Taking it back to the U-N-I-VER-SI-TIES...

[tBBP]

Welcome back to the college concepts series I've aptly titled "Taking it back the the U-N-I-Ver-SI-TIES". Had I known this would become a series, I'd have named it such in the beginning, starting with my first college football concept. That, along with the other two I've done, are listed below:

South Florida Bulls

North Carolina Tar Heels

Wyoming Cowboys

So let's move on up into "gopher land" now, shall we? (For those who ain't figured it out...I'm talking about the University of Minnesota.)

While not one of the nation's more visible college football programs (unless you're a Big Ten fan or a Minnesotan), the institution actually has a very rich and steep football history and tradition, as it was one of the Big Ten's early powerhouse programs--yes, even before more notable programs such as Michigan and Ohio States. In fact, the squad competes annualy for what is the nation's oldest rivalry trophy--that being Paul Bunyan's Axe (which is passed back and forth between the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin). The program has also won six national titles, the most recent being in 1960 (keep that year in mind). The school's football program was so great back in the day that Sports Illustrated named it one of it's Top 50 college football programs (it was a publication that came out about a year or so ago--I don't even know if I still have it anymore).

So how's the "Golden Gopher" moniker come about? Well, Minnesota is known as the "Gopher State", so the "gopher" part of that moniker ain't so much a reach. It wasn't until the early '30s, though, that the "golden" half of the moniker was added, in reference to the team playing in all-gold uniforms, which caught the attention of someone watching them play, and from that point on, the Minnesota football gophers were known as the "Golden Gophers".

This school has actually produced a good string of NFL players, among them Hall-of-Famer Carl Eller, the NCAA's all-time leading tackler (among defensive backs) in Tyrone Carter, and TWO Marion Barbers--the elder one in the '80s, the younger of whom is now running over NFL DB's in the Cowboys backfield. And then there are other memorable names such as Asad Abdul-Khaliq, TE Matt Spaeth and MB3's former running mate, Patriots RB Laurence Maroney.

Okay...now on to the sets. While researching through what I could find of Minnesota's football history, I happened upon some interesting material. And let me say this now: what I've come up with is much more of an alternative look to what we're all used to seeing from the Gophers. What I wanted to do was inject a little bit of a sense of nostalgia (history/tradition) into a more unique look...one, for the most part, inspired by--wait for it--the Jim Wacker era sets of the mid-'90s. (Yes...the double "M's"!) However, I wanted to find a better way to incorporate that "M" into the uniform set, so I sorta kinda used the Central Michigan Chippewas jersey as an example and worked from there. On the homes, I believe the pseudo-"M" can be seen a little better; on the road jerseys, I used it for another neat little quirk: bisecting colors, as the shoulder yokes are maroon. Call it a further expansion of the "Apex One" jersey style if you wish. For the longest, I fought myself about doing a reverse treatment of the road sets to the home sets, but in the end, I thought it'd be just too much white--or maybe I was trying to make TOO much of Marion Barber connection. (First person to figure that one out wins a prize. ) Why such the prominent use of the "M"? Simple: pride. As I said, the school's football program has a lot of history and tradition behind it...so why not be proud to display that "M" across your chest?

The other thing I wanted to do was inject some of this era in Gopher history--this was from the '60s, one of Minnesota's most successful eras (remember that date I told you to keep in mind?). The other thing I wanted to achieve was as much of a departure from being mistaken as the USC Trojans as possible--and I think most of us can see how those two programs could be confused, at least from a uniform standpoint. That's a major reason i went with WHITE helmets with this set, along with either white or maroon pants.

Well...enough talk...time for the visual. As I said earlier, this is pretty much what I've been seeing in my head for the last two weeks and finally sat down, sketched out, and vectored into something you all can see...a whole different look from what we're used to. SO...

HOME SETS...

AND ROADS...

Holla at me, folks...what's up with this one?

[longhorn#65]

I must say that these are great just like your other concepts that I have seen.

[rtrich11]

I really hate the 1960 unis and their throwback version for so many reasons. This is the way to make them stomachable. I mean that as a compliment. These are fun.

I like what you tried to do with the M on the front of the jerseys. The little notch in the armpits isn't necesary, though.

I thought it'd be just too much white--or maybe I was trying to make TOO much of Marion Barber connection

The first Marion Barber at Minnesota had a backfield mate named Gary White. Wore #9 I believe. Yes, that was a really obscure reference, if it's what you are getting at. Nice work, amigo.

[I Am A Flaming Douche Bag]

The concepts are great. The presentation is fantastic as well. I love both sets, there great.

[Jamikel]

Beautiful concept as always, but didn't the NCAA ban dark shoulders on road uniforms?

[Old School Fool]

I'm not sure about the white helmet.

[lets_go_red]

I'm not sure about the white helmet either...I would have liked to see a gold helmet here and possibly gold pants but I understand not wanting to come to close to USC...overall a great job

[buckeyenut]

Great job. As a buckeys fan and a Big Ten fan I like them, I just am not sold on the white helmet. As someone said before, maybe a gold helmet would look good. I like the M you included into the jersey, It's alot better then the double M's they had in the early to mid 90's.

[TrueYankee26]

White Helmet is the only flaw

[Epiphanic]

I love the design. As it stands, the aways are better than the homes for the sole reason that the home-maroon pants isn't doing it for me. I have nothing against the white helmet in general but this use doesn't "wow" me. But the more I look at it the more I like it. Great job.

[Ben5]

The M on the front is not what I expected, but I like it. I think if you are gonna put the M up front, that would be just about the only way to do it. As for the helmets, you made it clear as to why they are white, so I can let them slide. I'm just a little surprised we don't get more gold, seeing how they got the name Golden Gophers...

[Hail2theVctrz]

Awful concept.

[rtrich11]

Awful concept.

Wow. Just gotta love constructive, insightful critique like this.

[maz]

Saving this from the Patsox epidemic.

eh, too modern for me {the front that is}. I think going by Minnesotas hockey team, youd have to let the classic old-schoolness transer to this.

However, for what it is, its still a great concept, very clean and well thought out as always, and still finger-lickin good looking.

[Ben5]

Awful concept.

I get the feeling that this is supposed to be a joke. Leave it to somebody from that state up north to be an unfunny douche bag.

[PackerBadger]

Two quibbles:

(1) Don't like the white helmets either. Since there are no gold pants, burgundy helmets would probably look better.

(2) Something says to me that teams that play on artificial grass should not wear black shoes. I recall that Hayden Fry for a few years had his teams wear black shoes on grass and white shoes on turf. Until the Gophers move outdoors again (but will there be grass there?), I'd keep the white shoes.

Otherwise, as a Gopher archrival, I must say this is a fantastic concept. (I wouldn't wear the all-white, but that's just me.) Paging Tim Brewster ...

[Gary]

very nice and very classy, but the helmet is the only thing I don't like very boring, never really like white as a helmet for Minnesota, personally I would of gone with gold as the color. Other than that Bravo

[Epiphanic]

Bucco, open the door 'cause opportunity may be standing there. The article is mostly about the Gophers' new coach, but there is this little snippet.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18104769/

There also are plans to jazz up the uniforms. Black shoes are out, white ones are in. Brewster promises to tweak the jerseys by adding colored panels on the sides. He has met with the band director to talk music and hatch plans for a Gopher Walk to the stadium on game days. Oh, and the "M" on the helmet will be bigger and bolder -- like Brewster.

The AD people need to see this and make it happen.

[tBBP]

Bucco, open the door 'cause opportunity may be standing there. The article is mostly about the Gophers' new coach, but there is this little snippet.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18104769/

There also are plans to jazz up the uniforms. Black shoes are out, white ones are in. Brewster promises to tweak the jerseys by adding colored panels on the sides. He has met with the band director to talk music and hatch plans for a Gopher Walk to the stadium on game days. Oh, and the "M" on the helmet will be bigger and bolder -- like Brewster.

The AD people need to see this and make it happen.

Had no clue about that. Yeah that's DAMN SHO' an opportunity; Imma have to check in on that. Anyone know the process by which one could submit a potential design to some university's athletic department? (For that matter...will the AD's even accept them, or is there some kind of a rule against that from a private source?) Guess it's time to get the noodle spinning on this one again. Good look, epiphanic!

As far as the set...guess the emphasis on the white wasn't really a winner here. That KINDA WAS sticking my neck out there...but that's also exactly what I wanted to do. Well...back to make some tweaks and such. Keep an eye out--update to come soon?

(One other thing: about the different-color shoulders...if there is a rule against that, I've never heard of it. BUT...the Todedo Rockets, at last check, do have dark-colored shoulders on the white jerseys, jsut off the top of my head. For that matter, so does--or did) Oregon--I think...or maybe that's just the sleeves--and I don't have a pic nearby to confirm that. Somebody help a brotha out?)

[sacker12]

Beautiful concept as always, but didn't the NCAA ban dark shoulders on road uniforms?

No. All they did was ban white shoulders or sleeves on home jerseys. This is odd because several teams used the NY Jets template, which had white sleeves on a dark jersey, for a few years after the law was passed because of BYU's "bib" uniform. In fact, here is the rule out of the NCAA handbook.

Contrasting Colors

ARTICLE 3. a. Players of opposing teams shall wear jerseys of contrasting

colors, and the visiting team shall wear white jerseys. White jerseys may

be worn by the home team when the teams have agreed before the season.

Players of a team shall wear jerseys of the same color and design.

b. A white jersey is one with only contrasting playing numbers, player?s

name, school name, NCAA Football logo, school insignia, conference

insignia, mascot insignia, game insignia, memorial insignia or the

American flag attached. An insignia must not exceed 16 square inches

in area (i.e., rectangle, square, parallelogram), including any additional

material (e.g., patch). Stripes may be placed on the sleeves. A border no

more than 1 inch wide around the collar and cuffs is permissible, as is a

maximum 4-inch stripe along the side seam (insert from the underarm to

pants top).

c. If a colored jersey contains white, it may appear only as a number,

border of a number, player?s name, school name, stripes on the sleeves, a

border no more than 1 inch wide around the collar and cuffs, a maximum

4-inch stripe along the side seam (insert from the underarm to pants top),

or as part of a legal insignia (Rule 1-4-3-.