LINCOLN ‹ The black practice jerseys were pulled after a 45-14 loss against Oklahoma State in mid-October. And they weren't given back.
For the final five games, Nebraska had no Blackshirts.
To understand the significance, consider that the Blackshirt tradition dates from 1964, when black practice jerseys were distributed to first-team defensive players.
NCAA rules had changed to allow for two platoons, offense and defense, and coach Bob Devaney wanted more contrast than traditional gray pullovers provided. So he dispatched assistant coach Mike Corgan to a local sporting goods store.
Corgan, who was always looking for bargains, purchased the black pullovers at a discounted price because they hadn't sold particularly well. Before long, they would be priceless. And they would symbolize the defense in a unique way.
Initially, head trainer Paul Schneider would hand out the black pullovers before each practice, and they would be turned in afterward. A player could wear one on Monday but not on Tuesday if he hadn't practiced well. It was day to day.
As the tradition evolved, the black practice jerseys were distributed at the end of preseason practice and players retained them unless their performance declined. In recent years, the jerseys have included the player's name and number.
Last season, on the Tuesday before the opener against Nevada, the jerseys were hung in lockers, to be discovered before practice. Later that day, junior defensive end Zach Potter described seeing his name and a No. 98 on one as a "big rush."
He expected to get one because of the Blackshirt theme on the schedule poster featuring defensive players. "But until you actually get it in your possession, and you have a practice with it, it's not truly official," Potter said at the time.
He called his parents in excitement, never imagining that a month and a half later, he would be calling them to say, "It's gone. I'm not a Blackshirt anymore."
The pulling of Blackshirts was justified, given the performance of the defense, which allowed an average of 511.8 yards and 42.4 points in conference games.
That didn't necessarily mean a few defenders didn't play with Blackshirt effort. It's about team, however, not individuals. "We tried to play as much as a team as we could, but stripping the Blackshirts was the only thing to do," Potter said.
The defensive energy has returned this spring. Players are running to the ball, not one, not two but three, four and five, swarming ball carriers. That was apparent during Saturday's scrimmaging in the Hawks Championship Center. And it will be apparent during next Saturday's Red-White intrasquad game at Memorial Stadium. It seems like old times from an effort standpoint.
"We're definitely playing like a Blackshirt defense, guys I saw growing up," said Potter. "Everyone's saying, 'Hey, this is the Blackshirt defense we need to be.' So I'm hoping at the end of fall camp, when they're usually passed out, we get 'em back."
They will. The tradition will be maintained.
"We haven't talked about it as a staff exactly when, but at the appropriate time, we will return to the Blackshirt tradition," Carl Pelini said. "We've talked to our kids a lot about what it means and what comes along with being a Blackshirt."
What it means, on the surface, is 34 years of first-team defenders wearing black practice jerseys. It means a succession of defensive coordinators, officially beginning with Monte Kiffin in 1973, Tom Osborne's first season as head coach.
Bob Devaney didn't name coordinators, though defensive line coach George Kelly is associated with the origination of the tradition and is credited with having been the first to use the term "Blackshirts" in encouraging the defense during practice.
The tradition goes much deeper than the names of defensive coordinators, however. It applies to every defensive coach and every defensive player since 1964. And it carries the weight of every great defensive player prior to 1964. It transcends time. It represents the standard established by the best defenses in Cornhusker history.
The tradition grew the most under Charlie McBride, who was defensive coordinator the longest, from 1982 to 1999. And though he held the title for only one season, Bo Pelini put his unmistakable signature on the tradition.
Now it's Carl Pelini's turn as coordinator, and Bo's turn as head coach.
"When we talk about getting back to the tradition and embracing the history of this program, we're not just paying it lip service," said Carl Pelini.
"We mean it, and Blackshirts are part of that."
Potter, who is from Omaha, will appreciate those words. Losing his Blackshirt "was something I really took to heart," he said. "It was definitely a tough thing. We're all trying to just forget about it and build for this next year, just try to get them back."
Blackshirts are a symbol of what was lost, but only briefly.
"When you think Nebraska defense, you think Blackshirts," Potter said.
Mike Babcock is a free-lance writer covering Nebraska football for The Independent.
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