Blackshirts have been handed out
- Thread starter knapplc
- Start date
Landlord
Banned
Which further enforces the idea that it's a good idea to make your players 'earn' blackshirts in year one or two but will not be as smart the further into a tenure you go.
84HuskerLaw
All-Conference
Yes, I most certainly do, sir. The Blackshirts are: The Husker Defenders - the first line of defense - our Marines - our leathernecks. It is not just 'the starters' but those who are the members of the first platoon of defense. Our defense today will consist in my opinion based on what we've seen of Frost and Chin etal is a platoon of mean, hungry, hard charging players who will go in there and fight and die trying to stop and stuff the opponent's offense and get the ball back for our offense.broganreynik said:
In my view it is not 'just the names of those who play the first snap of the first game on defense = evidence by I believe Frost has around 14 already. I recall Blackshirts be given out by Osborne and McBride a time or two for the punter, for example. It is deemed a great honor to 'get' the Blackshirt as that signifies you as one of the best Husker warriors on the team.
I am I
All-Conference
The thing about waiting until they “earn” them 3-4-5 games in, is that it doesn’t mean they won’t get whipped on score or stats some weeks.
Handing them out now means there are 11-15 guys that will be held ACCOUNTABLE to the blackshirt tradition. A style of play and a mindset. That still doesn’t mean they won’t give up the yards or scores. It just means that those who have earned them, this season, possess them this season. Don’t take them away, don’t award 18, don’t have players turning them in. For 2019 we have our Blackshirts. It’s up to them to make THEIR mark and hopefully someday come back to deliver to the class of 2025 or something; having their own story of what it means (with, hopefully..results).
Every defense that has come and gone since the handing-out owns their spot and results. Let’s just define it as that particular season’s Blackshirt. Most have been f’ing awesome. Some defenses have really stunk. The difference is in how the “tradition” has changed in earning, keeping, turning in, etc etc.
give them out, let the players ability and their coaching decide what their Blackshirt really means...during their time renting them.
My final thought is that once Frost can get the offensive players he wants, mostly because the top players will want to come here, the defense can recruit its players and get who they want because of the attraction of playing for a fierce defense with a new attitude and direction. Offensive players we want will just start to come here. We can then focus real attention on the defense. The Blackshirt tradition will ride because they’ll be chosen to be Blackshirts.
Handing them out now means there are 11-15 guys that will be held ACCOUNTABLE to the blackshirt tradition. A style of play and a mindset. That still doesn’t mean they won’t give up the yards or scores. It just means that those who have earned them, this season, possess them this season. Don’t take them away, don’t award 18, don’t have players turning them in. For 2019 we have our Blackshirts. It’s up to them to make THEIR mark and hopefully someday come back to deliver to the class of 2025 or something; having their own story of what it means (with, hopefully..results).
Every defense that has come and gone since the handing-out owns their spot and results. Let’s just define it as that particular season’s Blackshirt. Most have been f’ing awesome. Some defenses have really stunk. The difference is in how the “tradition” has changed in earning, keeping, turning in, etc etc.
give them out, let the players ability and their coaching decide what their Blackshirt really means...during their time renting them.
My final thought is that once Frost can get the offensive players he wants, mostly because the top players will want to come here, the defense can recruit its players and get who they want because of the attraction of playing for a fierce defense with a new attitude and direction. Offensive players we want will just start to come here. We can then focus real attention on the defense. The Blackshirt tradition will ride because they’ll be chosen to be Blackshirts.
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broganreynik
Starter
...and 25 or so are considered our “first platoon”?
I’m lucky my eyes could see my screen to type that; if they rolled any more they would’ve gone into the Missoura.
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Um ... no. How fans react to something is a loooooooong ways down the list of why coaches and teams should do something.
knapplc
International Man of Mystery
Eh. Fan reaction was a pretty big reason why the last three coaches were fired. Fans have a say. Without the fans, UNL is no different than UNK.
That's a reaction to the overall success of the program. In that respect, it's taken into account.
How you do one specific thing in how you practice? Not so much.
knapplc
International Man of Mystery
Not as much for something like this, sure. But every decision they make will have a fan reaction component to it.
Every decision will have a fan reaction. Not every fan reaction should influence what you do.
30-50 Feral Hogs
Banned
I'm sure they saw how often the last 2 coaches and numerous DC's were asked about them week in and week out and figured the sooner they handed them out, the sooner they didn't have to take that question.
WildBillMoos
Banned
Never forget Bo Pelini making them 'earn the blackshirts' for half a season then giving up 70 points in a conference title game.