The Awarding of the Blackshirts

[Hercules]

I think Bo has completely changed a tradition that we all hold dear, so from that standpoint I dislike it. But on the other hand, look what Bo has done with the defense. Whatever his motivational tactics, they are working. The Blackshirt tradition we used to have wasn't of Bo's creation. Future coaches should not have to abide by old traditions when they have their own ways of working.

 

 

 

What's more important; the tradition itself or what the tradition represents? I don't see any inconsistency with Bo's way of handling the Blackshirts in terms of what they represent, and thus I have absolutely zero problem with it.

 

What I'm trying to say is Bo has changed the Blackshirts and what they mean but I don't really care about it because it seems to be working, pretty well.

 

They used to represent winning one of the top spots on the defense at the end of fall camp or something like that, and now they are an award given to near the entire 2-deep after some point during the season when the team has proven themselves on the field. Two very different takes on it.

 

College football has changed dramatically since the 1990s. It is no longer the constant 1st strings on the field with the exception of the occasional break.

 

Uh, I won't argue with the first point, but I do not believe that teams didn't substitute in the 1990s. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I'd also add - if I were a former Blackshirt, I would be very disappointed in the evolution of the tradition. That's understandable.

Of course McBride substituted in the 90's, but not anything like Pelini does now. First of all, McBride basically stuck to his base defense throughout the game - the nickel and dime packages were only for obvious passing downs. With Pelini, depending on the opponent, Nebraska might spend more time outside of its base defense then in it.

 

In my opinion, the Blackshirts have always represented the same thing, before the Pelini era and during it. They represent a standard of play - fast, physical, intimidating defense. Pelini has simply made the decision to wait to give out Blackshirts until the defense actually demonstrates that standard of play during a game against a quality opponent, while his predecessors only waited for his players to demonstrate it in practice. I'm fine with that.

 

The Blackshirts have also only been given to the first string defense traditionally, but I believe that the definition of "first string" has changed far more in the Pelini era than the definition of "Blackshirts" have.

[zoogs]

Let's take a closer look at the "different personnel groups" or "expanded first string" argument as justification for more blackshirts being handed out now as opposed to in the 90s. Note that the this is the first year we have done this many; not 2010 or 2009 or 2008, all years under Pelini with his multiple defensive sets. Here are the 20 blackshirt awardees, not including Crick, who assuredly deserves one.

 

C.Meredith DE1

J.Ankrah DE2

J.Williams DE3

E.Martin DE4

 

 

B.Steinkuhler DT1

T.Moore DT2

C.Rome DT3

T.Randle DT4

 

 

W.Compton MLB1

L.David OLB1

S.Fisher OLB2

 

A.Dennard CB1

S.J-Baptiste CB2

A.Green CB3

C.Evans CB4

 

J.Blatchford Dime

L.Thorell Nickel/Dime

 

A.Cassidy S1

P.J. Smith S2

D.Stafford S3

 

I mean, I get that we play the nickel/dime formation a lot and have a peso back, but you have your top four DBs out there, plus five more. Say you wanted to include the additional DBs in the 5-DB and 6-DB formations (I don't think we run any 7-DB). That's still six, not nine. It's not the personnel groupings, it's a fundamental shift in philosophy.

 

Going back to 2008 or so, I think there were some regular contributors or top guys in Nickel/Dime sets that just didn't get blackshirts, because the position was contested.

 

On top of that, two extra DTs, and two extra DEs.

 

As noted, I don't have a problem with anything Bo does because it's his tradition now and he should have control over it. Also, he gets results. But this is a big change and I get why former players would be upset by it.

[Hercules]

Let's take a closer look at the "different personnel groups" or "expanded first string" argument as justification for more blackshirts being handed out now as opposed to in the 90s. Note that the this is the first year we have done this many; not 2010 or 2009 or 2008, all years under Pelini with his multiple defensive sets. Here are the 20 blackshirt awardees, not including Crick, who assuredly deserves one.

 

C.Meredith DE1

J.Ankrah DE2

J.Williams DE3

E.Martin DE4

 

 

B.Steinkuhler DT1

T.Moore DT2

C.Rome DT3

T.Randle DT4

 

 

W.Compton MLB1

L.David OLB1

S.Fisher OLB2

 

A.Dennard CB1

S.J-Baptiste CB2

A.Green CB3

C.Evans CB4

 

J.Blatchford Dime

L.Thorell Nickel/Dime

 

A.Cassidy S1

P.J. Smith S2

D.Stafford S3

 

I mean, I get that we play the nickel/dime formation a lot and have a peso back, but you have your top four DBs out there, plus five more. Say you wanted to include the additional DBs in the 5-DB and 6-DB formations (I don't think we run any 7-DB). That's still six, not nine. It's not the personnel groupings, it's a fundamental shift in philosophy.

 

Going back to 2008 or so, I think there were some regular contributors or top guys in Nickel/Dime sets that just didn't get blackshirts, because the position was contested.

 

On top of that, two extra DTs, and two extra DEs.

 

As noted, I don't have a problem with anything Bo does because it's his tradition now and he should have control over it. Also, he gets results. But this is a big change and I get why former players would be upset by it.

 

Ciante Evans is basically a starter in the nickel slot, with Thorrell and Blatchford as sort of the co-dime starters. Stanley Jean-Baptiste and Andrew Green are basically co-starters at the cornerback. The official starting lineup changes every week with Bo - should he change up who gets Blackshirts every week based on who's on the field for the first snap? Would that make former players happy?

 

The only one I don't get at all is PJ Smith. He seems to be a clear backup at safety right now...

[zoogs]

Well, as noted, I don't care if he makes former players happy or not, as former players aren't suiting up to help us win on Saturdays...

 

But I think any way you slice it, this is a big change in the philosophy of how blackshirts are awarded by Bo. In 2008, Matt O'Hanlon was the flat out starter at free safety, not just a "co-dimeback" or anything like that in a sub package, and didn't get a blackshirt when they were awarded. A backup DE did, though. O'Hanlon didn't because he got into a late "battle" with Rickey Thenarse (nothing ever came out of that if I recall), so neither of them got blackshirts.

 

Now, *every* position where there is some rotation has all spots on the 2-deep getting the shirts. I can understand some extra DBs getting them, but I don't understand 5 extra DBs. And two extra DTs. And two extra DEs. But like I said, if Bo wants to award almost everyone who plays a 'shirt, that's his call and I can't argue with it if he gets results.

[JJ Husker]

Well this may make an interesting thread for many different opinions but I don't feel there is any right or wrong way for Pelini to administer the blackshirts. There are no hard and fast rules, only what others before him did. Who is to say the way they did it was the correct way? I think a lot of people side with the past based on the quality of those defenses. That doesn't make their blackshirt traditions necessarily the way it should be done now. I also have an opinion but until I'm the coach, it doesn't mean squat. Pelini is in charge of this team and it his job to motivate his players any way he sees fit.0, 11, 14, 20, 50....it's Bo's decision to make.

[flatwaterfan]

Bottom line ----- I don't care who they give them to as long as the defense plays like a top 10 defense. The tradition IMO is about blackshirt defense not about blackshirt players. If they need 21 players to play top 10 defense then give them all a blackshirt. That's my opinion.

[n.e.husker]

dp

[n.e.husker]

Alonzo got himself a blackshirt. Hope he shows Fisher how to represent it.

 

As for seeing that black practice jersey hanging in his locker?

"It means everything because it's what I worked for," Whaley said. "It's one of my goals this year to get a blackshirt. Just because it's late, there's no such thing as too late. So it was more of a, 'Dang, you actually did it.' Because even when it looks like you won't receive that, you keep pushing and striving for it, and looked what happened."

http://my.journalsta...a_big_shot.html

[tab-neb]

Cool story. It's pretty interesting that Whaley wasn't seeing the field because of his grades. Good for Bo.

[Hunter94]

Cool story. It's pretty interesting that Whaley wasn't seeing the field because of his grades. Good for Bo.

 

 

if Whaley was a kick ass backer, i doubt he would have been held back for grades......just sayin', the kid is guessing why he hasn't played much.

either way, good for him, we need all the help we can muster.

[Jason Sitoke]

 

C.Meredith DE1

J.Ankrah DE2

J.Williams DE3

E.Martin DE4

 

 

B.Steinkuhler DT1

T.Moore DT2

C.Rome DT3

T.Randle DT4

 

 

W.Compton MLB1

L.David OLB1

S.Fisher OLB2

 

A.Dennard CB1

S.J-Baptiste CB2

A.Green CB3

C.Evans CB4

 

J.Blatchford Dime

L.Thorell Nickel/Dime

 

A.Cassidy S1

P.J. Smith S2

D.Stafford S3

 

Damn. Looking at next year's starting defense has got me wondering whether blackshirts will be handed out at all in 2012

[HuskerTrucker]

*Mods if this topic has already been discussed please delete this post*

 

I was listening to 1620 the Zone the other day and they were talking about the awarding of the Blackshirts. They had Jason Peters on and they asked him what he thought about it. He said he thought it was awful. It watered down the tradition of the Blackshirts. He said that some of the kids that played really well never saw the Blackshirt until their senior year. He said that he didn't think that the current staff really understood the significance of the Blackshirts.

What do you all think? I tend to agree. It takes away the value of the shirts to give them out like a 'participant award'.

What's your vote?

This year was just more proof of how the Blackshirts really should be awarded....individually, not as a group of starters, when there are starters that obviously are not deserving. In my mind there should have only been maybe 3 or 4 of them handed out at most. It does water down the tradition when you have them awarded to a defense that is as poor as this one is. How can you justify giving them to a defense that as of now ranks at 42nd for total defense in the country, and 7th in the Big 10? There is no justification, unless you want to add some horizontal white stripes to those blackshirts, because they have seriously stolen them, as they were not deserving as a unit.

[Hunter94]

*Mods if this topic has already been discussed please delete this post*

 

I was listening to 1620 the Zone the other day and they were talking about the awarding of the Blackshirts. They had Jason Peters on and they asked him what he thought about it. He said he thought it was awful. It watered down the tradition of the Blackshirts. He said that some of the kids that played really well never saw the Blackshirt until their senior year. He said that he didn't think that the current staff really understood the significance of the Blackshirts.

What do you all think? I tend to agree. It takes away the value of the shirts to give them out like a 'participant award'.

What's your vote?

This year was just more proof of how the Blackshirts really should be awarded....individually, not as a group of starters, when there are starters that obviously are not deserving. In my mind there should have only been maybe 3 or 4 of them handed out at most. It does water down the tradition when you have them awarded to a defense that is as poor as this one is. How can you justify giving them to a defense that as of now ranks at 42nd for total defense in the country, and 7th in the Big 10? There is no justification, unless you want to add some horizontal white stripes to those blackshirts, because they have seriously stolen them, as they were not deserving as a unit.

 

 

evidently Whaley just received one for gettiing better grades........all i can say is wow....just f-ing wow.