Blackshirts

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

Should've handed them out before the game in front of the recruits!

[Mars]

The distribution of the Blackshirts has become a silly motivational gimmick and it's distracting. Just hand them out at the conclusion of fall camp and be done with it.

[HuskerShark]

The reason it is so scrutinized is because our defenses over the past half decade or more have been schizophrenic and unreliable. People are pissed about the sh**ty defenses, not when the Blackshirts are handed out. Angst over when they're handed out is just a foil for releasing pent up butthurt about our often tutu wearing defenses lately.

 

Over the past half decade, eh? From what I can remember, our defenses were pretty freakin' horrible under Clownahan and Cosgirl. Then Bo came, started to turn it around in his first year as head coach. In his second year as head coach, he had potentially one of the best defenses we have ever seen at Nebraska, or in the nation. We had a secondary that could lock down anybody and a beast of human being in the middle of the D Line that made the entire defense look pretty freakin' amazing.

 

In 2010, we had an amazing secondary but saw a big drop-off in our D-Line play.

 

In 2011, all of our secondary players either graduated or went to the NFL so our cupboard was pretty bare.

 

That development from last year in the secondary IMO has aided what we are seeing now as a pretty deep and talented defensive backfield this year. The problem with the defense this year has very little to do with the secondary. The problem mostly is with the LB core, with a lot of blame also going to the D-Line. With those 2 groups playing well and the secondary making plays as well, we get the product that we saw on the field during the 2nd half of the game last night. For the most part, our defense played as good as you could have expected them to during the 2nd half of the Wisconsin game.

 

It will be interesting to see how the defense continues to improve for the remainder of this season, and then to see who steps in at those spots next year. We will be losing a lot of our really good defensive guys, as well as offensive line, after this season, and I really hope we can find the guys that we need to fill in at those spots and keep on improving.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I think they need to hand them out and I'm one of those people that wants them to earn it! That second half was such a turn around from the first half it was amazing. Hand them out to give extra motivation for the game against OSU. We're gonna need it I think...................

[uncle-chris]

Jesus... you whiners.

 

We're #1 in sacks and tackles for loss in the B1G. And don't tell me it doesn't matter. Compton is having a CAREER f'ing year and our Defensive Ends are stepping up. Ciante Evans is doing better than ANYONE in the secondary did last year.

 

 

We're so much farther ahead of what we were last year it isn't even funny.

 

Quit the bellyaching and get on board and support your Huskers!

 

I agree, Compton has showed leadership qualities. He is having a great start to this season. I know we all expect every D player to play a perfect game every snap, but that just doesn't happen anywhere. The long pass to the 15 on the opening drive by Wisconsin, and the fumble by Burkhead, creating the short field, and the roughing the kicker penalty, giving Wisconsin 20 points. Its amazing 3 plays defined the quick start for Wisconsin. I know perfection is expected, but what if you take away just one of those plays, and the first half doesnt look as bad. 3 plays defined the first half. The second half, the defense had to try to defend a very short field after the martinez fumble on the 13. 4 plays defined Wisconsin's game. The Blackshirts were able to make those adjustments during the second half, to prevent the Wisconsin receivers from catching those long passes. They also allowed only 56 yards rushing for the whole game. If the Huskers can control Ohio, and we don't cough up the ball on offense, I believe we have a very winnable game. Looking back at those mistakes commited during the Wisconsin game, they are fixable. Our corners are right there with the receivers, they just have to have a better sense of where the ball is, and make a play on the ball, and not cause a pass interference penalty. I look forward to the Ohio game, I expect the Huskers will address those mistakes during practice this week.

 

GO BIG RED!!!

[Undone]

i am starting to rethink this 'earn your blackshirt' business. you earn them when you are named a starter for the defense. and only starters for the defense should earn them (notwithstanding henery).

 

Completely agree with this. I'm glad that Bo takes the tradition seriously and puts his own emotion, blood, sweat, etc. into handing them out. That's the most important part - that he cares about how it's done.

 

It's just never made sense to me. Didn't they earn it when they got the start each week?