There’s been a lot of smoke about this for weeks. Rumors of OU wearing white practice helmets during closed practices this season. And anyone who’s ever been to a practice knows they still wear crimson lids. Unofficially, it’s going to happen though. Now confirmed by NewsOK.com, OU will wear the new Nike Pro Combat uniforms during the Texas Tech game next weekend.
The tag line of “Ten Storied Programs, Ten Game-Changing Uniforms” pretty much holds true for the list of teams revealed to be sporting the new look for a game this season. Save for TCU, I suppose, but they do have some of the game’s best players in history and are having a pretty kick-ass season. So good for them. (Please win the national title.)
OU’s uniform won’t be as tricked up as the TCU version. According to the Ft. Worth Star Telegram, Nike has chosen 10 schools that sport the new threads. Per 1310 The Ticket in Dallas Tuesday morning (and now NewsOK.com), OU will join TCU, Texas, Florida, Virgina Tech, Ohio State, Miami and others. Teams like the Hokies, Texas and OU will be more classic.
Team gloves (pictured) will form an “OU” when you create the “triangle” for catching a pass. This is true for all teams, but each has some details specific only to that school. The words “Sooner Magic” appear around the wrists for OU.
Underneath the player’s jersey and pants is a padded base layer, with strategically placed padding zones in Nike’s Deflex shorts, which cover a player’s thighs, hips and tailbone. The padding zones are comprised of dual-density foam cells that absorb, deflect and disperse the impact of on-field collisions, according to Nike. Padding built directly into the base layer is believed to allow players greater mobility.
If you want to get really into rumors, a member of VolNation.com says (same list posted several places online, so who knows where it originated) that each of the 10 schools will have a specific theme. Virgina Tech, Florida State and TCU have been confirmed with photos/videos, but some of the others sound effin’ made up. Oklahoma’s “Stake Our Claim” does tie back to the Land Run, but Missouri’s “Beast Mode”? Florida’s “Finish the Mission”? Is that a shout-out from God to Tim Tebow?
Virgina Tech: Good Guys Wear White
TCU: Never Back Down
Ohio State: Earned
Florida State: Fear The Spear
Oklahoma: Stake Our Claim
Florida: Finish The Mission
Texas: It Only Takes Eleven
LSU: Cochon De Lait
Missouri: Beast Mode
Miami: The U Knows
This hasn’t been confirmed from OU, but look for an official announcement within the next week. The schools that have announced it — TCU, Virgina Tech and Florida State — have provided detailed news releases with a custom two-minute video and a slideshow featuring the new gear. Hey, maybe it’s something to take our minds off that 5-4 record.
Eff, that’s hard to even type.
8 Comments Received
November 10th, 2009 @10:42 am
Hey, that’s great! As it turns out, it hasn’t been season/career-ending injuries, sub-par performances from players, uncreative & predictable play calling from coordinators, or poor preparation by the coaching staff that’s been holding us back this year – it’s the UNIFORMS! Let’s get the new threads on ASAP and we’ll see if we can’t polish the turd that has been the 2009 season.
Of course, I kid. You have to expect some sarcastic venting. I’ll be curious to see the new uniforms, but even more so to see how Stoops & Co. attempt to salvage the year. I can’t believe we’re 9 games in and STILL not even bowl eligible.
November 10th, 2009 @10:45 am
I just pray we can go 8-4 or at least 7-5 so this bad team play doesn’t carry over into the offseason, recruiting, etc. I’m thinking more about the big picture right now.
November 10th, 2009 @11:44 am
Dirt Monkey: this bad team play doesn’t carry over into the off season, recruiting, etc…
This might be a tad optimistic (which I am never accused of being btw) BUT! If I was a position player and I saw the level of play from this team I’d be very excited to come to OU.
For example: Bryce Easley, Norman North 2008
http://ouinsider.com/news/story.php?article=2268
As you see there he can kick. He forced touchbacks on 92 percent of his kickoffs. Let me explain 92%. One kick off was returned his senior season. ONE. and it was against Union after a 5 yard penalty assessed on the kick off. And he missed the end zone by 2 yards.
They have him taking a red shirt year and he goes on scholarship next season.
If I was any kind of receiver (WR, TE) worth my salt I’d be applying at OU next season. You have a good chance to see some playing time.
I’m just trying to think positive thoughts here.
November 10th, 2009 @12:08 pm
Good thing that titanium D-Ring is 65% lighter.
November 10th, 2009 @2:48 pm
In light of our 5-4 record, I should point out one of Einstein’s lesser known time travel theories: It is possible for an idea to be so bad that it can break the rule of causality and cause bad outcomes before the idea is even implemented.
November 10th, 2009 @4:17 pm
If the new uniforms will MAKE THE PAIN STOP!!! Then I’m all for it.
However, I don’t like that there’s no OU on the side of the helmets. I know Bud’s teams didn’t have the OU on the side but it’s been part of the helmets for a good number of years now & it’ll be odd seeing them without it…
November 10th, 2009 @5:26 pm
We didn’t have the “OU” on the side when we sported the 2003 retro ones. Doesn’t hurt for one game. Hell, something’s gotta work.
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