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Tuesday notebook: Tradition, history helped decide Blackshirts
***Nebraska officially handed out Blackshirts to 13 defensive players prior to Tuesday’s practice. Here is the list of recipients, broken down by position:
DT: Kevin Maurice, Mick Stoltenberg
DE: Freedom Akinmoladun, Ross Dzuris
MLB: Josh Banderas, Chris Weber
OLB: Michael Rose-Ivey, Dedrick Young, Marcus Newby
CB: Joshua Kalu, Chris Jones
S: Nate Gerry, Aaron Williams
***Defensive coordinator Mark Banker said this year was a lot easier than it was the first time around last fall, as they had a much better idea of the Blackshirt tradition and history. Banker said defensive line coach John Parrella actually addressed the 13 recipients and talked to them about what it meant to be a Blackshirt on and off the field.
***Maybe the most notable exemption from that list was junior safety Kieron Williams, who is listed as No. 1 on the depth chart opposite Aaron Williams for this week’s opener vs. Fresno State. Banker said Williams was one of about four players who were "right there" in terms of potentially earning a Blackshirt, and he just needed to "prove it to himself and the group" that he was deserving of the honor.
***Nebraska got some welcomed returns to its offensive line on Tuesday, as guards Corey Whitaker and Jalin Barnett were both back in pads and practiced. Whitaker had missed the past two weeks after arthroscopic knee surgery, and despite his return he’s unlikely to play on Saturday.
***Also back in action was redshirt freshman tight end Matt Snyder.
***The only notable player who sat out of Tuesday’s session was sophomore safety Antonio Reed, who had a sleeve brace on his right knee.
***Defensive backs coach Brian Stewart said the plan is rotate a lot at cornerback, meaning freshman Lamar Jackson should play around 25-30 snaps on Saturday.
***Linebackers coach Trent Bray said the two nickel linebackers would be Banderas and Young.
***Freshman defensive back Tony Butler announced via Twitter that he would be undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery on Friday. Still, Butler was in pads and practiced on Tuesday.
***It was the same situation with freshman linebacker Quayshon Alexander, who practiced Tuesday even after head coach Mike Riley said on Saturday that Alexander would also miss the season due to surgery.
***NFL scouts from the Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets and Washington Redskins were in attendance for Tuesday’s practice.
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