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PROVO, Utah (April 1, 2005) - With past and present players in attendance, as well as members of the President's Council and the BYU Alumni Board, head coach Bronco Mendenhall, along with former head coach LaVell Edwards, today unveiled the Cougars' new, traditional football uniforms and helmet.
Beginning with the 2005 season, the Cougars will wear the uniform that still remains the visible icon of the great football tradition at BYU. The home uniform will feature a dark-blue jersey with white pants, while the road uniform will include the white jersey with the dark-blue pants. Both the home and road uniforms will be trimmed with the "Northwestern" style stripes on the sleeves, as well as down the sides of the pants.
In addition, the Cougars will wear white helmets with the traditional helmet logo and blue stripes.
"This isn't about BYU having new uniforms," Mendenhall said. "This is about honoring tradition. This is about respect for and accountability to the coaches and players who have made BYU one of the national pillars of college football. They represent a tradition of over 30 years of excellence, both on and off the field. They represent 23 bowl games, 21 conference championships, as well as a National Championship."
While there have been three uniform changes in the past six years, Mendenhall said the new, traditional uniform is back to stay.
"This is the look of BYU football," he said. "This is how people know BYU. Once you have a symbol that reflects greatness, it should not be changed. Consistency is key to a lasting tradition."
The first-year head coach said the names of the players will also be displayed on the back of the uniforms, and players will receive "cougar head" helmet decals for notable performances both on and off the field.
"We haven't determined the exact criteria for earning the helmet decals at this point," Mendenhall said. "But, I believe they should be rewarded for great performances on the field, as well as great performances off the field. Things such as community service and reaching academic standards should also be recognized."
The Cougars will wear their new uniforms and helmets for the season-opener against Boston College on Saturday, Sept. 3.
"What an exciting period of time in Cougar Football," former head coach LaVell Edwards said. "I think the things Bronco has done since he has been in this position, and the direction he is heading, are all very exciting.
I love the new uniform, the helmet, the look. In fact, I think I like this uniform better than the one we had. It has the dark blue, which I really like. I think it's tremendous. More importantly, I think it's about the attitude that he is trying to bring. He's getting the whole community together, uniting the team, and everybody associated with it, to make one team. I'm just very excited about this."
"While the style of the new uniform represents the traditional BYU uniform, the colors will remain dark blue and white.
"Our school colors are dark blue and white," Mendenhall said. "That will not change. By wearing this uniform, we're honoring the tradition of BYU Football. By keeping our current colors, we're embracing the future of BYU Football."
Since 1999, when BYU changed its official school colors, the Cougars have had three different uniforms over that span. BYU unveiled a new uniform in 1999, followed by a revision in 2000. Last season the Cougars sported a new look that featured the "UCLA" insert over the shoulder. The uniform also gave the team the option of wearing four different variations, including two different road and two different home combinations.
"Part of establishing tradition is to remain consistent," Mendenhall said. "This is the look people associate with the great BYU teams of the past. I refuse to entertain anything that does not represent the greatness of BYU Football."
Written by BYU Athletic Media Relations
