Steven M. Sipple: Properly, Pelini tells NU to earn Blackshirts
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Score one for the grouchy old coach.
Everybody keeps asking Bo Pelini when he’s going to hand out those coveted black practice jerseys to Nebraska’s best defenders. After all, the clock’s ticking. The Huskers open the season Saturday night.
But really, what’s the rush?
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“I’m looking for them to be earned,” the first-year Nebraska head coach said Tuesday.
“There’s a chance I might wait a long time,” he added.
As in, several games.
Waiting is an interesting move by Pelini. A wise move. By holding on, he’s making a powerful statement about a proud and unique Husker tradition.
A savvy motivational tactic? Perhaps. Yes, dangle a carrot in front a bunch of young men who are hungry for redemption after a calamitous showing in 2007. They’re hungry to prove they deserve to carry on a tradition that began in the 1960s when one of Bob Devaney’s assistant coaches, George Kelly, assigned black pullovers to the top defensive unit during practice.
With that, the Blackshirt tradition was born.
By mid-October of last season, after a 45-14 home loss to Oklahoma State, Nebraska defenders no longer were wearing black shirts in practice. They knew they didn’t deserve them. Everybody knew it. The Huskers finished the season 112th nationally in total defense and 114th in points allowed.
“What’s a Blackshirt if it’s a symbol that’s not earned?” Pelini asked. “I don’t see the point in handing them out just to hand them out.”
Bravo.
What we’re seeing here is the 40-year-old Pelini in the early stages of putting his stamp on the program. When he says he wants his players to strive for perfection every day, he means it, dadgummit. If he senses they’re letting up, he’ll let them know it, in no uncertain terms. He might also tell the media about it.
Pelini was all over the local news Monday night, visibly disgusted about his players’ lack of focus in Monday’s practice. The TV cameras’ lights were on, the tape recorders were rolling, but Bo was in no mood to play nice. He said his team didn’t compete hard enough. They weren’t striving for perfection.
He gave blunt answers. And yes, he was grouchy, or at least he came off that way. He was severe and abrupt. It was interesting TV, in part because it was a departure from the last three Nebraska head coaches, who were almost always cordial — or downright vanilla — in post-practice media sessions (I wasn’t around for the fiery Devaney). At any rate, we’re learning that Pelini’s as transparent as any coach you’ll find.
“We as a staff expect a high standard, at all times, and I didn’t feel like we got that high standard,” Pelini said Tuesday. “I didn’t mean to be grouchy.”
Pelini’s approach in media situations is at once concerning and refreshing. It’s somewhat risky because his occasional surly manner might offend people at times. You hear this a lot: How will Bo respond after a loss? Will he be composed when second-guessed? Will he be diplomatic? Patient? Do fans even care how he treats the media?
If memory serves me correctly, Pelini passed those tests at Nebraska in 2003 as a defensive coordinator (at least in games not involving Bill Snyder). But as a head coach, the lights are much brighter and the scrutiny and pressure much greater.
The thing is, Pelini is refreshing because of his honesty. You might’ve noticed that he doesn’t prepare note cards for press conferences and public appearances like Bill Callahan sometimes did. Pelini is all about spontaneity. He doesn’t take himself too seriously. He speaks from the heart. You have to appreciate that.
Players obviously respond to Pelini’s style. As quickly as he’ll chew out a player, he’ll put his arm around the kid and tell him, “You know you’re better than that, right?”
“I’m just going to be myself,” Pelini likes to say.
We’re starting to see Pelini do things his way, even if it means significant change. After several years of Nebraska players electing permanent captains before the season, they now will be elected on a week-to-week basis.
As for Pelini holding tight to those Blackshirts indefinitely, “He’s the head coach, so it’s up to him,” senior defensive end Zach Potter said. “We have to earn them. We don’t expect them to be handed to us just because we’re the starting 11 on defense.
“Everybody knows the Blackshirt tradition. If you don’t have that intensity throughout a whole practice, a whole game, a whole season, you don’t deserve a Blackshirt. Right now, we don’t deserve to have them. We’ll earn them when that time comes.”
Exactly. No reason to rush it.
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
