Begin the season as The Blackshirts?

[Landlord]

The biggest problem I have with Bo's method of handing out the Blackshirts is that it creates exactly this kind of controversy. Players get bugged about it by their buddies, the press asks questions about it, it becomes a distraction where no distraction needs to exist. This is something Bo needs to learn as a Head Coach - minimize the outside noise directed at your team and let them focus on the business of getting better on the field. Smart coaches create rules to eliminate these kinds of off-field distractions. For some reason, Bo has allowed this to become a topic, and it doesn't need to be.

 

Next, the implication coming out of Fall camp without a Blackshirt is that you need more work, you need to improve. OK, "keep them hungry" isn't a terrible idea, but a better idea would be to do your job as a coach well enough that these guys are ready from day one, opening kickoff of the first game. If these defenses aren't good enough to be Blackshirts, then why the hell are we putting them on the field? The burden for molding them into a decent unit falls on Bo and Papuchis. If they're not Blackshirts, then Bo and the defensive coaches aren't doing their jobs.

 

Finally, through Bo's first five years there has been no discernible difference in the play of the defense before and after they "earn" their Blackshirts. Statistically their production is about the same, and mentally they seem to have a dropoff after "earning" them. Further, what kind of grand tradition is it that awards Blackshirts to a defense after they beat South Dakota State? Or after a loss? If the argument is that Bo's method is sound because we're making them earn it on the field, the benchmark should be clear, it should be after reaching some kind of milestone or exhibiting some kind of excellence. And once given, those Blackshirts had damned well better be living up to that ideal the rest of the year.

 

If not, the burden for their mediocrity lies squarely on Bo's shoulders, and that of the rest of the coaching staff. And that's why it's in Bo's best interest to end this method of distributing the Blackshirts.

 

1) Bo is going to have a media storm around this topic regardless of how it's done. You don't think if we have a few poor games he would be answering questions about taking them away constantly??

 

2) You have measuring stick as to whether the guys have worked hard enough or you have done your job as the HC before you play your first FBS game.

 

 

1. No.

[StPaulHusker]

The biggest problem I have with Bo's method of handing out the Blackshirts is that it creates exactly this kind of controversy. Players get bugged about it by their buddies, the press asks questions about it, it becomes a distraction where no distraction needs to exist. This is something Bo needs to learn as a Head Coach - minimize the outside noise directed at your team and let them focus on the business of getting better on the field. Smart coaches create rules to eliminate these kinds of off-field distractions. For some reason, Bo has allowed this to become a topic, and it doesn't need to be.

 

Next, the implication coming out of Fall camp without a Blackshirt is that you need more work, you need to improve. OK, "keep them hungry" isn't a terrible idea, but a better idea would be to do your job as a coach well enough that these guys are ready from day one, opening kickoff of the first game. If these defenses aren't good enough to be Blackshirts, then why the hell are we putting them on the field? The burden for molding them into a decent unit falls on Bo and Papuchis. If they're not Blackshirts, then Bo and the defensive coaches aren't doing their jobs.

 

Finally, through Bo's first five years there has been no discernible difference in the play of the defense before and after they "earn" their Blackshirts. Statistically their production is about the same, and mentally they seem to have a dropoff after "earning" them. Further, what kind of grand tradition is it that awards Blackshirts to a defense after they beat South Dakota State? Or after a loss? If the argument is that Bo's method is sound because we're making them earn it on the field, the benchmark should be clear, it should be after reaching some kind of milestone or exhibiting some kind of excellence. And once given, those Blackshirts had damned well better be living up to that ideal the rest of the year.

 

If not, the burden for their mediocrity lies squarely on Bo's shoulders, and that of the rest of the coaching staff. And that's why it's in Bo's best interest to end this method of distributing the Blackshirts.

 

1) Bo is going to have a media storm around this topic regardless of how it's done. You don't think if we have a few poor games he would be answering questions about taking them away constantly??

 

2) You have measuring stick as to whether the guys have worked hard enough or you have done your job as the HC before you play your first FBS game.

 

 

1. No.

1. Yes he would because of the self-inflicted tradition he started

[grandpasknee]

Here come the blue-hiars!!!

 

"Give it to the fullback!!!"

YES!!!! The fullbacks should have blackshirts..you hit it right on the head!!! Great insight!

[STL Husker]

They will always be the blackshirts to me regardless of if they have the actual jersey or not. I really could care less about when they hand them out. If Bo thinks this is the best way to motivate the players, then he probably knows better than I do. The jersey is just a trophy of the accomplishment. I will give that respect to the players who have given what they have to be a starter even if the results aren't there.

[knapplc]

The biggest problem I have with Bo's method of handing out the Blackshirts is that it creates exactly this kind of controversy. Players get bugged about it by their buddies, the press asks questions about it, it becomes a distraction where no distraction needs to exist. This is something Bo needs to learn as a Head Coach - minimize the outside noise directed at your team and let them focus on the business of getting better on the field. Smart coaches create rules to eliminate these kinds of off-field distractions. For some reason, Bo has allowed this to become a topic, and it doesn't need to be.

 

Next, the implication coming out of Fall camp without a Blackshirt is that you need more work, you need to improve. OK, "keep them hungry" isn't a terrible idea, but a better idea would be to do your job as a coach well enough that these guys are ready from day one, opening kickoff of the first game. If these defenses aren't good enough to be Blackshirts, then why the hell are we putting them on the field? The burden for molding them into a decent unit falls on Bo and Papuchis. If they're not Blackshirts, then Bo and the defensive coaches aren't doing their jobs.

 

Finally, through Bo's first five years there has been no discernible difference in the play of the defense before and after they "earn" their Blackshirts. Statistically their production is about the same, and mentally they seem to have a dropoff after "earning" them. Further, what kind of grand tradition is it that awards Blackshirts to a defense after they beat South Dakota State? Or after a loss? If the argument is that Bo's method is sound because we're making them earn it on the field, the benchmark should be clear, it should be after reaching some kind of milestone or exhibiting some kind of excellence. And once given, those Blackshirts had damned well better be living up to that ideal the rest of the year.

 

If not, the burden for their mediocrity lies squarely on Bo's shoulders, and that of the rest of the coaching staff. And that's why it's in Bo's best interest to end this method of distributing the Blackshirts.

 

1) Bo is going to have a media storm around this topic regardless of how it's done. You don't think if we have a few poor games he would be answering questions about taking them away constantly??

 

2) You have measuring stick as to whether the guys have worked hard enough or you have done your job as the HC before you play your first FBS game.

 

1) That's Bo's fault. And it will go away after the first season he goes back to handing them out before the season starts.

 

2) Agreed, there must be a measuring stick. But if the guys you recruited and you trained can't earn a Blackshirt before the season starts, that's your fault. The stick must be surpassed by the time Fall Camp is over. If not, why are you playing FBS games with an unprepared defense?

 

To further expound on point #2, do you think the defenses in 2011 and 2012 should ever have been given Blackshirts? If so, what was the "measuring stick" that they surpassed which made them worthy? After they received their Blackshirts, did they live up to that measuring stick?

[EZ-E]

The biggest problem I have with Bo's method of handing out the Blackshirts is that it creates exactly this kind of controversy. Players get bugged about it by their buddies, the press asks questions about it, it becomes a distraction where no distraction needs to exist. This is something Bo needs to learn as a Head Coach - minimize the outside noise directed at your team and let them focus on the business of getting better on the field. Smart coaches create rules to eliminate these kinds of off-field distractions. For some reason, Bo has allowed this to become a topic, and it doesn't need to be.

 

Next, the implication coming out of Fall camp without a Blackshirt is that you need more work, you need to improve. OK, "keep them hungry" isn't a terrible idea, but a better idea would be to do your job as a coach well enough that these guys are ready from day one, opening kickoff of the first game. If these defenses aren't good enough to be Blackshirts, then why the hell are we putting them on the field? The burden for molding them into a decent unit falls on Bo and Papuchis. If they're not Blackshirts, then Bo and the defensive coaches aren't doing their jobs.

 

Finally, through Bo's first five years there has been no discernible difference in the play of the defense before and after they "earn" their Blackshirts. Statistically their production is about the same, and mentally they seem to have a dropoff after "earning" them. Further, what kind of grand tradition is it that awards Blackshirts to a defense after they beat South Dakota State? Or after a loss? If the argument is that Bo's method is sound because we're making them earn it on the field, the benchmark should be clear, it should be after reaching some kind of milestone or exhibiting some kind of excellence. And once given, those Blackshirts had damned well better be living up to that ideal the rest of the year.

 

If not, the burden for their mediocrity lies squarely on Bo's shoulders, and that of the rest of the coaching staff. And that's why it's in Bo's best interest to end this method of distributing the Blackshirts.

 

1) Bo is going to have a media storm around this topic regardless of how it's done. You don't think if we have a few poor games he would be answering questions about taking them away constantly??

 

2) You have measuring stick as to whether the guys have worked hard enough or you have done your job as the HC before you play your first FBS game.

 

1) That's Bo's fault. And it will go away after the first season he goes back to handing them out before the season starts.

 

2) Agreed, there must be a measuring stick. But if the guys you recruited and you trained can't earn a Blackshirt before the season starts, that's your fault. The stick must be surpassed by the time Fall Camp is over. If not, why are you playing FBS games with an unprepared defense?

 

To further expound on point #2, do you think the defenses in 2011 and 2012 should ever have been given Blackshirts? If so, what was the "measuring stick" that they surpassed which made them worthy? After they received their Blackshirts, did they live up to that measuring stick?

 

1) So how should it have been handled his first year here? Did you agree that they should have had to earn it in 08 after the debacle that was 07??

 

2) We hear people all the time say, "Wait and see." How do you know how good you are if you haven't played a game? So how do you know if they'll play in games like "BlackShirts?"

 

I believe that they were handed out at the appropriate time in 2011. We hammered MSU and their offense never had a chance to sniff the endzone.

 

Trying not to let the last two games cloud my opinion of our defense's body of work last year, I would say after the Michigan game. As Bye Bye showed us, we had times of good play as a defense last year. We weren't absolutely awful every game.

[knapplc]

1) So how should it have been handled his first year here? Did you agree that they should have had to earn it in 08 after the debacle that was 07??

 

2) We hear people all the time say, "Wait and see." How do you know how good you are if you haven't played a game? So how do you know if they'll play in games like "BlackShirts?"

 

I believe that they were handed out at the appropriate time in 2011. We hammered MSU and their offense never had a chance to sniff the endzone.

 

Trying not to let the last two games cloud my opinion of our defense's body of work last year, I would say after the Michigan game. As Bye Bye showed us, we had times of good play as a defense last year. We weren't absolutely awful every game.

 

 

1) He shouldn't have changed the way it's been done. That's pretty obvious.

 

2) If the defense isn't ready to wear Blackshirts after Fall Camp, whose fault is that?

[EZ-E]

1) So how should it have been handled his first year here? Did you agree that they should have had to earn it in 08 after the debacle that was 07??

 

2) We hear people all the time say, "Wait and see." How do you know how good you are if you haven't played a game? So how do you know if they'll play in games like "BlackShirts?"

 

I believe that they were handed out at the appropriate time in 2011. We hammered MSU and their offense never had a chance to sniff the endzone.

 

Trying not to let the last two games cloud my opinion of our defense's body of work last year, I would say after the Michigan game. As Bye Bye showed us, we had times of good play as a defense last year. We weren't absolutely awful every game.

 

 

1) He shouldn't have changed the way it's been done. That's pretty obvious.

 

2) If the defense isn't ready to wear Blackshirts after Fall Camp, whose fault is that?

 

1) I'm fine with this tradition evolving. I don't think it's as much of a distraction than any other weird or redundant question any reporter asks.

 

2) I understand what you are saying, however how do you decipher whether or not they are ready to play at that level yet??? You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays.

[zoogs]

Never mind the media distraction, this whole, will-they-won't-they, have we 'earned' it yet has to be a distraction for the team.

 

Bo may as well have come out and said, "We're not doing this tradition anymore" and gotten rid of it wholesale. Sort of being neither here or there, I think at best it's a wash, if not an actual detriment. As a reward carrot, they really don't appear to be serving a useful role of any kind. The team should always have something to strive for; why ever hand out laurels as a reward if you don't want players to rest on them?

[Count 'Bility]

In defense of EZ's side of this argument-for the sake of respect since I pretty much oppose his view-we've seen twice now in Bo's 5 years where he's tried to hand out the Blackshirts and the players have publicly admitted to refusing to accept them. Once was just last season following the Northwestern game. The defense played quite well that day after the columbus hammering but they wanted to prove it one more time against Michigan and they did. That is also a pretty big part of the revolution.

[Hercules]

1) So how should it have been handled his first year here? Did you agree that they should have had to earn it in 08 after the debacle that was 07??

 

2) We hear people all the time say, "Wait and see." How do you know how good you are if you haven't played a game? So how do you know if they'll play in games like "BlackShirts?"

 

I believe that they were handed out at the appropriate time in 2011. We hammered MSU and their offense never had a chance to sniff the endzone.

 

Trying not to let the last two games cloud my opinion of our defense's body of work last year, I would say after the Michigan game. As Bye Bye showed us, we had times of good play as a defense last year. We weren't absolutely awful every game.

 

 

1) He shouldn't have changed the way it's been done. That's pretty obvious.

 

2) If the defense isn't ready to wear Blackshirts after Fall Camp, whose fault is that?

 

1) I'm fine with this tradition evolving. I don't think it's as much of a distraction than any other weird or redundant question any reporter asks.

 

2) I understand what you are saying, however how do you decipher whether or not they are ready to play at that level yet??? You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays.

 

2) I hear this saying a lot - "You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays."

 

Is there any actual example of a guy being like this? I'm trying really hard to think of a defender over the last 5 years where coaches raved about the way he practiced, started him, and then it didn't show on gameday.

 

Besides, everything that happens on gameday is earned in practice. Everyone here knows that the 90's are never going to happen again, but that doesn't mean there's less truth to the idea that in those days, the practices were tougher than the games. That's why those defenses looked so bloodthirsty on Saturdays - they were like that every single day. If the defense hasn't earned their Blackshirts by the way that they're practicing, then they're not going to suddenly turn into Blackshirts on gameday. They've got to learn to treat every day like gameday if they're going to live up to the tradition.

[EZ-E]

1) So how should it have been handled his first year here? Did you agree that they should have had to earn it in 08 after the debacle that was 07??

 

2) We hear people all the time say, "Wait and see." How do you know how good you are if you haven't played a game? So how do you know if they'll play in games like "BlackShirts?"

 

I believe that they were handed out at the appropriate time in 2011. We hammered MSU and their offense never had a chance to sniff the endzone.

 

Trying not to let the last two games cloud my opinion of our defense's body of work last year, I would say after the Michigan game. As Bye Bye showed us, we had times of good play as a defense last year. We weren't absolutely awful every game.

 

 

1) He shouldn't have changed the way it's been done. That's pretty obvious.

 

2) If the defense isn't ready to wear Blackshirts after Fall Camp, whose fault is that?

 

1) I'm fine with this tradition evolving. I don't think it's as much of a distraction than any other weird or redundant question any reporter asks.

 

2) I understand what you are saying, however how do you decipher whether or not they are ready to play at that level yet??? You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays.

 

2) I hear this saying a lot - "You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays."

 

Is there any actual example of a guy being like this? I'm trying really hard to think of a defender over the last 5 years where coaches raved about the way he practiced, started him, and then it didn't show on gameday.

 

Besides, everything that happens on gameday is earned in practice. Everyone here knows that the 90's are never going to happen again, but that doesn't mean there's less truth to the idea that in those days, the practices were tougher than the games. That's why those defenses looked so bloodthirsty on Saturdays - they were like that every single day. If the defense hasn't earned their Blackshirts by the way that they're practicing, then they're not going to suddenly turn into Blackshirts on gameday. They've got to learn to treat every day like gameday if they're going to live up to the tradition.

 

Marcus Mendoza, Zack Lee, and Sam Keller are good examples.

[EZ-E]

In defense of EZ's side of this argument-for the sake of respect since I pretty much oppose his view-we've seen twice now in Bo's 5 years where he's tried to hand out the Blackshirts and the players have publicly admitted to refusing to accept them. Once was just last season following the Northwestern game. The defense played quite well that day after the columbus hammering but they wanted to prove it one more time against Michigan and they did. That is also a pretty big part of the revolution.

 

That's just the thing, the players want to earn it so I am fine with it.

[Hercules]

1) So how should it have been handled his first year here? Did you agree that they should have had to earn it in 08 after the debacle that was 07??

 

2) We hear people all the time say, "Wait and see." How do you know how good you are if you haven't played a game? So how do you know if they'll play in games like "BlackShirts?"

 

I believe that they were handed out at the appropriate time in 2011. We hammered MSU and their offense never had a chance to sniff the endzone.

 

Trying not to let the last two games cloud my opinion of our defense's body of work last year, I would say after the Michigan game. As Bye Bye showed us, we had times of good play as a defense last year. We weren't absolutely awful every game.

 

 

1) He shouldn't have changed the way it's been done. That's pretty obvious.

 

2) If the defense isn't ready to wear Blackshirts after Fall Camp, whose fault is that?

 

1) I'm fine with this tradition evolving. I don't think it's as much of a distraction than any other weird or redundant question any reporter asks.

 

2) I understand what you are saying, however how do you decipher whether or not they are ready to play at that level yet??? You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays.

 

2) I hear this saying a lot - "You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays."

 

Is there any actual example of a guy being like this? I'm trying really hard to think of a defender over the last 5 years where coaches raved about the way he practiced, started him, and then it didn't show on gameday.

 

Besides, everything that happens on gameday is earned in practice. Everyone here knows that the 90's are never going to happen again, but that doesn't mean there's less truth to the idea that in those days, the practices were tougher than the games. That's why those defenses looked so bloodthirsty on Saturdays - they were like that every single day. If the defense hasn't earned their Blackshirts by the way that they're practicing, then they're not going to suddenly turn into Blackshirts on gameday. They've got to learn to treat every day like gameday if they're going to live up to the tradition.

 

Marcus Mendoza, Zack Lee, and Sam Keller are good examples.

 

None of those guys were Blackshirts. Sam Keller lost his starting job to an injury. Zac Lee lost his job in practice, not on gameday, and I don't think Marcus Mendoza ever earned a starting position.

[The King]

1) So how should it have been handled his first year here? Did you agree that they should have had to earn it in 08 after the debacle that was 07??

 

2) We hear people all the time say, "Wait and see." How do you know how good you are if you haven't played a game? So how do you know if they'll play in games like "BlackShirts?"

 

I believe that they were handed out at the appropriate time in 2011. We hammered MSU and their offense never had a chance to sniff the endzone.

 

Trying not to let the last two games cloud my opinion of our defense's body of work last year, I would say after the Michigan game. As Bye Bye showed us, we had times of good play as a defense last year. We weren't absolutely awful every game.

 

 

1) He shouldn't have changed the way it's been done. That's pretty obvious.

 

2) If the defense isn't ready to wear Blackshirts after Fall Camp, whose fault is that?

 

1) I'm fine with this tradition evolving. I don't think it's as much of a distraction than any other weird or redundant question any reporter asks.

 

2) I understand what you are saying, however how do you decipher whether or not they are ready to play at that level yet??? You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays.

 

2) I hear this saying a lot - "You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays."

 

Is there any actual example of a guy being like this? I'm trying really hard to think of a defender over the last 5 years where coaches raved about the way he practiced, started him, and then it didn't show on gameday.

 

Besides, everything that happens on gameday is earned in practice. Everyone here knows that the 90's are never going to happen again, but that doesn't mean there's less truth to the idea that in those days, the practices were tougher than the games. That's why those defenses looked so bloodthirsty on Saturdays - they were like that every single day. If the defense hasn't earned their Blackshirts by the way that they're practicing, then they're not going to suddenly turn into Blackshirts on gameday. They've got to learn to treat every day like gameday if they're going to live up to the tradition.

 

Cody Green. Alonzo Whaley. There are a couple on the team right now, but its not my place to put them on blast.

 

You don't see it as much, because the simulated scrimmages are pretty intense. Mostly you see guys dominate 7 on 7 and then when scheme + pads come into play for some reason they are a step slower or don't quite grasp all the techniques.