New wardrobe welcomed by team
When the Gamecocks take the field against North Carolina in the 2013 season opener, the team will have a slightly different look than fans are used to.
Earlier this month, Under Armour rolled out a brand-new uniform set for South Carolina football.
In terms of looks, the threads are not too much of a departure from the uniform the Gamecocks have worn for the past two years; the name and number fonts remain the same, and the stripes have been moved from the front of the jersey to the shoulders.
But the significance of the new kits goes beyond the aesthetics.
“Coach [Steve] Spurrier has established a tradition of excellence at South Carolina,” Under Armour told gamecocksonline.com. “And we’ve worked together to create a uniform that would be viewed in the same light and would instantly be known as the South Carolina design for years to come.”
The number of stripes on the jersey, pants and helmet total 11, a number chosen to reflect the number of buildings on the Horseshoe.
The set includes the Gamecocks’ traditional garnet home and white away jerseys, as well as a garnet and white pant selection that will be interchangeable with the home and away shirts.
Following the standard in modern college football attire, the uniform is accompanied by South Carolina-exclusive gloves that read “Carolina Forever” when their palms are placed side-by-side.
Thursday night will not be the first time the South Carolina players have worn the uniforms, because the team had a chance to get a feel for the new wardrobe at South Carolina’s annual media day Aug. 4.
Sophomore running back Mike Davis, recently named the starter for game one against the Tar Heels, thought the new outfits were well-received.
“I saw a difference you know; they felt great,” Davis said. “I like the new design, I like the steps Under Armour is taking and I love the new uniforms.”
Since the Athletics department reached a deal with Under Armour in 2007 to outfit the university’s teams, the football team has reaped the benefits of the company’s experiments with uniform technology many times.
The 2013 kit will be the third set the team will wear since the start of Under Armour’s contract. Along with the standard pairings of jerseys and pants, South Carolina has worn several military-inspired uniforms, such as a 2011 set that benefited the Wounded Warrior Project and last year’s “Battle” gray uniforms that featured a custom Palmetto tree camouflage design.
Seniors including offensive lineman Ronald Patrick have been around to don all of South Carolina’s Under Armour-sponsored wardrobes.
“I like them; they’re something new,” Patrick said. “More uniforms than I had in high school.”
In college football’s recent arms race to collect the biggest, the brightest and the most new threads, many teams have taken to wearing superhero costumes as opposed to football uniforms, but South Carolina has managed to resist the change for the most part.
Perhaps most importantly, the Gamecocks’ iconic white helmets will remain on players’ heads this fall, a constant since Spurrier brought them back when he took over the program in 2004.
To set South Carolina apart from the majority, Under Armour told gamecocksonline.com it focused on developing “something timeless that fits in with the power and tradition of SEC Football and linked specifically to South Carolina.”