EUGENE, Ore. -- The University of Oregon football team has made headlines with cutting-edge uniform designs and combinations for the past decade. Now the Ducks will take the field in 2009 wearing their most innovative and performance enhancing uniforms to date.
Nike designers have made advancements from Oregon's last update in 2006, which featured uniforms that were more durable and 28-percent lighter than the previous generation. The latest editions have improved ergonomics and ventilation characteristics, and feature laminate numbering that does not soak up any moisture and has an 85-percent weight differential compared to traditional tackle twill.
Laminate anti-abrasion shoulder reinforcement, in the form of wings, takes the place of "diamond plate" on the current jersey, a 200-percent savings in weight differential between materials. A lighter weight fabric has also been introduced for non-critical panels, trimming the weight from 7.46 ounces down to 5.5 as 75-percent of the panels from last year's jersey have been replaced.
Additional improvements include titanium d-rings on belts and the integration of Nike Pro Combat pads, eliminating pocket bags and structures that accommodate various aftermarket pads. The benefit of the latter is streamlined pads and added protection.
Total weight savings over the previous model is estimated at 25 percent.
While the student-athletes wearing the uniforms will feel the difference, college football fans will see a difference from UO's last generation of custom kits. The overall style is similar to the special edition "Lights Out" uniform the Ducks wore at home vs. Arizona last season.
Oregon will again have green, yellow, black and white as jersey options, but adds a second white top to the mix featuring different accent colors. For pants, the Ducks will choose from green, black, white or steel, which replaces yellow for this uniform cycle. And helmet options now come in green, black, white and carbon. The black and white paint schemes are new for 2009, while the carbon helmet replaces Oregon's yellow helmet.
All told, Oregon will have 80 different combinations (jersey/pant/helmet) at their disposal.
UO's numbering font, "Bellotti Bold," has also been updated. The new uniforms will feature version 2.0, which utilizes serifs to make the individual characters more distinct.
The new outfits were conceptualized by a team that included Todd Van Horne, global creative director for Nike apparel, Oregon alum Tinker Hatfield, Nike's vice president of innovation and renowned designer of the legendary Air Jordan shoe line, incoming UO athletic director Mike Bellotti, head coach Chip Kelly and current players Ed Dickson, Spencer Paysinger, Eddie Pleasant, Darron Thomas, Bo Thran and Walter Thurmond III. Former Duck Garren Strong was also involved in the process.
This marks the fifth significant evolution of football uniforms that Nike has developed for Oregon since the company first designed the game-day apparel for the Ducks' appearance in the 1996 Cotton Bowl.
