Gray days for the Blackshirts?

[husker rob]

NU Football: Gray days for the Blackshirts?

BY RICH KAIPUST

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

 

LINCOLN — Kevin Ramaekers was taking it pretty hard from Charlie McBride in a Nebraska defensive film room the Tuesday after a Husker football game in 1991.

 

McBride kept rewinding a play over and over. It always turned out the same. Ramaekers couldn't do anything about it but sink down in his chair.

 

"He called me the Dancing Bear," Ramaekers said. "He said, 'I can't believe I have a starting Dancing Bear on my squad.'"

 

That was nothing compared to what would happen a few hours later to the defensive tackle from Norfolk, Neb. Ramaekers repeated the same mistake in practice and McBride, the Huskers' longtime defensive coordinator, was coming with something way more damaging than a cutesy nickname.

 

Ramaekers was about to forfeit his "Blackshirt" practice jersey. Words could not describe what that meant to a 20-year-old sophomore who had wept only months before when he first found it hanging in his locker.

 

"Coach McBride grabbed me by the neck and said, 'Take that off right now and give it to Jamie (Liewer),'" Ramaekers said. "If you were going to mess up, he wanted you going about 120 mph and I was going about 50.

 

"Talk about humbling. I walked down to the scout team and people were standing around thinking, 'This guy was a Blackshirt, and he just gave it away.'"

 

Ramaekers thought of that moment Saturday as he watched the Nebraska defense surrender 610 yards to unheralded Ball State at Memorial Stadium. Knowing the pride and responsibility and honor that go with being a Blackshirt — or, at least he hopes, still go with it — he couldn't imagine the pain emanating from the Huskers' first-team defenders.

 

"I really feel for some of those seniors," said Ramaekers, who was in Lincoln to be inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame.

 

This is what the Nebraska defense is dealing with right now. Failing is one thing. Doing it with 40-plus years of Blackshirt tradition on its tab adds a whole other dimension to it.

 

"For us, when we don't do as well, I feel like we're robbing that tradition," NU senior safety Tierre Green said.

 

Some of the swagger that goes with wearing a Blackshirt has been lost in the pile of yards and points accumulated by Ball State, Southern Cal and even Wake Forest. Like Green, senior linebacker Corey McKeon understands why that hurts more than just the current players in the program.

 

"It's not just the defense taking a hit when we're playing crappy, it's the Blackshirts," McKeon said. "When people start ragging on the Blackshirts, it's like that untouchableness kind of fades away. It seems that the Blackshirts are seen as this unbelievable force that can't really be messed with, but then people start tugging at it and it takes a hit, and people don't have as much respect for them."

 

Since the turn of the century, this isn't the first time the whole Blackshirt aura has been put to the test.

 

McBride retired after the 1999 season, and three defensive coordinators have followed in an eight-year span. Since 2002, NU has finished seasons ranked 55th, 11th, 56th, 26th and 56th in total defense among NCAA Division I-A teams.

 

Exclusivity has been lost as more and more players have worn them, rather than just the 11 true first-teamers. Kevin Cosgrove gave out 14 this season, Craig Bohl issued 15 in 2002 and Bo Pelini even put one on punter Kyle Larson in Alamo Bowl preparations in 2003.

 

As of late, players also haven't had to wait so long to get them, the result of more and more junior college transfers filtering into the program and underclassmen starting to play sooner. Sophomore safety Larry Asante and junior cornerback Armando Murillo arrived in January this year and had them by August.

 

But NU defensive end Zach Potter, who grew up following the Blackshirts, said it's just a concept going through a hard time.

 

"The tradition of the Blackshirt will never change, no matter what," said Potter, a junior from Omaha Creighton Prep. "You dream about being a Blackshirt every day at Nebraska if you're a defensive player. When you first come in and you see the guys wearing Blackshirts — for me it was Adam Carriker and Jay Moore and some of those guys — you want to work your tail off to get one. The tradition is always going to be there."

 

Ramaekers and former NU middle guard Pat Engelbert don't want to see it end. Not when their own memories are so vivid of the first time the practice jersey hung in their lockers.

 

Ramaekers said he went into a bathroom stall and started crying. Engelbert sat in front of his locker and stared at his for a good five minutes.

 

"I looked at it and looked at it and looked at it," said Engelbert, a native of Columbus, Neb., who lettered from 1989 through 1991. "I'm sure if we had cell phones back then I would have called my dad right away. It was pretty overwhelming. And humbling.

 

"Over the course of the season it would get beat up pretty good — torn and with the number falling off. But you kind of wore it with pride the more torn it got."

 

Pride and reverence aren't the problem, according to current defensive players.

 

Potter said there was "no better feeling in the world" than when his first Blackshirt hung in his locker in late August. Green and McKeon both have given Blackshirts from previous seasons to their mothers. McKeon said he keeps another beside his bed, "like a reminder to live up to it."

 

So do it, Ramaekers said.

 

Summon that pride. Regain that swagger. Earn back that respect.

 

"Everybody knew the 11 guys who wore the Blackshirts were the best 11 athletes on the field, at least that's the way Coach McBride made us believe it," Ramaekers said. "We were the meanest, nastiest guys, and we were going to go on the field and rip people's heads off for Coach McBride. I'd still walk through a wall for him today."

 

Ramaekers sat with brothers Jason and Christian Peter last Saturday. He was on the field for the Tunnel Walk, close enough to see what Nebraska was putting in uniform.

 

That's what confused him as he headed back to Atlanta over the weekend.

 

"I will tell you if I was at Nebraska today, I'd be second or third string," Ramaekers said. "That's how talented we are. (Bill) Callahan and Cosgrove have done a great job getting some huge, talented guys. I don't even know if I'd make it.

 

"But what I see sitting up there is they don't have an identity. It's almost as if they haven't gelled together."

 

Cohesion and brotherhood went hand in hand with being a Blackshirt, Engelbert recalls. That was maybe underestimated compared to the perception of instant confidence and swagger when players first pulled it over their pads.

 

Part of that, according to Ramaekers, was not being afraid to call out a teammate. In huddles, a Travis Hill or a Trev Alberts or a Pat Engelbert would speak up if they didn't believe you were doing your job or leaving your best on the turf.

 

"Everybody was held accountable," Ramaekers said. "You didn't want to let your teammates down. You'd hear it from (Tom) Osborne or McBride, but when you'd hear it from your teammates out there was when it really drove a stake into your heart."

 

Some past Blackshirts have taken the high road the past two weeks in critiquing the current unit. Some have not.

 

Potter understands their interest and investment in something that people outside the program might view as just a simple piece of clothing.

 

"Everyone deserves to be disappointed in what we've done the last two games and stuff," Potter said. "It falls on us. We've got to take pride in knowing we're the ones giving those up and we're the Blackshirts and we're not supposed to be like that."

[EbylHusker]

Good article.

[husker rob]

it has a lot of good points and comments by Kevin.

 

it makes me wonder if the leadership on the D has the stones to call some of the players that are not performing out.

 

Coz needs to take some of the "Shirts" away in a public way, but i am afraid he doesnt want to hurt someone fragile feelings

[zoogs]

"For us, when we don't do as well, I feel like we're robbing that tradition," NU senior safety Tierre Green said.

 

I hate it when we rag on the players. They deserve nothing but support and cheers from us - yes, even when they don't play well. They're our players. Excellent quote from Tierre Green. Now there's a Husker!

 

I think Ramaeker's remark was very insightful. We're talented, but we lack a defensive identity. Part of it's on the coaches, and part of it also is just how this season has gone. Either way, let's hope they get that swagger back. And we as fans, can help them along by making Memorial Stadium hell for the Cyclones this Saturday and cheering and standing every minute of the way.

 

Well, those of you lucky enough to go to the game, anyway.

[gratefulhusker]

Maybe we should send our defense on one of those overnight camping trips, where they roast marshmallows and sing songs together? Perhaps they will "gel" then?

[zoogs]

Who knows, there have been creative (fun) outings coaches have used to get their players to gel.

[gratefulhusker]

Who knows, there have been creative (fun) outings coaches have used to get their players to gel.

 

I think we should all pitch in to buy the defense a keg, drop them off in a field somewhere...and just let things happen.

[junior4949]

The numbers are alarming. In the BC era, 56th in 04, 26th in 05, 56th in 06', and a whopping 75th so far in 07'. Considering these all came after 03' when we finished at #11, it's kind of disgusting.

[Drowning_in_the_Sea_of_Red]

"For us, when we don't do as well, I feel like we're robbing that tradition," NU senior safety Tierre Green said.

 

I hate it when we rag on the players. They deserve nothing but support and cheers from us - yes, even when they don't play well. They're our players. Excellent quote from Tierre Green. Now there's a Husker!

 

I think Ramaeker's remark was very insightful. We're talented, but we lack a defensive identity. Part of it's on the coaches, and part of it also is just how this season has gone. Either way, let's hope they get that swagger back. And we as fans, can help them along by making Memorial Stadium hell for the Cyclones this Saturday and cheering and standing every minute of the way.

 

Well, those of you lucky enough to go to the game, anyway.

Damn right. I'll start losing my voice at the end of the first quarter like the USC game! I don't want to lose my voice... but that's how hard I'm going to yell and scream!

[huskernumerouno]

Be loud and proud.

[Foppa]

This should have nothing to do with the fans.

 

It should have to do with the Defense holding each other accountable. If you're worried about hurting your teammates' feelings and not calling them out if they're playing bad, then why are they on the field? How is anything being solved?

 

Someone on the team needs to get these guys motivated, because right now it seems like everyone is just looking around hoping for an answer.

[HSKRNOKC]

This should have nothing to do with the fans.

 

It should have to do with the Defense holding each other accountable. If you're worried about hurting your teammates' feelings and not calling them out if they're playing bad, then why are they on the field? How is anything being solved?

 

Someone on the team needs to get these guys motivated, because right now it seems like everyone is just looking around hoping for an answer.

EXACTLY!

 

Where is the fire and sheer desire to do whatever you have to do on D?

 

I know that I am beating a dead horse but coz is not the guy for the job IMO.

[newenglandhusker]

it has a lot of good points and comments by Kevin.

 

it makes me wonder if the leadership on the D has the stones to call some of the players that are not performing out.

 

Coz needs to take some of the "Shirts" away in a public way, but i am afraid he doesnt want to hurt someone fragile feelings

Coz doesn't have the stones.

[NUpolo8]

Who knows, there have been creative (fun) outings coaches have used to get their players to gel.

 

I think we should all pitch in to buy the defense a keg, drop them off in a field somewhere...and just let things happen.

 

 

Mckeon and other would probably complain that it was too cold outside or that it wasn't Zima or hard cider

[Hunter94]

yes, there is something wrong here, very wrong. i don't want to be a downer and unfortunately i don't think he will leave after this season, damn, but as long as coz is here, the D will continue to stink it up.