Anybody else up for an alt UCONN uniform?

[ktuck911]

I think it'd help recruiting a bit... Kids nowadays like that stuff... Besides, times have changed.. We did with the Mens' & Women's basketball teams last season. Why not bring it to the football team.

( Check out Central Michigan's cool uni's for 2012: http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...9807680/central-michigan-unveils-new-uniforms )

 

[freescooter]

The mustard one looks like a giant pumpkin, but I like the others. At least they kept pretty much to their traditional colors...and no camouflage!

I guess I wouldn't have a big problem with an alternate depending on what it looked like., But with all blue, all white, white top blue pants blue top white pants (my favorite frankly) I'm not sure what we'd do different. Don't see the benefit of a different helmet when we are trying to build an identity, for example...we want the Block C to mean Connecticut. To everyone who sees it. I suppose you could put it on a white helmet with the all blue...that might look fine. But I suspect you want something more than that.

 

[Jerry27]

Aren't we only a couple of seasons into this design? I believe we got these the summer of 2009 so this would be our 3rd season. I'm not against it, just saying.

 

[Dann]

keep the current jerseys. they are fine. but do a black one for once a year. black everything and then make the numbers/writing/block C uconn blue with a white outline. simple but cool. bust them out once a year and now recruits have some eye candy. its not hard, we just need to wake up and do it. nike loves to do this and they love our bball program. i'm sure it wouldn't take much of a dam phone call to get this done. just do it.

 

[ktuck911]

I hear ya Jerry27, but the fashion trends today call for AT LEAST a specified BIG game look that is different than the norm.. Our football program, at the FBS level, identifies more to this concept because we are still an up and coming program....

 

[Adios]

Someone send this article to Susan Herbst in an e-mail titled "Eastern Michigan alt football uniforms".

 

[freescooter]

Aren't we only a couple of seasons into this design? I believe we got these the summer of 2009 so this would be our 3rd season. I'm not against it, just saying.

That's really part of my point. We are trying to build an identity. We shouldn't be changing uniforms like socks, fo rheaven sakes. And keep the black ones thank you very much. Personally I hated those ugly Nike basketball uniforms, which weren't particularly unique either. Every one that has a Nike deal got a version of the same thing.

 

[Rondogg]

Yes, anything. Mix it up. Break out a retro Uniform. Do...something!

 

[Doggie Style]

Those Eastern Mich uni's are pretty good, with the exception of the puke yellow. I think we can work with what we have by keeping the helmet blue but putting a "sparkle Coat" on them instead of the dull blue. They look like crap after a few scuffs and dents. The tops are fine, but our pants can be much better with some metallic grey and other combo's in there (a thought shared by several players BTW). I'm no base uni, black cleats, white socks guy by any stretch but we can make a few tweaks here and there and just improve what we have. All these Under Armour/Nike 87 combination uniforms become a distraction both in and out of the locker room. so we should work with what we have, and not switch every year. Also, the black look has been done to the point of ridiculousness! There are 65,000 schools wearing Nike's "Murdered Out" line, we don't need to be a follower 4 years after they were introduced. That just wreaks of desperation IMO because every team I see switching to black now, my first thought is: "well thats original".

 

[Doggie Style]

That's really part of my point. We are trying to build an identity. We shouldn't be changing uniforms like socks, fo rheaven sakes. And keep the black ones thank you very much. Personally I hated those ugly Nike basketball uniforms, which weren't particularly unique either. Every one that has a Nike deal got a version of the same thing.

=====================
Those BBALL unis sucked! whoever in the AD signed off on those should be let go. Heres an idea lets put the students in RED t-shirts for our important conference games when our primary colors are blue/whitw/grey! That did wonders for our branding!!! Someone just let us b Nike's bitch with that decision.......

 

[freescooter]

Those Eastern Mich uni's are pretty good, with the exception of the puke yellow. I think we can work with what we have by keeping the helmet blue but putting a "sparkle Coat" on them instead of the dull blue. They look like crap after a few scuffs and dents. The tops are fine, but our pants can be much better with some metallic grey and other combo's in there (a thought shared by several players BTW). I'm no base uni, black cleats, white socks guy by any stretch but we can make a few tweaks here and there and just improve what we have. All these Under Armour/Nike 87 combination uniforms become a distraction both in and out of the locker room. so we should work with what we have, and not switch every year. Also, the black look has been done to the point of ridiculousness! There are 65,000 schools wearing Nike's "Murdered Out" line, we don't need to be a follower 4 years after they were introduced. That just wreaks of desperation IMO because every team I see switching to black now, my first thought is: "well thats original".

Bingo! You hit every key point I think...Jeez, even UMass is going with black uniforms and they have been FBS for all of 20 minutes.

 

[freescooter]

I fI were changing our uniforms, I'd add some stripes on the pants, not those crazy wide things but just a standard stripe, maybe with a red outline, and I'd clean up the numbers a bit more. they are improved over a few years ago, but they are still too busy and hard to tell a 3 from a 5 from a 6 from an 8 and 9 if you ask me. Solid numbers maybe, and skip the outline, though I think it is supposed to be similar to the C in style. I actually think the way to go is more toward a "throwback" style uniform...not to a clownish extent like Michigan and Notre Dame did last year, or Nebraska is going for this year, but just some more historic elements...though I would bag the two-tone 1968(?) helmet...

 

[dsturdy5]

I hear ya Jerry27, but the fashion trends today call for AT LEAST a specified BIG game look that is different than the norm.. Our football program, at the FBS level, identifies more to this concept because we are still an up and coming program....

See, I disagree with having something so different from the normal uniforms for big games. Let's say UConn trots out a dramatically different uniform for the Michigan game next year. Someone who sees that may not recognize the typical UConn uniform three weeks later when a game with Louisville is on. As others have said, it is all about making the UConn brand recognizable on Saturday's in the fall and at this point in our history, changing that up for a single big game every (other?) year could be damaging to that prospect.

 

[CTMike]

keep the current jerseys. they are fine. but do a black one for once a year. black everything and then make the numbers/writing/block C uconn blue with a white outline. simple but cool. bust them out once a year and now recruits have some eye candy. its not hard, we just need to wake up and do it. nike loves to do this **** and they love our bball program. i'm sure it wouldn't take much of a dam phone call to get this done. just do it.

100% on board with this.

1 game a year- Black unis. No one will be confused an say oh gee it says uconn in the upper right of my tv screen which one is that? It's publicity, and good publicity at that.

In fact, since I'm an internet commenter and can promote myself to Big East commish, starting with the 2013 season- all football teams refresh their home/away unis, and introduce a 3rd uniform for one game a year. Unis get refreshed on a 3 year cycle from there on out. Market the hell out of it. No one is saying to reinvent uconns identity completely- just keep it fresh.

 

[ktuck911]

That's really part of my point. We are trying to build an identity. We shouldn't be changing uniforms like socks, fo rheaven sakes. And keep the black ones thank you very much. Personally I hated those ugly Nike basketball uniforms, which weren't particularly unique either. Every one that has a Nike deal got a version of the same thing.

I understand your point but totally disagree... We're UCONN... still considered ( and will more than likely always be considered ) a basketball school.. We have to be a little more creative visually for football... Being conservative won't work.

 

[UconnFamily]

I agree, we need some type of alternate jerseys to give us a little more help in recruiting; without question that would help. Fashion is a big part of society, especially for young kids. I would like to see all white helmets and keep the block "C" white as well, instead of a "black out" lets go with a "white out" my opinion!

 

[ktuck911]

See, I disagree with having something so different from the normal uniforms for big games. Let's say UConn trots out a dramatically different uniform for the Michigan game next year. Someone who sees that may not recognize the typical UConn uniform three weeks later when a game with Louisville is on. As others have said, it is all about making the UConn brand recognizable on Saturday's in the fall and at this point in our history, changing that up for a single big game every (other?) year could be damaging to that prospect.

Not saying make a DRAMATIC change to a specific game day uni, just something that is an eye catcher... Kids that are being recruited would say "wow UCONN's rockin that uni for the Michigan game? Tight!"... Bro, no disrespect, but your thinking of building UCONN's "identity" is a bit conservative.. It makes sense for us old farts but not for today's kids...

 

[ktuck911]

Bingo! You hit every key point I think...Jeez, even UMass is going with black uniforms and they have been FBS for all of 20 minutes.

I like the black helmets UMASS will be wearing.. very nice... blends well with the burgundy in the uni's

 

[freescooter]

I have to say that I think that all the "fancy uniforms for recruiting" is a lot of bunk. On the scale of things the uniforms are somewhere between #99 and #100 on the decision tree for most recruits. I have had a kid who was recruited, though not for football and I've had 2 nephews recruited, one of whom is now an assistant coach at a D1 program. None of them mentioned uniforms as a factor in their decisions. And the one who now coaches doesn't think it matters either...If you do it, you do it for the fans, not the players and certainly not the future players. Oh might there be one kid somewhere whose impressed because you wear black jerseys for a game? Maybe, but when you consider that everyone from UMass to Rutgers to Akron has done it, not sure it really is a big deal.

 

[ktuck911]

I have to say that I think that all the "fancy uniforms for recruiting" is a lot of bunk. On the scale of things the uniforms are somewhere between #99 and #100 on the decision tree for most recruits. I have had a kid who was recruited, though not for football and I've had 2 nephews recruited, one of whom is now an assistant coach at a D1 program. None of them mentioned uniforms as a factor in their decisions. And the one who now coaches doesn't think it matters either...If you do it, you do it for the fans, not the players and certainly not the future players. Oh might there be one kid somewhere whose impressed because you wear black jerseys for a game? Maybe, but when you consider that everyone from UMass to Rutgers to Akron has done it, not sure it really is a big deal.

Again, the old fart addage applies... Kids you're talking about played ( past tense ) college ball... now coaching... they're old farts now too... It doesn't matter to them about uni's. We're not nor will ever be on the leve of Alabama or Penn State when it comes to football history, so let's not kid ourselves here... Yeah, the fancy uni will excite fans a bit , but whether you wanna admit or not, times are changing...

 

[CTMike]

It's not a deciding factor in a recruiting decision. It's positive marketing - for fans, students, players. Every little bit helps.

 

[freescooter]

Again, the old fart addage applies... Kids you're talking about played ( past tense ) college ball... now coaching... they're old farts now too... It doesn't matter to them about uni's. We're not nor will ever be on the leve of Alabama or Penn State when it comes to football history, so let's not kid ourselves here... Yeah, the fancy uni will excite fans a bit , but whether you wanna admit or not, times are changing...

One of them is a grad assistant. Graduated in 2011. The other is still playing, as is my kid, so while I'm surely an old fart, they hardly qualify.

 

[Santini35]

Does that thing actually sell cars? No, but it does draw your eye while you're driving past. Thats what these one of uniforms are likely intended to do, get you to take a look. It won't sell a kid on a program, but it might get the kid to look a little closer at your program and see what you really have to offer

 

[freescooter]

You know what kids consider: The coaching staff, facilities,opportunities for playing time, overall program, the school, the current players, the location, the food in the dining halls, the dorm rooms, the women, How much they are wanted, opportunites for playing time, and did I mention opportunities for playing time? I'm sure black uniforms figures in there somewhere, but if you have a chance to play right away as a freshman at the place with plain old white and blue but not until you're aRS senior at the place with the snazzy black alternate unis, the blacks ain't changing the decision.

I get that some fans think they would be really cool. Just like some fans thought the orange-red t-shirts they gave the students for that basketball game were snazzy. But I seriously doubt that the fact that Nike gave us butt-ugly uniforms for 1 game had any influence on Omar Calhoun's decision to attend UConn. And I doubt that having black uniforms that make us indistinguishable from Rutgers, Arizona, or ugh, UMass, will really influence anyone to come to Storrs as opposed Akron. I don't oppose an alternate, but as I said, I favor more of a throwback approach. The NFL has had great success with that. Ohio State has done it, Michigan, Notre Dame has, Nebraska is doing it (though again I'd try and avoid clown suits like Nebraska is wearing, or like Michigan wore for that Notre Dame game. I htought the Notre Dame unis were less offensive personally.

 

[Jerry27]

I hear ya Jerry27, but the fashion trends today call for AT LEAST a specified BIG game look that is different than the norm.. Our football program, at the FBS level, identifies more to this concept because we are still an up and coming program....

I happened to like the dog helmets that guy came up with last year, I would be totally in for that for a key game or two a season. One for the all white uni and one for the all blue, but I agree with freescooter, we are establishing a brand with the block C, I think we have to let it be the dominate logo on the uni's the majority of the season.