It's a pattern we've written about numerous times before: new coach, new uniforms. The team's attire becomes a visual metaphor for change within the program.
Only, at Nebraska, you can't change the uniforms. Sure, the Block N on the helmet doesn't match the Block N used elsewhere within the university, but that's part of the charm at this point. Nebraska changes uniforms only when Adidas pays them to.
And so if you can't change the uniforms, you change the mascot.
On Monday, Nebraska introduced the newer, cuddlier, scarier, mascot-ier version of Herbie Husker.
Nebraska did not refresh its mascot simply because Matt Rhule is in town. That would be silly. In fact, the athletics department began working with an outside creative firm in January 2022. But it's still an emblematic move of AD Trev Alberts's efforts to revive Husker athletics, and most importantly Husker football. It's a complete rebuild from head to toe, an all-encompassing commitment to spare no expense in building a sustained winner of a football program that can serve as the bedrock of its athletics department, its university, and its state. Nearing a quarter century since its last conference title, Nebraska has put its foot in the ground and declared that the nonsense stops now, even if the 2023 campaign might look like the six (that's how many losing seasons Nebraska's had in a row: six) that preceded it.
"I’m not talking about winning national championships, I’m just talking about being Nebraska. Operating in a way that’s Nebraska," he said in a separate piece to On3's Ivan Maisel.
Here's the trailer. Tell me this isn't deliberately shot like a Nebraska is trying to introduce Hollywood's most adorable new serial killer.
Sometimes to move forward, you gotta look back. pic.twitter.com/tqjPX5UdZl
— Nebraska Huskers (@Huskers) April 17, 2023
The tag line -- "Sometimes to move forward, you gotta look back" -- ties in to the work Rhule has done since his November arrival. He's made a concerted and persistent effort to keep Tom Osborne involved.
On Saturday, former head coach Frank Solich will return to campus for the first time in 20 years.
Let's end with this thought. Am I the only one that things the New Herbie looks a little bit like Scott Frost?