BEN SCHORZMAN | SPORTS EDITOR
Thunder Green and Lightning Yellow have been joined by a third color in the newest edition of Oregon football uniforms: Steel. Four years after introducing the much criticized and publicized uniforms with diamond plating on the shoulders and all yellow combination, Nike has done it again by revamping the Duck line by integrating the latest technology in sportswear.
And for those curious about how many combinations there will be this time around, there are only 80.
“It is the tradition of uniform change for Oregon,” said Nike global creative director for apparel Todd Van Horne. “It’s what puts it on the map. It’s what people continue to talk about.”
Former football coach Mike Bellotti, who is set to take over as athletic director on July 1, opened the press conference with a few remarks, saying that since Oregon has started their relationship with Nike in 1997 creating new uniforms, the exposure of the program has skyrocketed.
“We started this in 1997 with some figures scratched on paper to player involvement to what it is today as some of the best looking, fastest playing, most efficient uniforms ever made.”
“It doesn’t hurt about when people are talking about you either,” he added.”
The newest line that players will start wearing this fall is the cutting edge of technology in the sports world. Instead of having pads that players put into pockets on their clothes, the pads are built right onto the clothing in what Nike calls their “Pro Combat ” pads.
Also added are laminated numbers that don’t soak up moisture and a lighter fabric. All in all, there is a 25 percent reduction in weight from the 2006 jerseys to the 2009 ones. Part of the change from the 2006 uniforms will be the addition of the wings fans saw when the Ducks played Arizona.
That uniform was called “Lights Out,” and that combination will stay. The wings are both a practical and telling part of the uniform. They reinforce the shoulder pad area because that’s where the most wear and tear occur, and it’s appropriate because of the school’s mascot.
“We’ve had a great opportunity working with Oregon these last 10 years in utilizing the newest technologies out there to get better and better,” Van Horne said.
As for the color combinations, there will be green, yellow black and white jersey options, but there is a second white jersey that features the chrome “steel” combination. For pants, players will have the standard green, black, white and steel to choose from. Noticeably missing is the yellow bottoms, which took a lot of criticism from players and fans alike over the four years.
Wrapping up the combinations are the green, black, white and carbon helmets. The carbon helmet is a mixture of silver and black in a shining weave, but although no green is actually present on it, players like the new look. However, they realize it’s still about who is in the uniform, not what it looks like.
“We pride ourselves on going out there and playing hard,” defensive end Will Tukuafu said. “It doesn’t matter what we’re wearing we’re going to go out and compete. It’s just a plus to have the best stuff out there.”
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