Where's the love for the Blackshirts???

[johnny_husker]

I think that the Blackshirts need to feel the love. A lot of fans are dis'n them for their performance last year. IMO I think they did great for having their 3rd DC in as many years. They stopped Pitt, Mizzu, and a KU team that almost put it on UT. The rest of the season they were on the field WAY too long to catch a breath. And, If they did do something good to gain momentum, KSU, CU, and Southern Miss, it usually got lost in the shadows of the offense's miscues.

 

I think the Blackshirts are going to be great again this year!!!!!!!!

 

GO BIG RED

 

[JR 5]

All I'll say is Gary Pinkel stopped Mizzou by tying one leg behind Brad Smith's back...

[StuckinChicago]

I can give you two reasons why the blackshirts sucked last year. Joe and Dailey. They were on the field for 75% of every game. I would get tired and grumpy too if I kept going out there and doing my thing and the other half of the team wasnt keeping up their end of the bargain.

[Huskerfan66]

The Shirts gave it their all last year...but you cant ask them to make stop after stop after stop when dailey throws a pick or fumbles. My hats off to them for giving it their all, every down, becuase they were still our best unit of the three last year. Bad schemes and offensive turnovers are what caused the scoring outbursts last year. The Shirts will be back and fighting this year, hopefully with an offense that will hold the ball and keep us out of trouble.

[BelieveN]

the blackshirts didnt give a damn last year cause fricken joe dailey threw 19 interceptions!!!!!!!!!

[oviedol55]

It's been stated over and over again by the players that last year was an attitude problem. A lot of the defensive guys didn't buy into Cosgrove's scheme and just plain lost their pride. Albeit, Cos shouldn't have thrown that much man coverage in when the zone kicked ass in 2003, and he's switching back this year, but the talent was there. The heart wasn't. That will change significantly this year. The rush defense will be top 10 in the nation.

[Spartness]

I agree that Joe "The Play Stopper" Daily didn't help the situation much. Maybe there was a lack of pride -- three D.C.s in three years. But there was also the issue of a non-existant pass rush much of the time. I think that had a lot to do with with what appeared to be poor play by the secondary.

[skersfan]

We had a flock of quitters on the team last year. Two of the worst are gone. We had no pass rush so zone would not work very well. We had slow LB's and one very good LB. Our top DE was injured early in the season.

 

Yes Joe did throw interceptions at an alarming rate there is no question. But quitters never win and winners never quit. When the top two players on defense decide to throw in the towel, which they did, you end up with a defense like we had last year. Another flaw in recuriting by the prior staff, character flaws did not help last year either.

 

Good ridance and I think we will see a markedly improved defense this year. It will be amazing to see how smart Coz will be when he has players that want to play for him, have speed and size and loyalty, dedication and are true Huskers.

[JR 5]

We had a flock of quitters on the team last year. Two of the worst are gone. We had no pass rush so zone would not work very well. We had slow LB's and one very good LB. Our top DE was injured early in the season.

 

Yes Joe did throw interceptions at an alarming rate there is no question. But quitters never win and winners never quit. When the top two players on defense decide to throw in the towel, which they did, you end up with a defense like we had last year. Another flaw in recuriting by the prior staff, character flaws did not help last year either.

 

Good ridance and I think we will see a markedly improved defense this year. It will be amazing to see how smart Coz will be when he has players that want to play for him, have speed and size and loyalty, dedication and are true Huskers.

Well, as far as pass defense, they can't get much worse... If I remember right we were 113th or so. No where to go but up.

[skersfan]

I think we will see a much better defense this year. As some have mentioned the defense should be better due to better offensive production. But I think this year we will be closer to a team. Most on the defensive side did not like Bohl, and fell in love with Pelini. His departure ripped this team apart and he did not help the situation after leaving. His affects should not be noticed this year, and with the new talent coming in we should be pretty good. Depth is the main concern for sure. Hopefully they will be in full swing by conference play. It could get a little scary in the Pitt and WF game but I think the mind set is there this year to be a fighter till the last second on the clock clicks off. That is what I want to see. If we a lose a couple of games so be it. But give me the real black shirts back and I will be happy to allow Coz more time to perfect the system.

[IlliniHusker]

Last yr we heard a hundred times that the Blackshirts had to carry us thru the season till the WCO got off the ground. The turnovers, bad defensive schemes and lack of buy-in by key players sunk that strategy.

I'm positive the offense will be greatly improved this yr. The Blackshirts will determine if its a 6, 7, 8 or 9 win season.

I think the true burden will be on the defense this year. If Cosgrove & staff doesn't perform, then it time for some more changes.

[Blackshirt34]

They blackshirts were just on the field too much last year. The offense never gave them a chance to catch their breath. They were always on the field. They did the best they could considering the personel and other conditions.

[junior4949]

I find it simply amazing that now everyone's saying it wasn't the defenses fault because they were on the field way too much due to screw ups on the offense. What about 2002? Bohl was fired because his defense was on the field way too much because Jamal Lord had f--k-d something up. Hell, our defense was even on the field too much in 2003 because Jamal screwed the pooch way too much.

 

With what was thought to be one of the best secondaries in the country, we managed to get 70 hung up on us. The effort wasn't there last year, and it showed. The defensive scheme wasn't there and it showed. Last year was the most disappointing season for the blackshirts in all the years that I can remember. Players and coaches this year had better pull their head out, or it will be even uglier with a bunch of 18 year olds out there!

[StuckinChicago]

I partially agree with you. Yes, the defense gave up more than it had it the past. No, the defense was not on the field just as much the last couple of years. You gotta remember, we were a ball control, ground oriented offense. Even if we were a mediocre one, we still probably had the ball more than the other team in most games. I guarantee that the other team had the ball more than us in pretty much every game last year.

[DJR313]

 

Good ridance and I think we will see a markedly improved defense this year. It will be amazing to see how smart Coz will be when he has players that want to play for him, have speed and size and loyalty, dedication and are true Huskers.

 

You hit the nail on the head there buddy!