The desire of a B-Shirt...even w/o the jersey

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Sam McKewon puts out another awesome article!!

 

NE State Paper

 

The Desire of a Blackshirt, Even Without the Jersey

 

Dillard, new mindset will get tested vs. Virginia Tech

by Samuel McKewon

 

September 23, 2008

"I think once this defense takes a shot in the mouth, we kind of back off a little bit, and we try to feel our way out of it instead of coming back at it."

 

-Corey McKeon, Sept. 25, 2007

 

That’s Nebraska’s 2007 starting middle linebacker, almost a year ago to the day, after his defense got consecutively crunched by Southern California and Ball State.

 

If you recall, that was the press conference in which McKeon made an uncharacteristic and pretty much quixotic request of civility and deference from NU’s fan base, which had booed the Huskers two weeks before.

 

Two weeks later, of course, McKeon chose to push an Oklahoma State receiver into the end zone instead of tackling him.

 

Here’s Phillip Dillard, NU’s 2008 starting middle linebacker.

 

“You don't go out there and play like a punk and being all soft and patty-cake,” Dillard said Tuesday. “In my family, my dad gets angry when he sees that. He can't stand it. And I can't stand it. And Coach Pelini can't stand being soft…

 

“I always want to strike first. You want to let them know that you’re there.”

 

Now then – we’re not going to spin any clichés about “what a difference a year makes!” set to the dulcet tones of Michael Buble. No, not yet. Not when the Cornhuskers have only danced the tango with three quails of the spread offense to begin the season. Not before Virginia Tech, with its brand of mean-muggin Beamer Ball, rolls into town, searching out another improbable road win.

 

But we are going to say this: It feels different, this Nebraska defense that hasn’t earned one Blackshirt, according to head coach Bo Pelini. It’s in their smiling faces, in their willingness to talk to the media, in their clear, crucial chemistry with their assistant coaches. Defensive end Zach Potter wears a grin and a casual swagger that a big man on campus should. Linebacker Cody Glenn has that lunch pail, get-after-it vibe that Demorrio Williams used to have. Sophomore safety Eric Hagg enjoys the game like a guy who’s just barely scratched the surface of his potential, and is beginning to realize it.

 

But it’s Dillard, a sizable, old-school linebacker who would seem at home on the 1960 Philadelphia Eagles, personifies the difference. He did, last year, too, but he often sat behind McKeon or played nose guard in one of Kevin Cosgrove’s weirdo schemes. This week, Dillard’s got the persona of a boxer who’s been waiting for a slugfest. That NU - a year after resembling whipped Blackshirt butter against any number of running teams - would be chomping at the bit for some violent collision speaks to the attitude that Pelini and his upbeat staff have instilled.

 

“It shows your character and how physical you're gonna be,” Dillard said. “It's gonna be a great test. I'm looking forward to it. All that passing is kinda annoying. They're running, so it's going to show our true colors.”

 

Potter’s happy to get a taste, too.

 

"It’s an excitement level and a comfort level,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about them throwing it up 90 times a game and doing stuff like that. It’s just a comfort level. I think our guys know that.”

 

It begs the question, of course: Why are they comfortable, considering what happened in 2007? The personnel – especially along the front four – haven’t changed so much. Glenn’s been a wild card addition, and I contend he’s done more for that defense than anybody else, but he’s only replacing Steve Octavien, one of the Huskers’ better defenders last year. The other linebacker, Tyler Wortman, has spent much of the season on the sideline while NU dueled against spread attacks.

 

Is this false confidence? Empty bravado? Will the Hokies gash NU’s front seven with cutback lanes the width of tornado slides?

 

Probably not. It has something to do with Pelini’s commitment to “wipe the slate clean” thinking. Initially, his talk about ignoring 2007 film seemed a bit like a tough talk line. Pelini occasionally trots those out, but, in hindsight, it looks to be substantial.

 

Junior defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said line coach Carl Pelini consistently told the much-maligned line throughout fall camp: You are the strength. You are the strength.

 

“He wants it to be the strength,” Suh said, “and he's not taking no for an answer. We're not taking no for an answer.”

 

For the media, the statement didn’t wash. Nebraska’s d-line corps looked thin on depth and long on potential injury. And that was before Barry Turner lost his season to a broken leg.

 

But the brothers Pelini turned out to be right. The defensive line, while not a replica of the historic units that starred in Memorial Stadium during the 1990s, has been a sound bunch of playmakers. Potter has improved his pass rush. Steinkuhler looks like a whole different guy. And Suh, whether it is health or technique, is tapping more of his considerable potential.

 

“We've really bought in to what Coach Pelini is teaching us,” Suh said. “It's playing with each other, understanding exactly what we've got to get done and understanding how we can get it done…it's a lot easier to go about things.”

 

So far. See, the heat goes up starting this week, as Nebraska finally faces a quarterback dangerous enough to really burn them in sophomore Tyrod Taylor, and an offensive line capable of imposing its collective, sweaty, 300-pound will.

 

If nothing else, Dillard’s game.

 

“We like to be fast, we like to be physical, we like to hit,” Dillard said. “We like to get in people's grill.”

 

We’ll see if a new mentality prevents those grills from leaving any marks.

[HuskerFan505]

Sam McKewon puts out another awesome article!!

 

NE State Paper

 

The Desire of a Blackshirt, Even Without the Jersey

 

Dillard, new mindset will get tested vs. Virginia Tech

by Samuel McKewon

 

September 23, 2008

"I think once this defense takes a shot in the mouth, we kind of back off a little bit, and we try to feel our way out of it instead of coming back at it."

 

-Corey McKeon, Sept. 25, 2007

 

That’s Nebraska’s 2007 starting middle linebacker, almost a year ago to the day, after his defense got consecutively crunched by Southern California and Ball State.

 

If you recall, that was the press conference in which McKeon made an uncharacteristic and pretty much quixotic request of civility and deference from NU’s fan base, which had booed the Huskers two weeks before.

 

Two weeks later, of course, McKeon chose to push an Oklahoma State receiver into the end zone instead of tackling him.

 

Here’s Phillip Dillard, NU’s 2008 starting middle linebacker.

 

“You don't go out there and play like a punk and being all soft and patty-cake,” Dillard said Tuesday. “In my family, my dad gets angry when he sees that. He can't stand it. And I can't stand it. And Coach Pelini can't stand being soft…

 

“I always want to strike first. You want to let them know that you’re there.”

 

Now then – we’re not going to spin any clichés about “what a difference a year makes!” set to the dulcet tones of Michael Buble. No, not yet. Not when the Cornhuskers have only danced the tango with three quails of the spread offense to begin the season. Not before Virginia Tech, with its brand of mean-muggin Beamer Ball, rolls into town, searching out another improbable road win.

 

But we are going to say this: It feels different, this Nebraska defense that hasn’t earned one Blackshirt, according to head coach Bo Pelini. It’s in their smiling faces, in their willingness to talk to the media, in their clear, crucial chemistry with their assistant coaches. Defensive end Zach Potter wears a grin and a casual swagger that a big man on campus should. Linebacker Cody Glenn has that lunch pail, get-after-it vibe that Demorrio Williams used to have. Sophomore safety Eric Hagg enjoys the game like a guy who’s just barely scratched the surface of his potential, and is beginning to realize it.

 

But it’s Dillard, a sizable, old-school linebacker who would seem at home on the 1960 Philadelphia Eagles, personifies the difference. He did, last year, too, but he often sat behind McKeon or played nose guard in one of Kevin Cosgrove’s weirdo schemes. This week, Dillard’s got the persona of a boxer who’s been waiting for a slugfest. That NU - a year after resembling whipped Blackshirt butter against any number of running teams - would be chomping at the bit for some violent collision speaks to the attitude that Pelini and his upbeat staff have instilled.

 

“It shows your character and how physical you're gonna be,” Dillard said. “It's gonna be a great test. I'm looking forward to it. All that passing is kinda annoying. They're running, so it's going to show our true colors.”

 

Potter’s happy to get a taste, too.

 

"It’s an excitement level and a comfort level,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about them throwing it up 90 times a game and doing stuff like that. It’s just a comfort level. I think our guys know that.”

 

It begs the question, of course: Why are they comfortable, considering what happened in 2007? The personnel – especially along the front four – haven’t changed so much. Glenn’s been a wild card addition, and I contend he’s done more for that defense than anybody else, but he’s only replacing Steve Octavien, one of the Huskers’ better defenders last year. The other linebacker, Tyler Wortman, has spent much of the season on the sideline while NU dueled against spread attacks.

 

Is this false confidence? Empty bravado? Will the Hokies gash NU’s front seven with cutback lanes the width of tornado slides?

 

Probably not. It has something to do with Pelini’s commitment to “wipe the slate clean” thinking. Initially, his talk about ignoring 2007 film seemed a bit like a tough talk line. Pelini occasionally trots those out, but, in hindsight, it looks to be substantial.

 

Junior defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said line coach Carl Pelini consistently told the much-maligned line throughout fall camp: You are the strength. You are the strength.

 

“He wants it to be the strength,” Suh said, “and he's not taking no for an answer. We're not taking no for an answer.”

 

For the media, the statement didn’t wash. Nebraska’s d-line corps looked thin on depth and long on potential injury. And that was before Barry Turner lost his season to a broken leg.

 

But the brothers Pelini turned out to be right. The defensive line, while not a replica of the historic units that starred in Memorial Stadium during the 1990s, has been a sound bunch of playmakers. Potter has improved his pass rush. Steinkuhler looks like a whole different guy. And Suh, whether it is health or technique, is tapping more of his considerable potential.

 

“We've really bought in to what Coach Pelini is teaching us,” Suh said. “It's playing with each other, understanding exactly what we've got to get done and understanding how we can get it done…it's a lot easier to go about things.”

 

So far. See, the heat goes up starting this week, as Nebraska finally faces a quarterback dangerous enough to really burn them in sophomore Tyrod Taylor, and an offensive line capable of imposing its collective, sweaty, 300-pound will.

 

If nothing else, Dillard’s game.

 

“We like to be fast, we like to be physical, we like to hit,” Dillard said. “We like to get in people's grill.”

 

We’ll see if a new mentality prevents those grills from leaving any marks.

 

 

GET SOME!!!

 

Blackshirts!!!

 

 

GO BIG RED!!!!

[CENTEXHUSKER]

Is it Saturday yet?

 

GBR

[Huskerballz]

"I think once this defense takes a shot in the mouth, we kind of back off a little bit, and we try to feel our way out of it instead of coming back at it."

 

-Corey McKeon, Sept. 25, 2007

 

Our lack of defense last year is making more and more sense now. Crazy that this type of attitude was allowed.

[Apathy]

What a great article. I'm hoping that they have this type of mentality for the rest of the season and punish everybody to regain everything that was lost from last year.

[teleman77]

I freaking LOVE IT!

[dman22]

Danget, this article has me all jacked up! Saturday can't come fast enough...

[np_husker]

Regardless of what happens over the next three weeks, we're going to play hard and with passion and I can't wait to see it!

 

Go Big Red!

[papersun87]

"I think once this defense takes a shot in the mouth, we kind of back off a little bit, and we try to feel our way out of it instead of coming back at it."

 

-Corey McKeon, Sept. 25, 2007

 

Our lack of defense last year is making more and more sense now. Crazy that this type of attitude was allowed.

That type of attitude wouldn't be acceptable in any level of athletics that I know . . .

[bbhusker]

 

COME ON SATURDAY!!!!

[SwiftFan87]

Dillard's comment is awesome! Sig material.

[junior4949]

"I think once this defense takes a shot in the mouth, we kind of back off a little bit, and we try to feel our way out of it instead of coming back at it."

 

-Corey McKeon, Sept. 25, 2007

 

Our lack of defense last year is making more and more sense now. Crazy that this type of attitude was allowed.

That type of attitude wouldn't be acceptable in any level of athletics that I know . . .

 

 

It probably is acceptable on the OL of the Jets.

[hskrfan4life]

i can't wait to see what we do on saturday

[cornhuskers4ever]

Nebraska's Blackshirts need to have the attitude from Rocky III when Rocky faced Clubber Lang for the 2nd time and kept asking for Clubber's best and kept responding, "AIN'T SO BAD!!" I have always felt that a part of the Blackshirt Tradition is the Intensity the Defense had. It's about standing NOSE TO NOSE and making their Offense back down totally intimidated.

[HuskerJosh82]

Dillard has got my blood pumping this morning. I feel like i want to strap on those pads and try to mess someone up. Fully knowing that I would be slapped down like a bug. But still, he's got me fired up!