LINCOLN — A recent change to the NCAA guidelines for hardship waivers makes Nebraska safety Rickey Thenarse a candidate to receive an extra season of eligibility.

Thenarse, a senior, suffered a right knee injury Saturday in the Huskers' victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.

He appears likely to miss the rest of this season. Coach Bo Pelini said Wednesday he hoped Thenarse could earn a hardship waiver, also known as a medical redshirt, which would allow him to play in 2010.

Under the current rule, amended in 2007, a student-athlete may participate in no more than three contests or no more than 30 percent of his team's games — all in the first half of the season — in order to qualify for the hardship waiver.

Before 2007, the guidelines were two games or 20 percent, for which Thenarse would not qualify even in a 14-game season.

Although Thenarse has played in four games, or 33 percent of NU's 12-game regular season, the NCAA's accounting method still appears to make him eligible for a medical redshirt. Thirty percent of a 12-game season is 3.6 games. According to Jeff Jamrog, NU assistant athletic director for football, the NCAA rounds up to allow injured players to appear in four of 12 games and still qualify for a medical redshirt.

To obtain the extra year for Thenarse, Nebraska must file a request after the season.

Solich message pleases Pelini

Pelini said Thursday night on the Husker Sports Network radio show that he was especially pleased to see former coach Frank Solich speak to the crowd by videotape at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.

Solich appeared on the HuskerVision screens as part of the 300th consecutive sellout festivities.

The Ohio coach, a former NU fullback and longtime assistant, was fired in 2003 after six seasons as coach.

Solich hired Pelini before that season as defensive coordinator — Pelini's only season at Nebraska until he returned as coach 22 months ago.

“I was really happy to see Coach Solich — that he popped up there,” Pelini said. “He was able to speak, and that was important to me. He was the main reason why I got here to Nebraska in the first place.

“He just meant so much to this program for so many years, and knowing the way that ended, it was great to see him back and back in touch with Nebraska. And on that stage, it was great.”

No word yet on Blackshirts

Asked Thursday on his radio show about the possibility of awarding Blackshirts before the Huskers visit Missouri next week, Pelini gave no ground from his previous position.

“We're working on getting better every day and earning those Blackshirts at the right time,” he said. “When the time's right, they'll come out. Not until then.”

He waited until the second week of November last season to distribute the jerseys, which were traditionally given to the top-unit defensive players in August.

Mizzou game plan was a ‘quick fix'

Pelini suggested he was looking for a “quick fix” last year in preparing the NU defense to face Missouri.

The Tigers beat NU 52-17 in Lincoln, scoring 31 first-half points and adding three touchdowns in the third quarter as Nebraska experimented with a new alignment for its front four.

“Sometimes you work to go get the quick fix instead of just continuing on the path that you're on,” the coach said. “You learn. I know better. There are really no quick fixes in life. You get places because of good old-fashioned hard work and sticking with your principles and doing the things that are necessary to get better.”

Pelini said he was frustrated early last season with Nebraska's defensive progress.

Looking back, he said he did not like the Huskers' game plan for the Tigers.

“That's one of those ones I'd want back,” he said. “We didn't execute very well for a lot of different reasons. I expect to play a lot better (next) week, obviously.”

— Mitch Sherman

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