USU Football Unveils New Uniforms, Helmets For 2010

Navy Blue Facemasks And Spackles Added To Helmet

    LOGAN, Utah – When the Utah State football team takes to the turf of newly named Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium on Sept. 11 for its home opener against Idaho State, the Aggies will be donning new home uniforms.

USU will also be debuting its upgraded helmets in the Aggies’ season-opener on Sept. 4 at Oklahoma, as the white helmets will now have navy blue metallic paint flakes and navy blue facemasks. 

Head coach Gary Andersen and selected players helped choose the design for the jerseys.  The jerseys and pants are made by Nike and feature a navy blue base with white letters and numbers with black piping around the numbers along with white and black trim on the sides of the jerseys and pants.

“I like them a lot.  They’re improved from last year’s home uniforms in that they fit tighter and aren’t as loose, and they’re more stylish,” junior linebacker Bobby Wagner said.  “They’re exactly like our away uniforms now so I like how we can alternate looks and we have choices to switch it up and make Utah State a little more stylish.”

USU will be able to wear the navy blue jersey with either navy blue or white pants for home games and the white jersey with either white or navy blue pants for road games.

“I like them a lot better than the old ones with the white and black trim,” senior quarterback Diondre Borel said.  “It’s nice to have a little bit of style.  It’s nice that we’ll be able to mix and match with our pants and jerseys.”

The white helmet with larger navy blue metallic paint flakes is an upgrade from the white helmet with small black metallic flakes last year, while the navy blue facemasks replace white masks that have adorned the white helmet with U-State logo since the mid-90’s.

“I wasn’t too sure about the new helmet when I first saw it on Coach Andersen’s desk, but now that I see it on my helmet, it’s really cool.  I didn’t even know that the speckles will pop out that much, but they look really good,” Wagner said.

Additionally, helmet stickers will be awarded to players, with a block A for academic achievement and community service and a bull head for athletic recognition.  All helmets will also have a “71” sticker on the back, honoring USU legend Merlin Olsen, who past away March 11, 2010.

“It’s an honor to wear his number on our helmet, because you see his name and number everywhere, on the field, on the press box and in the locker room. We just want to represent him and everything he stood for in being a great Utah State Aggie,” Wagner said.

In December, 2009, USU Athletics announced the renaming of the playing surface inside Romney Stadium ‘Merlin Olsen Field,’ and an official dedication ceremony will take place during the end of the 2010 football season in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Utah State’s 1960 Sun Bowl Team, led by Olsen.

“It’s means a lot to us to honor him, he did a lot for this school, this program and for the community.  He’s a big name guy, not just here but in the NFL,” Borel said.  “Everyone says how he was such a good person, he deserves to be recognized and we’re honored to represent him and Utah State.”

Borel, Wagner and the Aggies will open the 2010 season at Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 4, which is tentatively slated for a 5 p.m. (MT) start.  USU unveils the new home uniforms to the public in the Aggies’ home-opener on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. (MT).

“This is a new look for a new team,” Wagner said.  “I think this is a first step for us this season’s success.”

Utah State will return 45 letterwinners (21 offense, 22 defense, two special teams), including 19 starters (eight offense, nine defense, two special teams), from last season’s 4-8 mark, the Aggies’ most wins since 2002. Utah State was 3-5 in WAC action, matching the 2008 season for top conference record in USU’s five years in the league.

Utah State football season ticket renewal applications have been mailed out. Fans can also renew online 24 hours a day at www.UtahStateAggies.com and clicking on the “buy/renew tickets” under the “tickets” drop down menu.

For more ticket information, contact the USU Ticket Office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, or by phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 (1-888-878-2831) or (435) 797-0305.