The 2019 Nebraska defense is back in black.
As the Huskers begin game week preparation, a group of former Blackshirts handed out the coveted jerseys to the newest members of the tradition. Former Nebraska defensive tackle Steve Warren tweeted about the honor.
https://twitter.com/Steve_Warren96/status/1166019749542862855
The photos shows four visible Blackshirts: outside linebacker Caleb Tannor, safety Marquel Dismuke and cornerback Lamar Jackson. Nose guard Darrion Daniels also tweeted a vague Blackshirt tweet following practice, implying the new captain received his as well.
https://twitter.com/DarrionGolden79/status/1166016774313324545
Coach Scott Frost confirmed the other Blackshirts at the podium on Monday. Here is the full list:
- DE Carlos Davis
- DE Khalil Davis
- NG Darrion Daniels
- DE Ben Stille
- OLB Caleb Tannor
- OLB Alex Davis
- CB Lamar Jackson
- S Marquel Dismuke
- S Deontai Williams
- CB Dicaprio Bootle
- CB Cam Taylor
- ILB Mohamed Barry
- ILB Collin Miller
- ILB Will Honas
That makes 14 total Blackshirts. “And they all deserve it,” Frost said.
Frost also said the decision to bring the former Blackshirts back was a “spur of the moment kind of thing.” The Huskers staff didn’t just want the jerseys hanging in their lockers after practice. Instead, the former Blackshirts stood in front of the team one-by-one sharing what being a Blackshirt meant to them.
Frost waited to hand out jerseys until the second week of the season in 2018. The Huskers had previously used gold shirts as motivation in 2018 before players were awarded the coveted jersey.
The Blackshirts have been a big topic over the last couple of weeks. Nebraska announced its Blackshirt-inspired 2019 alternate uniforms on Aug. 19, which Frost hopes to turn into a season tradition.
"Honestly, I've been thinking about this a long time, way before I was the coach at Nebraska," Frost said. "I've seen a lot of alternate uniforms at Nebraska, but I haven't seen one specifically for the Blackshirts.
"I think I can spill the beans, I think by next year hopefully we have a home and away version of this. Down the road I'd like to see it be a tradition that if the defense has a great game and holds an opponent under so many points then they earn the right to wear Blackshirts the next week. I think that would be another source of pride for our defense. We probably won't start that this year. I just want to get the uniforms broken in and make sure the kids like them, but I'd like to see that happen next year."
There’s a lot of history behind the Blackshirts and the logo. On Monday, Frost continued that tradition by merging the past and present in handing out the newest Blackshirts.
