Nebraska reveals iconic blackshirts ahead of 2023 season opener

The blackshirts tradition is back at Nebraska, and the first group of blackshirts for the 2023 season is out.

The Cornhuskers appear to have their starting 11 on defense as the blackshirts were revealed Monday morning on Twitter. They are — defensive linemen Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher and Blaise Gunnerson, linebackers John Bullock, Chief Borders and Luke Reimer, and defensive backs DeShon Singleton, Omar Brown, Quinton Newsome, Malcolm Hartzog and Isaac Gifford

Of those 11, Robinson, Newsome, Hartzog, Reimer and Gifford are back after starting for Nebraska last season. Borders transferred in from Florida after playing in all 12 games for the Gators in 2022.

The Cornhuskers will open the season on Thursday at Minnesota.

First-year Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White brought back the blackshirts tradition after former interim head coach Mickey Joseph stopped it last October when he took over due to his team’s defensive struggles.

The blackshirts tradition dates back to 1964 and involves starters on defense receiving black jerseys to wear at practice.

White is entering his first season at Nebraska coaching under new head coach Matt Rhule. He has been working to learn more about the history of the blackshirts and what they mean to the program.

“I’ve talked to some great voices. I mean I’ve talked to coach [Charlie] McBride, talked to [Adam] Carriker… I mean you name it,” White said. “If they said they wore the blackshirt, the first question I asked, I said, ‘Come on over here. Step into my office real fast and tell me, educate me on how this works.’”

The former UCLA star White came to Nebraska this offseason after spending each of the previous three years as the defensive coordinator at Syracuse. White’s Syracuse defense ranked No. 21 nationally in yards per game allowed last year at 329.3.

Tony White notes improvements he has seen in Nebraska defense

Tony White has a tough task in his first year as defensive coordinator.

The Nebraska defense was abysmal a year ago, finishing ranked 76th nationally in scoring defense and 99th in total defense. The Cornhuskers just couldn’t get stops when they needed them.

That will have to change, but White is seeing signs that the players are taking steps forward.

“I just think that there are some guys that played really fast and physical,” White said. “Again, the Xs and Os part we can always correct, but it was very fun to watch some of the guys be able to line up and play without thinking.

“That goes back to what the coaches are teaching in the classroom. Dr. (Brett) Haskell and the mindfulness that she’s doing with the guys right now, getting guys to absorb the information and be able to process it that fast.”