SEATTLE — Introducing flashy monikers like “Northwest Frost,” “Purple Reign” and “Seattle Stealth,” the University of Washington, along with Nike, unveiled on Friday its new football uniforms for the 2014 season.
Included in the new wardrobe are three jerseys (purple, white and black), four pants (white, black, purple and gold) and three helmet colors (white, black and gold). The uniforms are a product of “Nike Pro Combat Uniform Technology,” which, according to a release from UW, features “lightweight padding” that integrates directly into “the crucial ‘hit zones’ in the baselayer,” along with “Flywire technology” in the neckline and mesh panels “integrated for breathability where athletes need it most.”
The hope is that players and recruits will think they look pretty cool, too. As part of the announcement, UW created a stylish, standalone web page that includes explanations for a handful of small, unique details featured throughout the uniform.
A sled-dog formation is stitched into the neck interiors of each jersey, playing on the program’s belief that “no dog runs alone,” a theme present throughout renovated Husky Stadium. The top left corner of each player’s number is stitched gold, an attempt to represent what the school termed “the Huskies’ ownership of the Northwest territory.” And beneath each player’s shoulder is a patch shaped to resemble the “jaws” shape of Husky Stadium’s upper decks.
UW’s new white helmet is coated in a frost-like finish, featuring tiny bumps that are “designed to resemble Northwest frost.”
It’s all part of UW’s intent to market coach Chris Petersen’s first season as a fresh start. The web page featuring the new uniform details greets visitors with the message: “New Era. New Look.”
“Our players can’t wait to take the field in these new uniforms,” Petersen said in a statement. “The design tells the story of our program and provides modern innovations in materials and design while embracing the rich tradition that has made Husky football so special.”
Images released by UW show several different uniform combinations, including the traditional purple jersey with gold pants and gold helmet; purple jersey with white pants and white helmet; purple jersey with purple pants and gold helmet (the school calls it “Purple Reign”); black jersey, black pants and black helmet (“Seattle Stealth”); and white jersey, white pants and white helmet (“Northwest Frost”).
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
