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Mickey Joseph confirms Nebraska defenders are starting with a ‘clean slate’ in regards to Blackshirt status
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Mickey Joseph – Nebraska’s interim coach – making a few changes following the firing of Scott Frost. One of the biggest? The “re-earning” of the Blackshirts for every defensive player.
The Blackshirts, a tradition started in 1964 when then-coach Bob Devaney differentiated the defensive starters by putting them in the black practice tops, will now have to be earned back by players throughout the season.
Joseph said that last week’s loss to Georgia Southern had nothing to do with the call. Joseph also said he’s confident all 9 players receive the honor at some point before the season finale in November.
The Blackshirts have been rescinded, Mickey Joseph says, but not because of last week's game.
"Everybody is going to have a clean slate. … I'm confident that they will get them back."
— Amie Just (@Amie_Just) September 15, 2022
Update on the Blackshirts and Coach Joseph's clean slate approach with the team. pic.twitter.com/e5VhnQ9UrW
— Huskers Radio Network (@HuskersRadio) September 15, 2022
In total, 9 defenders received the honor at the beginning of the season. These included names such as captains Nick Henrich, Garrett Nelson, and Caleb Tannor.
Frost was fired after going 1-2 to begin the season. A legend in Lincoln thanks to his success as a quarterback, Frost never found his footing as a coach.
Frost’s best season came in 2019 when he led the Huskers to a 5-7 finish. He finished his time with a 16-31 record in less than 5 seasons.
Joseph, who also played quarterback for the team during the 1980s, will look to become the next permanent head coach at Nebraska over the next nine games. That starts by creating a different — and perhaps better — overall culture internally.
No. 6 Oklahoma will face the Huskers on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln at noon E.T.
Cole Thompson is a freelance writer for Saturday Tradition who has covered college football and the NFL for multiple websites. Thompson is currently based in Houston, Texas, and also can be heard daily on SportsMap National Radio's 'Just Sayin It' from 3am-6am.