The arrival of Tony White on the Nebraska football staff has revived one of the most beloved traditions in Husker history. The handing out of Blackshirt jerseys really meaning something.
Before his arrival, the handing out of Blackshirts was done because the Huskers' have the tradition since the glory days. But the defense was hardly ever living up to the tradition. Now, two years in a row, they're among the best defenses in the country. Like the glory days.
The return of the tradition being something worth living up to is why two new additions on Monday is a big deal for the Nebraska football team. Especially since one of them isn't a guy who would traditionally get a Blackshirt.
Nebraska football adds two players to Blackshirt roster
Junior defensive back Ceyair Wright and senior Brian Buschini have been awarded Blackshirts, head coach Matt Rhule confirmed on Monday. Wright getting that honor is a no-brainer. Since Tommi Hill went down, Wright has stepped in and been one of the best defensive backs in the country.
The Huskers' punter is a bit different. A text from Marques Buford was the push, according to Rhule.
"They asked for Buschini to be in black, so we put Buschini in black."
Buschini, earned his Blackshirt after a Big Ten special teams player of the week performance in the Huskers' 14-7 win over Rutgers. Buschini averaged 50.2 yards per punt, helped ice the game with a booming 69-yard effort, and successfully converted a fake punt in the win. He did all that while plenty of fans noticed he was in obvious pain with every boot. He did also have two punts blocked, though that was more due to a lack of blocking than anything else.
“When Marques Buford texts me at home and was like, ‘Coach, we need Buschini in black,’ I thought that was a tremendous message," Rhule said of Buschini. "Whether it was the tackles at Purdue or the game-saving tackles on the field goals, or just the punts he made last week … I did it because it was from the players. They feel like he’s part of that unit, so let’s roll with it.”
The Nebraska football team now has 14 players sporting Blackshirts this season, with Buschini and Wright joining defensive linemen Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher, Jimari Butler and Cameron Lenhardt; linebackers John Bullock, Mikai Gbayor and MJ Sherman; defensive backs Tommi Hill, Isaac Gifford, Malcolm Hartzog, DeShon Singleton and Marques Buford.