Men in Black
4 comments so far
August 29, 2006 by
The Nebraska Cornhusker football team handed out the "Blackshirts" yesterday. Blackshirt status designates the first-string defense, because they wear black practice jerseys. The Blackshirts are one of the GREAT traditions in all of college football. If you don't know the whole origin story, read it here. So, who were awarded the coveted black jerseys? And, what does it say about this year's Husker defense?
In all, 14 players received Blackshirt status on Monday, the 11 defensive starters and 3 other players deemed worthy. The starting 11 looks like this -- Adam Carriker and Jay Moore at defensive end, Ola Dagunduro and Barry Cryer at defensive tackle, Steve Octavien, Corey McKeon, and Stewart Bradley as linebackers, Cortney Grixby and Andre Jones at cornerback, and Andrew Shanle, Tierre Green at the safety spots. The three additional Blackshirts were given to defensive end Barry Turner, linebacker Bo Ruud, and reserve safety and special teams star Brandon Rigoni.
First off, the notion of having more than 11 Blackshirts can be a hot topic for some. Purists believe there should only be 11. I'm not quite in to that category, because football can be a very situational and formation-specific game. But, I do think it got a little silly when there are 15 or 16 Blackshirts like it was under Craig Bohl. Fourteen pushes it to about my limit.
Of the starting 11, there are 4 newcomers to Blackshirt status - Cryer, Dagunduro, Shanle and Jones. Though it should be noted that Steve Octavien really only had one game (or even one quarter) last year as a Blackshirt before injury ended his season, and Tierre Green's previous starting experience was as a cornerback.
The additional three Blackshirts make sense, but for very different reasons. I believe Bo Ruud's is more of a 1A situation to Octavien. Ruud was the starter for nearly every game last year, and is right there with Octavien for playing time. He deserves to keep that starter status. While Turner is working to become a more complete player, his Blackshirt status is likely more situational, as he'll play a very prominent role in NU’s Nickel and Dime defenses. He's definitely a starter when NU opens in those packages.
For Rigoni, this honor is both earned and slightly symbolic. This kid is a captain who has earned the respect of his teammates, and he's a special team’s demon. You can't very well have non-Blackshirt captain on defense, can you? And, it also shows that this staff and team place a premium on special teams play. I can get behind that.
And no, this isn't a mascot type situation for Rigoni ("Awe, look at the little guy...") He's a 5'6'' stick of dynamite. Barrett Ruud, a high school teammate of Rigoni's said that if he'd had the good fortune to be 5 inches taller, he'd be a star in the college game.
So, here's to NU's new men in black. Let's hope they live up to the proud tradition of the hundreds who came before them.
**Shameless plug warning** For those who really love to wear black shirts, check out our "black shirt" tee when our online store opens. Or, sign up for the chance to win one now!
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Grant Aug 29 06
As the season is about to start, I thought I'd pass along some unwritten game day rules.
I cannot take credit for this, I found it on a Husker Message board.
Since we are less than a week from the start of the 2006 season, I thought we should compile a list of the unwritten rules of being a Husker fan on football Saturday in Lincoln. Here is a few that I came up with. Please add, subtract, do whatever makes you happy. Its almost time people!!!!
1. Wear red. For god sakes its called the “Sea of Red”, not the “Sea of Gray”, “Sea of White” or the “Sea of Old Navy Shirts”. But if you have trouble finding a red Husker shirt here’s a little tip that’ll help you out in finding one. Try, oh I don’t know, looking at almost EVERY SINGLE STORE IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA!!! You can’t throw a dead cat without hitting a red Husker shirt. Hell I think your even given one when your either are born here or cross the border.
2. Stand up and make noise. Here is a simple mathematical formula.
Loud noise + scared to death QB = Face mask into field turf with the possibility of some Chad May bitching. But here’s another formula you might want to keep in mind as well. Blue hair old lady that was a Bugeater fan before she was a Husker fan + telling you to sit down = Old lady looking at your backside the rest of the game as she remembers the glory days of Dana X. Bible. These two formulas will add up to one hell of a time.
3. Throw up the bones AND after a 3 & out, do the 3 & out symbol with your hand. If you don’t know what throwing up the bones or what the 3 & out hand gesture is, check your tickets and Husker gear in at the door and journey down to Craphatten and painfully purchase some god awful purple to become a woeful K-SUCKS fan.
4. Do two pre-game traditions; one old and one new. Touch the bottom of the foot of the elephant in front of Morrill Hall and touch the cleat of the last tackler in the statue just outside the east side of the stadium. You’ll feel like a dork and you’ll look like a dork but dammit, it has to be done.
5. Do not partake in the wave. God how I wish this completely uncool maneuver could have a disclaimer on the back of the ticket stud.
“Bearer of this ticket shall not bring in any alcohol, firearms, throw things on the field and participate in the wave…”
6. Cheer all visiting teams out of the stadium except for one. That’s Colorado. They do not need to be cheered for anything, except for actually completing a full sentence without spitting out Coors Light backwash, marijuana residue and cousin splatter.
7. At halftime, go ahead and get your hot dog, go to the bathroom or accidentally spill some Jack Daniels into your Pepsi. The band hasn’t had an interesting performance since RFK almost became President. Just make sure that your back in time to politely clap them off the field and be ready for the second half.
Jason Aug 29 06
Ha! Thanks for passing that along Grant.
Gamer Aug 31 06
You guys are deeply skilled writers. Your contributions to Husker Nation are greatly appreciated and not unnoticed.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE keep up the fantastic work.
I am confident you will be recognized by some big players soon.
-Gamer
Jason Aug 31 06
Thank you very much Gamer. That's the best compliment we have received that didn't come from a family member. It is much appreciated! :)
Don't worry. We're not going anywhere.