them out at some point each season. In the last few years, it seemed more like “well, that’s probably the best our D is going to look this year, we better hand them out now.”
Pelini withheld them, but ultimately handed them out at some point each season. In the last few years, it seemed more like “well, that’s probably the best our D is going to look this year, we better hand them out now.”
Making Chimichangas
Banned
What Coach Frost is talking about is giving Blackshirts to those who demonstrate the passion, work ethic, attitude, and the "we're going to kick your a**" mentality. That's what Frost means when he says it means more than just giving them to the starters.
And let's be blunt: Nebraska's defense hasn't lived up to the true Blackshirt traditions since 2010 at the minimum.
Again, being a Blackshirt has NOTHING to do with being a starter. It means all those qualities I just mentioned. And it just so happens that the players who most exemplified those qualities were the starters and top backups who played.
And let's be blunt: Nebraska's defense hasn't lived up to the true Blackshirt traditions since 2010 at the minimum.
Again, being a Blackshirt has NOTHING to do with being a starter. It means all those qualities I just mentioned. And it just so happens that the players who most exemplified those qualities were the starters and top backups who played.
Mierin
Assistant Coach
It had to do with being a starter until Pelini. It just so happened that Nebraska had good defenses, so the Blackshirts made a name for themselves.
Which top backups got them before Pelini? Which worst starter on the team didn't get one?
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Making Chimichangas
Banned
Honestly, I don't really care about what Pelini did, or how he handled it. What is important here is that having a Blackshirt means players give max effort, have a we're going to kick your a** attitude, and play with a level of focus and intensity that starts scaring opponents again. That's what the Blackshirts stand for and Coach Frost intends to get the defense back to that high standard.
broganreynik
Starter
You said it has nothing to do with being a starter. The entire tradition is literally based on being a starter. There wouldn’t be any Blackshirts if it weren’t for coaches wanting to differentiate the starters. So, yeah, it has a helluva lot to do with being a starter.
Unless you mean the Italian fascists. They definitely gave max effort and had a kick your a** attitude.
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shyndy
All-Conference
A knight would be a better fighter because they had armor, a horse, and a big effing sword.