Blackshirts Renew Confidence, Show Shades of Swagger

Gutsy Armstrong, Resilient Blackshirts Lead Huskers

Armstrong Named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week

Randy York N-Sider

Official Blog of the Huskers.

What a difference a week makes. On an unforgettable day that shocked the Nos. 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9-ranked college football teams, Nebraska’s Blackshirts renewed their confidence and showed shades of swagger in a 24-17 win over Minnesota Saturday night. Nebraska now ranks No. 17 in the national coaches' poll and No. 19 in the AP Top 25. 

That’s no small achievement when you consider the grit of coming off a 62-3 loss at Ohio State and the grind of a season that depleted the Huskers' offensive line and sidelined their record-setting quarterback.

And let’s not forget the gravel road that back-to-back losses can create in any team’s psyche and soul despite winning the first seven games of the season.

“We didn’t have our way early, but we stayed together, regrouped and held our heads high in the second half,” senior defensive tackle Kevin Maurice told me after the game. “That’s what we did in our first seven games – coming through when we needed to. Tonight, we needed to take that sour taste out of all of our mouths from the past two weeks, and we did.

“We finished strong, and that goes a long way for the rest of this season,” Maurice said. “We got our confidence back and showed some swagger. We were all in and went all out to change the direction of this season. We’re on the same page. We’re 8-2. We still have a lot to play for because we mapped out what we needed to do, then did it.”

Check the main photo above to get an idea of Nebraska’s renewed belief in what can still be a special season. Maurice is making the tackle, but he’s getting help from four teammates – linebacker Michael Rose-Ivy (15), safety Nate Gerry (25), linebacker Josh Banderas (52) and cornerback Joshua Kalu (10).

Banderas: Huskers Bounced Back Saturday to 'Show Who We Really Are’

“Minnesota is a tough-minded team, which has gotten better all year long,” Nebraska Coach Mike Riley said. “We just kept fighting until we won. We had a terrific second half defensively.”

Banderas (pictured above) said the Huskers bounced back to “show who we really are. We had two rough weeks and there are some things we wish we could take back but it’s all in the past,” he said. “Tonight we put it on the grass and we grew a lot.”

Riley credits Nebraska’s surge of confidence to senior leadership, including two Blackshirts that are determined to become a top 10 team again.

"I like real old-school football…ground-and-pound, man-on-man action,” Banderas said. “This was definitely more of a team that I’m suited for and I like playing for."

A legacy letterwinner following in the footsteps of a father who lettered as a Nebraska tight end, Banderas will play his final home game at Memorial Stadium Saturday morning against Maryland. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT. The game will be televised on ESPNews.

Banderas appreciates fan loyalty. "Everyone comes out and supports us, and we have so many fans coming to road games,” he said. “To leave this place knowing we left a good taste in the fans' mouth and in our mouth shows that this place is one of the greatest places to play college football. Our record here will show that...it’s a great feeling."

Safety Aaron Williams Gets 11 Tackles and Makes Big Interception Tip

Sophomore safety Aaron Williams had a big day in a B1G win for the Huskers. His five unassisted tackles and six assists tied Banderas' 11-tackle total. “Everybody went back to the basics,” Williams said. “We learned from both losses and went back to what we do best. Hopefully, that will help us in the next two games as well (against Maryland Saturday and at Iowa the day after Thanksgiving).”

Aaron Williams said "anytime you can take a good team like Minnesota to third down, it's good. Our coaches did a great job showing us what we needed to do. They made some great adjustments that definitely helped us shut them down in the second half."

Husker cornerback coach Brian Stewart said defensive coordinator Mark Banker was pivotal in shutting the Gophers down in the second half. "Banker does a great job adjusting our defense during the game," Stewart told me. "He does a great job of listening to all the information that our coaches come up with. He listens to everybody, then makes the adjustments that need to be made. He did a great job, and this was a huge win."

Linebacker/captain Banderas went out of his way to praise the Blackshirt secondary. "It's so reassuring to know that if you take care of what you have to do underneath, and you see that ball go over your head, and you turn around knowing and feeling good about the result," Banderas said.

"A big part of their success is just playing with so much confidence and so much swagger, it's unbelieveable," Banderas said. "You can really see who the guys are out there. They’re having fun and they're playing like the players they are. Our underneath coverage has gotten better. We're taking away routes they don’t have to worry about because they're trusting us and playing over the top. We're just working so much better as one unit as a defense. That's a credit to our success."

Junior Safety Kieron Williams Credits Aaron Williams for Game-Winning Play

Junior safety Kieron Williams (No. 26 above with intercepted pass) was humble and appreciative in the Nebraska locker room after saving the day with a play that eliminated all hope for the Gophers to win. "We saw this game as a great opportunity to change what happened to us in the last two weekends," Kieron told me Saturday night.

"Minnesota's a run-heavy team that really challenges the safeties," he pointed out. "They gave us a lot of different looks, and our coaches did a great job of putting us in the right spots on the field. They kept explaining to us how they were attacking, and we did the best we could to change that."

Informed that the Blackshirts gave up just 93 offensive yards in the second half, Kieron Williams credited all defensive areas. "That's the same quarterback that beat us two years ago. He's a great player," Kieron said of Mitch Leidner, a 6-4, 230-pound senior. "We did our best to spy on what he knows. It wasn't easy. Our coaches get the credit."

Aaron Williams "made a great play on the ball" of the game-deciding interception that ended up in Kieron's hands. "It was definitely a relief that we could win the game on that interception, but it went beyond me. I was just blessed to be in the right place at the right time. It felt good for everyone to get over the hump of the last two weeks and get away with a win. If it weren't for Aaron, I wouldn't have gotten it. He put his hand on the ball. It popped in the air, and I was able to get it and do my best not to fumble."

Asked what one word best describes Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr., Kireon Williams said "warrior" immediately. "I mean, that guy gives you everything he has every single down. Warrior is the only way to describe Tommy. He always gives you his all, and I wouldn't go to war with anyone else. He's the dude I want!"

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