Vanderbilt Goes With the White Helmet and More

[The Six]

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2012/photos-new-vanderbilt-football-uniforms/

The new Vandy football uniforms, designed by the Vanderbilt football staff, are made with Nike’s high-tenacity Cordura knit fabric and feature black, gold and white jerseys and pants. The final piece of equipment that was shown to the crowd was a white helmet. Last season, Vanderbilt debuted a black helmet that the team wore in addition to their gold helmet.

Several key changes are incorporated in the 2012 design:

    For the first time since 1994,”Vanderbilt” will be displayed on the front ofCommodore jerseys. The name will be in all caps above jersey numbers.
    A gold “anchor” emblem adorns the homeplate or front “V” neck of all jerseys. Last year, the Star V logo was stitched there.
    “Anchor Down” text is stitched in the interior of each jersey neckline.
    Nike’s iconic “flywire” stitching is incorporated into the high impact shoulder area of each jersey.
    The gold jersey top features black shoulder coverings, black lettering and black numbers. Last year, the gold jersey had white numbers.
    All jerseys have an updated circular SEC patch stitched over the right breast. The Nike swoosh is over the left breast.
    Star V logos will adorn each hip of the pants. In 2011,a lone Star V logo was located on the left front of the uniform pant.

The uniforms were unveiled at a ceremony last night and here are some photos and videos of it:

[Buzz Killington]

Why it always got to be about color with them smart folk?

[Saniflush]

Grass stains on the ass end of those paints will look good.

[The Six]

Why it always got to be about color with them smart folk?

[The Six]

Grass stains on the ass end of those paints will look good.

Is it wrong of me to hope for a beatdown on the return trip to Nashville? Methinks Auburn owes the brainiacs a good one.

[Saniflush]

I don't care how much you polish turd, at the end of the day it's still a turd.

[The Prowler]

That helmet looks fuckin baddass.

[Vandy Vol]

That helmet looks fuckin baddass.

I personally like Franklin's approach to the problems that Vanderbilt has had as a football team.  And yes, there were (and still are) many.  But just from what Franklin's said, he wants to create a new type of Vanderbilt team.  They've put money into renovating the stadium and athletic facilities.  David Williams is involved with NCAA appeals, and has recently been given control of the "athletic department" and is retiring his other responsibilities.  The new uniforms have recently been designed and released.

None of this makes a better football team, but it does show he is serious about trying to change things there.  Trying to make it more exciting.  Trying to get his players' hyped up about their competitiveness.  Trying to institute a change.

And it's working.

From the guys who've "committed" thus far (we all know how this works), Vandy could have a top 20 recruiting class.  He's gotten us a top 30 (snickers allowed) recruiting class before, which is something Vandy hasn't done in more than a decade.

I think players respond well to his personality and to the lengths at which he's trying to restructure the program.  While pretty simple by itself, the new uniform designs are just an additional part of the overall change.

I just hope that this is the beginning of an upward trend, and not a temporary fix for a year or two that soon starts to fall apart.  Franklin can be vocal, and although he hasn't said anything extraordinarily crazy, he's got a temper and speaks his mind.  Hopefully he can keep it under wraps and focus on recruiting.

TL;DR:  I like what Franklin's doing and hope that he can rebuild what has been a historically shitty institution for football.

[The Prowler]

I personally like Franklin's approach to the problems that Vanderbilt has had as a football team.  And yes, there were (and still are) many.  But just from what Franklin's said, he wants to create a new type of Vanderbilt team.  They've put money into renovating the stadium and athletic facilities.  David Williams is involved with NCAA appeals, and has recently been given control of the "athletic department" and is retiring his other responsibilities.  The new uniforms have recently been designed and released.

None of this makes a better football team, but it does show he is serious about trying to change things there.  Trying to make it more exciting.  Trying to get his players' hyped up about their competitiveness.  Trying to institute a change.

And it's working.

From the guys who've "committed" thus far (we all know how this works), Vandy could have a top 20 recruiting class.  He's gotten us a top 30 (snickers allowed) recruiting class before, which is something Vandy hasn't done in more than a decade.

I think players respond well to his personality and to the lengths at which he's trying to restructure the program.  While pretty simple by itself, the new uniform designs are just an additional part of the overall change.

I just hope that this is the beginning of an upward trend, and not a temporary fix for a year or two that soon starts to fall apart.  Franklin can be vocal, and although he hasn't said anything extraordinarily crazy, he's got a temper and speaks his mind.  Hopefully he can keep it under wraps and focus on recruiting.

TL;DR:  I like what Franklin's doing and hope that he can rebuild what has been a historically shitty institution for football.

By changing the way things are done at Vandy means recruiting in the ”grey areas”, I'd hate to see the one remaining SEC school, that hasn't gotten in trouble with the NCAA, start to get muddy.

[Vandy Vol]

By changing the way things are done at Vandy means recruiting in the ”grey areas”, I'd hate to see the one remaining SEC school, that hasn't gotten in trouble with the NCAA, start to get muddy.

Do your skreetz say that Franklin is a dirty recruiter, or are you just assuming that a coach can't legitimately convince someone to commit to Vanderbilt?  I guess he bought Brian Kimbrow strippers?

[The Prowler]

Do your skreetz say that Franklin is a dirty recruiter, or are you just assuming that a coach can't legitimately convince someone to commit to Vanderbilt?  I guess he bought Brian Kimbrow strippers?

Yes, Coach Franklin is dirty. Dirty enough to get caught by the NCAA? I hope not.

[Vandy Vol]

[The Prowler]

Say whatever you want, but I'll be right on this one.

[Kaos]

Vandy changes uniform design every fucking year. 

What does that prove? 

Oh, he's gonna change the unis, that shows his commitment!!  He's bringing sexy back. 

The Commodes were one of three SEC teams that switched between helmets during 2011.  The others?  Mississippi State and Kentucky.  Good company that.

Auburn has seven historical helmet designs since 1960.  Two are one-game variations, one worn (ironically) against Vandy the other adding a strip of black tape to honor teammates who died in an accident.  Three are variations of the exact same helmet (orange facemask, blue facemask, grey facemask).  Two others are exactly the same but without the AU logo. 

Had the same basic design since 1966. 

Vandy has at least 15 different designs since 1965. 

Yeah, changing the helmet design has NEVER been done at Vandy.  That'll bring the excitement to a peak! 

[JR4AU]

I personally like Franklin's approach to the problems that Vanderbilt has had as a football team.  And yes, there were (and still are) many.  But just from what Franklin's said, he wants to create a new type of Vanderbilt team.  They've put money into renovating the stadium and athletic facilities.  David Williams is involved with NCAA appeals, and has recently been given control of the "athletic department" and is retiring his other responsibilities.  The new uniforms have recently been designed and released.

None of this makes a better football team, but it does show he is serious about trying to change things there.  Trying to make it more exciting.  Trying to get his players' hyped up about their competitiveness.  Trying to institute a change.

And it's working.

From the guys who've "committed" thus far (we all know how this works), Vandy could have a top 20 recruiting class.  He's gotten us a top 30 (snickers allowed) recruiting class before, which is something Vandy hasn't done in more than a decade.

I think players respond well to his personality and to the lengths at which he's trying to restructure the program.  While pretty simple by itself, the new uniform designs are just an additional part of the overall change.

I just hope that this is the beginning of an upward trend, and not a temporary fix for a year or two that soon starts to fall apart.  Franklin can be vocal, and although he hasn't said anything extraordinarily crazy, he's got a temper and speaks his mind.  Hopefully he can keep it under wraps and focus on recruiting.

TL;DR:  I like what Franklin's doing and hope that he can rebuild what has been a historically shitty institution for football.

Franklin can prop up the "attitude" at Vandy all he wants.  If they don't relax restrictions on the players he can recruit, then he won't ever have the players to be anything but what Vandy is, and always has been in the modern era.

Is Franklin dirty?  I'm guessing at Vandy, you don't have to be.  You get the kids that want to play in the SEC but can't start at other SEC schools, want to play at Vandy, and can get in.  Fact is though, USC, Stanford, and Miami can do it, Vandy is capable too, but it's not up to Franklin, and I don't care how good a coach he is, a GREAT season for him will be 8 wins (4 over the sisters of the poor, 2 over the likes of MSU or Ole Miss, and 2 upsets over average SEC teams), and he'll never maintain that under their current way of doing things.     

[Vandy Vol]

Franklin can prop up the "attitude" at Vandy all he wants.  If they don't relax restrictions on the players he can recruit, then he won't ever have the players to be anything but what Vandy is, and always has been in the modern era.

Is Franklin dirty?  I'm guessing at Vandy, you don't have to be.  You get the kids that want to play in the SEC but can't start at other SEC schools, want to play at Vandy, and can get in.  Fact is though, USC, Stanford, and Miami can do it, Vandy is capable too, but it's not up to Franklin, and I don't care how good a coach he is, a GREAT season for him will be 8 wins (4 over the sisters of the poor, 2 over the likes of MSU or Ole Miss, and 2 upsets over average SEC teams), and he'll never maintain that under their current way of doing things.     

For two years now (assuming the current recruiting class pans out), Franklin has done what previous coaches could not do for at least more than a decade.  There's been an improvement, and it's been done without altering the academic standards.  What he's done so far is more than just prop up the attitude.  Like I said, the uniforms are only part of the overall change.

Is the room for improvement capped if you don't alter the academic standards?  Maybe, maybe not.  I'd like to see what Franklin can do before assuming that academic standards have to be lowered.  Signing the number 4 running back in the nation is not too shabby.  If he can keep that type of recruiting consistent, and if he has the right assistant coaches to teach his recruited talent, then it will be fun to watch.  If he can't, then I will continue drinking heavily during college football season for years to come.

Trust me, I know that this is not a temporary slump we've been experiencing.  I know that one guy isn't going to turn the program around in one year.  I know that, given its long history of football incompetency, a true turn around of the football program may never happen.

But the current level of recruiting is better than it's been in years.  Franklin seems like the type of coach we needed to at least institute a change, if not follow through and be there for years to come.  I'm excited to see what's happening and anxious for what's to come, despite all the naysaying and negativity from those who don't give two shits about the team.

[Vandy Vol]

Vandy changes uniform design every fucking year. 

What does that prove? 

Oh, he's gonna change the unis, that shows his commitment!!  He's bringing sexy back. 

The Commodes were one of three SEC teams that switched between helmets during 2011.  The others?  Mississippi State and Kentucky.  Good company that.

Auburn has seven historical helmet designs since 1960.  Two are one-game variations, one worn (ironically) against Vandy the other adding a strip of black tape to honor teammates who died in an accident.  Three are variations of the exact same helmet (orange facemask, blue facemask, grey facemask).  Two others are exactly the same but without the AU logo. 

Had the same basic design since 1966. 

Vandy has at least 15 different designs since 1965. 

Yeah, changing the helmet design has NEVER been done at Vandy.  That'll bring the excitement to a peak!

First, a real response:

The helmet logo was not changed.  The uniforms were changed.  And not just the coloring; small changes were made which instituted new traditions, as well as some changes which reverted back to old traditions.

You clearly don't care either way, so now to the fun response:


OMGZ!  All of those fifteen designs were such drastic changes!

1969 - 1972



1973-1975



1976-1978



1986-1989



1990



2002 - 2011





How dare they change up some shit on their uniforms (not helmets) after having the same basic helmet logo for 22 seasons, including the last 9. Especially with such crazy ass changes in between those 22 seasons like this:

1966-1968



1991-1998



1999-2001




A V?!?!  They used a fucking V without a star?!  Holy Christ this is uniform heresy.  I would show the two 1979-1985 designs, but that much of a change might just blow your mind.

[DnATL]

At the risk of debating fashion with a queer,

small changes were made which instituted new traditions

                                                                                                 

[Vandy Vol]

At the risk of debating fashion with a queer,                                                                                                 

The usage of the phrase "Anchor Down" on the inside of the jersey is what I was referencing as a new tradition, not their fashion sense.

Again, to those who give no shits, you know nothing other than that Vandy had a fashion show with new colors.

[DnATL]

The usage of the phrase "Anchor Down" on the inside of the jersey is what I was referencing as a new tradition, not their fashion sense.

Again, to those who give no shits, you know nothing other than that Vandy had a fashion show with new colors.

"Anchor Down" - I thought your motto was "Man Bent Over and Bored"?