Vance Bedford on alternate uniforms

[Matt Cotcher]

At Wednesday's media availability, Defensive Coordinator Vance Bedford was asked if he thought Texas would consider wearing alternate uniforms. He responded with:



"Absolutely, 100% NO! We're the University of Texas. 

I mean, if a uniform is going to make you a player - I think when we wear our Whites, it's as pretty as any uniform out there.

When the University of Texas walks out there, with that logo and that uniform, you know who they are. If you look at USC's uniforms, you know who they are. If you look at Notre Dame, you know who they are.

It's nothing personal. I just don't need all that stuff. I'm just an old school guy. I'm not a young guy that needs all that stuff to say, 'Yeah, this is who I am.'

Give me the nice, clean-cut stuff and let's go play football."

[primal defense]

I agree 100% with Vance Bedford.

[Juan]

Me and Vance are cool

[BevoBlake]

I don't disagree. 

 

I just find it humorous that both of the other schools he mentioned rolled out alternate looks this year. 

[monarch]

I don't disagree. 

 

I just find it humorous that both of the other schools he mentioned rolled out alternate looks this year. 

exactly bevoblake!  it just goes to show you just how misinformed vance bedford is....

[Bevostuntdouble]

At Wednesday's media availability, Defensive Coordinator Vance Bedford was asked if he thought Texas would consider wearing alternate uniforms. He responded with:

 

 

"Absolutely, 100% NO! We're the University of Texas. 

 

I mean, if a uniform is going to make you a player - I think when we wear our Whites, it's as pretty as any uniform out there.

 

When the University of Texas walks out there, with that logo and that uniform, you know who they are. If you look at USC's uniforms, you know who they are. If you look at Notre Dame, you know who they are.

 

It's nothing personal. I just don't need all that stuff. I'm just an old school guy. I'm not a young guy that needs all that stuff to say, 'Yeah, this is who I am.'

 

Give me the nice, clean-cut stuff and let's go play football."

 

Love it! Great response...

[Worster1]

110% with you Vance!

 

Hook 'Em!!

[Aaron Carrara]

He's 100% cool. Wednesdays are better with Vance.

[GBT]

"It's nothing personal. I just don't need all that stuff. I'm just an old school guy. I'm not a young guy that needs all that stuff to say, 'Yeah, this is who I am.'"..

 

Thats right Bedford. YOU and I are old school...BUT you are recruiting YOUNG guys WHO THINK THEY NEED ALL THAT STUFF !!!!!!.......So it doesn't matter what WE think. We need to get off our high  horse and start doing what it takes to get great talent in here so you and Strong can keep your job and we as fans can show up at DKR seeing victories.

 

Even USC and ND see they need to get with every other program to get these elite players, so we need to get our head out of our a** and start throwing on a trendy uni once in a while. DO I like it ? Heck no, but I'm old school.

[BevoBlake]

I'm not saying...I'm just saying.

 

[streettopeschel]

"It's nothing personal. I just don't need all that stuff. I'm just an old school guy. I'm not a young guy that needs all that stuff to say, 'Yeah, this is who I am.'"..

 

Thats right Bedford. YOU and I are old school...BUT you are recruiting YOUNG guys WHO THINK THEY NEED ALL THAT STUFF !!!!!!.......So it doesn't matter what WE think. We need to get off our high  horse and start doing what it takes to get great talent in here so you and Strong can keep your job and we as fans can show up at DKR seeing victories.

 

Even USC and ND see they need to get with every other program to get these elite players, so we need to get our head out of our a** and start throwing on a trendy uni once in a while. DO I like it ? Heck no, but I'm old school.

you know this, how? bama has the top class in the nation. no alternates. as we sit here, UT has the top class in the big 12. no alternates.

 

i keep hearing it helps with recruiting, but the people who keep saying that are message board guys who likely have little if any contact with recruits. and i've yet to hear one recruit who even hinted they were swayed by alternate unis.

[Matt Cotcher]

I don't disagree. 

 

I just find it humorous that both of the other schools he mentioned rolled out alternate looks this year. 

 

 

Certainly you aren't comparing USC's chrome facemasks or ND's  green jerseys to Oregon, Baylor, ASU, Iced Out, etc? If so, then Texas can claim alternate uniforms since they wore a numbered helmet.

[BevoBlake]

you know this, how? bama has the top class in the nation. no alternates. as we sit here, UT has the top class in the big 12. no alternates.

 

i keep hearing it helps with recruiting, but the people who keep saying that are message board guys who likely have little if any contact with recruits. and i've yet to hear one recruit who even hinted they were swayed by alternate unis.

 

Alabama has in fact worn alternates. They had these made in 2010 and have worn them on the field:

 

 

Certainly you aren't comparing USC's chrome facemasks or ND's  green jerseys to Oregon, Baylor, ASU, Iced Out, etc? If so, then Texas can claim alternate uniforms since they wore a numbered helmet.

 

USC clearly didn't drift as far as other schools but they still very much jumped on a fad. Surely you wouldn't deny that? Notre Dame's Shamrock series is a very large separation from their classic set. It's my impression that Bedford is addressing alternate uniforms, not a continuous cycle of uniforms. Am I wrong? 

[streettopeschel]

not much change in the bama uni from that pic. very subtle and not an alternate in my mind. that's more akin to the gold highlited numbers we wore against ou last year.


i guess when i'm thinking alternates, i'm thinking like the aggies iced out look, or the things tech wore last week that looked like something a girl would wear while barrel racing.

[J.B. TexasEx]

Real quick - name the team in the alternate uniform.  How'd that "swag" work out for these wannabes?  Do you really want kids who prioritize glitzy uniforms on your team?

 

I don't

 

[BevoBlake]

not much change in the bama uni from that pic. very subtle and not an alternate in my mind. that's more akin to the gold highlited numbers we wore against ou last year.

 

 

i guess when i'm thinking alternates, i'm thinking like the aggies iced out look, or the things tech wore last week that looked like something a girl would wear while barrel racing.

 

I personally don't think Texas needs an alternate but I'm one who wouldn't be opposed to it. If done, I think it can be done respectfully and still retain the tradition's integrity. I don't think anybody is wanting Texas to roll out something like this:

 

[Matt Cotcher]

USC clearly didn't drift as far as other schools but they still very much jumped on a fad. Surely you wouldn't deny that? Notre Dame's Shamrock series is a very large separation from their classic set. It's my impression that Bedford is addressing alternate uniforms, not a continuous cycle of uniforms. Am I wrong? 

 

 

My impression is that Bedford is talking about neon colors (a la Oregon or Baylor), ASU, or any number of schools that have let their uniform manufacturer manipulate their uni's to a mostly unrecognizable look (that often includes a color that isn't even a school color). On a pendulum scale, you've got:

 

USC's helmet       --->      Alabama's houndstooth numeral font     ----->   ND's Shamrock series    ------>    ND's alternate / OU's alternate  ----->    Arizona State/Baylor/Oregon

 

 

In VB's old school mind, he's off that scale to the left side.

[monarch]

attaboy bevoblake... please keep informing the misinformed...

i love coach vance bedford.  however, every time he starts to overly entertain the press conference masses... we lose the game that week!

therefore coach, unless you are completely and intricately informed regarding teams and their alternate uniforms.... please hush!

i just want to beat the mountaineers!

[J.B. TexasEx]

I personally don't think Texas needs an alternate but I'm one who wouldn't be opposed to it. If done, I think it can be done respectfully and still retain the tradition's integrity. I don't think anybody is wanting Texas to roll out something like this:

 

The only alternate uniform I wouldn't object to is an all-burnt orange ensemble that we roll out for a BIG game; TX-OU when we're the home team or a major bowl/playoff.

 

No crazy fonts either.  Our current home jerseys with burnt orange pants and helmet.

[BevoBlake]

My impression is that Bedford is talking about neon colors (a la Oregon or Baylor), ASU, or any number of schools that have let their uniform manufacturer manipulate their uni's to a mostly unrecognizable look (that often includes a color that isn't even a school color). On a pendulum scale, you've got:

 

USC's helmet       --->      Alabama's houndstooth numeral font     ----->   ND's Shamrock series    ------>    ND's alternate / OU's alternate  ----->    Arizona State/Baylor/Oregon

 

 

In VB's old school mind, he's off that scale to the left side.

 

I agree with every single thing you said. I'm simply trying to clear up the fact that very few schools haven't made use of an Alternate Uniform. And most people don't consider what USC, Notre Dame or Alabama did to be damaging to their brand. 

 

I'll also say this. Is there anything wrong with Arizona State or Oregon running their uniform gimmick? This is unrelated, I'm just opening up the conversation while we're discussing uniforms. It's a great recruiting tool for those schools. There ARE kids out there who want to play in flashy/edgy new duds. Whether or not those are the kids you want on your team or not is an entirely separate conversation. But the fact remains that there are kids who like that. And as so, those kids tend to gravitate to schools like Oregon, Arizona State, TCU and etc. 

 

Do I think every school should do what Oregon does? Absolutely not. But their continuous alternating identity has more or less become a tradition at Oregon. I personally prefer their classic uniforms as I think they demonstrate the true identity of Oregon. But I can't argue that they've created a buzz and interest off of the way they've played the uniform game. 

 

I think there are good ways to handle alternates (Navy) and bad ways to handle alternates (Oklahoma). I'm not going to be upset if Texas never has an alternate. But I'm not going to be upset if Texas does decide to have an alternate. I simply think the people who consider any addition of an alternate uniform to be an offense to the integrity and tradition of a school are being slightly short-sighted. That's just my opinion. 

[J.B. TexasEx]

IMO, many alternate uniforms work for teams like Oregon, ASU, TCU, etc., because they don't have a traditional, immediately recognizable brand.  Maybe ASU did at one time, but they fell on hard times and decided to let Nike re-brand their entire athletic department - Sparky's dead.  The gimmicks work for them.

 

The same gimmick won't work for UT because our fans are more set in their ways and traditional.  Our teams need to look like the four National Title winning teams.  We've already got the most unique mascot in CFB and a color unique to The University.

 

What more do we need? 

[BevoBlake]

IMO, many alternate uniforms work for teams like Oregon, ASU, TCU, etc., because they don't have a traditional, immediately recognizable brand.  Maybe ASU did at one time, but they fell on hard times and decided to let Nike re-brand their entire athletic department - Sparky's dead.  The gimmicks work for them.

 

The same gimmick won't work for UT because our fans are more set in their ways and traditional.  Our teams need to look like the four National Title winning teams.  We've already got the most unique mascot in CFB and a color unique to The University.

 

What more do we need? 

 

Very solid post JB, I agree. Much like, many wow.

[Matthew1967]

Capes, and we definitely need to capture that "swag factor".....maybe a swag Lear jet?

 

Seriously, though, I would like to see us go back to the 70's grey facemasks.

[J.B. TexasEx]

Capes, and we definitely need to capture that "swag factor".....maybe a swag Lear jet?

 

Seriously, though, I would like to see us go back to the 70's grey facemasks.

Nah...

 

I wouldn't mind seeing "candy stripes" return to the pants, though. Much to DKR's chagrin.

[BevoBlake]

If I may, without diverting the topic too much. I feel like if you're Texas, you can find something modern and still pay tribute to tradition. Nebraska did a fine job of this, IMO, when they worked with Adidas on their Blackshirt Alternates. While I'd typically roll my eyes at yet another blacked out uniform, Nebraska actually had a reason to use the modern style. This is what the Uniform looked like:

 

 

I'm sure most of you already know about the tradition but in case you don't, you can click this: Blackshirts

 

If Texas does adopt an alternate, they'd need to follow in the footsteps of a school like Nebraska or Navy who did so in an effort to honor their strong traditions.