Blackshirts ( American football ) The Blackshirts are the first - string defensive unit players for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team . History . The term originally dates back to the early 1960s and refers to the black practice jerseys that Nebraska ' s first - string defenders began to wear during practice . The National Collegiate Athletic Association had recently changed rules which permitted two - platoon football teams ( different players dedicated to offense and defense ) , and Head Coach Bob Devaney desired to have the two squads visually distinguishable during practice by having the two units wear different colors . Assistant Coach Mike Corgan was tasked with obtaining the new jersey pullovers . The sporting goods store he visited reportedly gave him a good deal on black , because the color had apparently not been selling well . The new jerseys were then assigned to be worn by the Nebraska defensive players during practice . Quickly identifying starting defensive players by the black jerseys they wore on the field made coaching them much more efficient . The unmarked black jerseys were collected each day for laundering and then redistributed during the next practice . After a time , the black jerseys were only given to the defensive players who practiced and performed well . " There probably wasn ' t a day when we didn ' t make switches , " said George Kelly , Defensive Line Coach for Nebraska from 1960 - 1968 . Long - time sports information director Don Bryant credits much of Blackshirt mystique to Coach Kelly , who was often heard yelling and exhorting the Blackshirts during practices and scrimmages . Eventually , the rest of the coaches began calling the top defensive units by the same name , and by the time Kelly retired and was succeeded by Monte Kiffin , the " Blackshirts " had become a widely recognized name for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football defensive starters . The choice of black to bring about the name ' Blackshirts " was not intentional . Said Coach Kelly in later years , " Honestly , it was an accident of availability " . Use . Blackshirts are awarded to defensive starters and other key defensive players . Punters at Nebraska have also rarely been honored by the defense for their individual efforts at stopping punt returns , including Jesse Kosch who was awarded a Blackshirt for his efforts from 1994 to 1997 . Besides the black practice jerseys , which today have the player ' s name and number imprinted on them , the Blackshirts also have a black circle on the back of their helmet . These players will often cross their arms in an " X " across their chests , representing the skull and crossbones , a longtime logo for the Blackshirts . This is called " Throwing the Bones . " The defensive players not awarded a Blackshirt wear red practice jerseys , while offensive players wear white practice jerseys . 2007 suspension / 2008 reinstatement . On October 16 , 2007 , the defensive players and coaches made a joint decision to remove the Blackshirts . The first player to remove his Blackshirt was Senior captain Zackary Bowman , who felt he wasn ' t playing up to the standards of the Blackshirt tradition . On November 11 , 2008 , the Blackshirts were given back to the eleven defensive starters by new Head Coach Bo Pelini ' s staff , three days after a win against a strong Kansas Jayhawks football team . The win also made the 2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team bowl - eligible .