14 players earned Blackshirts on Tuesday. The Blackshirt, symbolic of the Husker’s top defense unit, were quietly distributed before practice and made public at Coach Callahan’s weekly media luncheon.

The 2005 class consists of 6 returning Blackshirts: linemen, Jay Moore, Le Kevin Smith, Titus Adams and Adam Carriker; linebacker, Stewart Bradley; and safety, Daniel Bullocks.

The other 5 starters are: cornerbacks, Cortney Grixby and Tierre Green; linebackers, Corey McKeon and Steve Octavien; and safety, Blake Tiedtke.

Defensive end, Wali Muhammad; linebacker, Bo Ruud; and nose tackle, Ola Dagundro - all listed in the 2 spot on the depth chart - also earned Blackshirts based on their performance in practice. “All three of those guys have performed like starters. We feel that if anything happened to a one, that they could come in and take their place and we wouldn’t lose anything.” said Defensive coordinator, Kevin Cosgrove.