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Nebraska Football Fan Gives Blackshirts Unique Gift During Fan Day

The Huskers' defense was feeling the love at the annual event to kick off the season. Thousands once again turned out Saturday for Fan Day.

Austin Jacobsen

Nash Hutmacher, Jimari Butler and Ty Robinson pose with the Blackshirts shield during 2024 Nebraska football Fan Day.
Nash Hutmacher, Jimari Butler and Ty Robinson pose with the Blackshirts shield during 2024 Nebraska football Fan Day. / Nebraska Athletics via X
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The Nebraska football team knows it has some of the best fans in the country. The "Sea of Red" may have outdone themselves with their most recent appearance.

During Saturday's annual Fan Day showcase, a Husker fan gifted the Blackshirts a unique item for the upcoming season.

It is a shield that several striking features, including a rendition of the "Blackshirts" skull-and-crossbones logo. The logo is surrounded by five Nebraska-esque fleur-de-lis (or "lily flower, in English), a symbol of the City of New Orleans and of France's royal family, with the usual arrow point replaced by a corncob.

The shield is inscripted with a bold "Blackshirts" across the top under a Nebraska "N" logo, also stating "They Cannot Win Who Cannot Score."

During Saturday's festivities, the shield was first presented to 2023 Blackshirt and two-time single-digit jersey honoree John Bullock.

Host of KLIN's "LNK Today" Jack Mitchell posted on his X page that a fan had been working on the project "for years." He added that listeners of his program would recognize him as "That Paul".

Nebraska could potentially add the shield to its in-game ceremonies, as many college football teams have added turnover chains, slam-dunk contests, and other features for defensive plays. Hopefully it isn't the last we see of the unique gift.

The Huskers open their season Aug. 31 against UTEP.

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Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.

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