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Tennessee defensive end Xavier Mitchell, left, is congratulated by Jonathan Hefney after a big hit on LSU running back Keiland Williams during the SEC championship game in 2007.
Tennessee has a new stock of orange pants ready and waiting from adidas.
"I don't know if, when or ever we'll use orange pants," UT football coach Phillip Fulmer said Thursday. "We like our uniforms as they are. People expect it. But it's also nice to have a chance to change it up if we want to."
The last time the Vols ditched the white and went all-orange they almost upset eventual national champions LSU. UT lost to the Tigers 21-14 in last year's SEC championship game despite leading midway through the fourth quarter.
That was the first time UT went head-to-toe orange since a 17-16 win over Memphis in Neyland Stadium on Sept. 25, 1999.
Perhaps the Vols got a boost from the orange jerseys, as many believe Georgia did from its black alternate jerseys last year.
"They're young people," Fulmer said of the psychological advantage. "They like to be entertained. It's an Xbox generation.
"I'm sure for a few plays, it might make a difference. But usually once you get a sweat going and get your helmet turned sideways, the color of the pants don't have a lot to do with anything."
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Comments » 94
TommyJack writes:
with white jerseys, ok. All orange, yuck.
MrBamSeydu writes:
Fulmer is so "daggum" conservative and old school it's ridiculous.
I swear this, on my life, that Oregon football was basically nothing until they started wearing those crazy looking uniforms. They basically wear a different version of it every week. You don't think young recruits like that sort of thing??? If not, you're crazy. Just because old farts like Phil like to use quotes like his last one, does not mean the kids you're recruiting don't enjoy things like that.
I say we should wear all black 1 game and all orange 1 game every year. Either that or do throwback jerseys once and then choose between all black or all orange for another game. Does it REALLY matter what they're wearing? No. But that point can go both ways. If it doesn't matter what they're wearing (and he admits it may make a difference to get them going before the game) then why not change it up once or twice during the season?
MrBamSeydu writes:
awhill00: That wasn't against UF, that was UNLV in the home opener 2004.
Jamey1210 writes:
He LL The more orange I see the more I love it. Not to worried about style. Winning is all I care about.
GreerVol22 writes:
as long as the orange shoes stay at the bottom of the river then I care not...
TommyJack writes:
As usual, yemmus, you're rude and you're wrong.
FWBVol writes:
Our school colors are Orange and White so I like the idea of white jersies with orange pants and vice versa.
DCflorida, that's your opinion about the all orange against LSU. A lot of us Tennessee grads and fans like that combination, and it is our school.
Tennessee has worn all orange several times in the last 30 years dating back to when Johnny Majors was head coach.
All that said, with practice starting in a few days, it seems as if the KNS would have more to write about than what color pants the Vols might wear this year.
gohawks1 writes:
All orange looks like an orange popsicle. If we go with orange pants, white jerseys are a must.
GreerVol22 writes:
for my boys Kingsport, pdhuff and da General...
http://www.blinkx.com/video/orange-pa...
VOLS85 writes:
I thoroughly enjoyed the all orange...and watching the highlights in HD (as I was at the SECCG) made them look even better. Of course I am of the younger generation that doesn't mind something new and exciting, so the older guys may disagree...but the kids are the ones wearing the jerseys, so let them decide.
TommyJack writes:
It has NOTHING to do with age, and EVERYTHING to do with tradition.
abnermc writes:
DC, the blue is for Lady Vols.
cjraney writes:
I like orange. Objectively, orange pants look better with white jerseys. However, as a Volunteer, head to toe orange gets me fired up. I hope to see the orange pants more than once this year.
MrBamSeydu writes:
As usual, TommyJack, you're too old to understand.
There's tradition (Penn State and Alabama's uniforms) and there's changing things up 1 or 2 games a year. It seems to me by wearing throwback jerseys, you would be honoring tradition.
Our uniforms are not the same as they were 5, 10, or 20 years ago. They have gradually changed over the years. If it were Penn State's uniforms, I probably would agree based on the fact they really haven't changed in many years... but the reality is they are just uniforms so if old farts like you out vote young'ns like me, I could really care less.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
If we had another John Henderson, he could wear a leather helmet with violet and green.
We're not out for best of show.
Then maybe we are.
How many days, whomever took Ashleys place?
Free Dupree!
Volunteer writes:
All, the all orange is awesome! Our school colors are organge and white baby, if my vols (a.k.a. Eric Berry, Joshua Crumpton, tha real McCoy) wanna wear all organe i am all for it! Tell me you guys didnt get fired up when the Vols took the field in Atlanta???? Loved every minute, and like coach said, if its enough for our players to get excited we should do it.... Look for us to wear all orange for the UF game and we as fans should back our team up!!!! LETS MAKE THIS A BIG DEAL FOR OUR TEAM!!!
utkjoe29 writes:
Wasn't there one game when they started in all orange and then at halftime switched back to the traditional, due to playing like crud? Maybe it was against Memphis or one of the Louisiana schools (Monroe/Lafayette)?
banman360 writes:
kaplan that quotation needs to be closed after xbox generation
MrBamSeydu writes:
banman360, you're setting off the govolsextra.com nerd alert!
givehim6 writes:
I like the idea of home games being orange jerseys and white paints, and road games white jerseys with orange paints. Then for championship games, or bowl gemes a bit more black in the mix. But no orange on orange.
FWBVol writes:
yemmusdard, you're about to rile up all of us old guys. I don't know how old TommyJack is, but I'm 50 and I promise you, I understand a lot more today than I did when I was 20 or even 30 and still had a lot to learn. I even understand that I still haven't have a lot to learn and might not understand everything.
Tennessee's football uniforms haven't changed a great deal in the last 45 years or so since Doug Dickey was head coach and put the "T" on the side of hte helmet. The orange stripe in the middle of the helmet has changed in width. And there have been some different things done to pull out the orange numbers on the white jersies.
The shade of orange has varied a little from time to time and other than the occasional orange pants, that has been it.
I would protest with everything I have if the team ever went to black uniforms even for one game. Georgia can go black because that's one of the school colors, but we are proudly the BIG ORANGE!!!
Of course I am an old guy so I might not understand. Right.
Jamey1210 writes:
I am curious! Lets do a vote. Lets advertise it in ever article until GVX does a vote on it. DO YOU REALY HAVE TO BE A VOL to subcribe to GVX. Come on you all you know you would want to see the talley. Are you all with me?
jmsbolt writes:
We were like little sherbert cream bars. I think mayfield should provide a sponsorship for the orange jerseys. I do like the throw back jersey from the opening game of the 2004 season.
Bass_Vol_1998 writes:
I thought that the official school colors were orange and navy. Anyways, I didn't mind the orange on orange (as an every once in a while). But I have been hoping for some black pants for a while.
JWilly writes:
The orange jersey with white trim and white pants with orange stipes uniform the vols wore in the mid to late 60's were the best looking uniforms EVER! I wish they would go back to those. Also, at that time there was no white jersey away uniform that I recall. There was only one uniform and that was that. I went to the 69 Cotton Bowl game against Texas and at that game UT wore white jerseys. I suppose it was because the two teams colors were so similar. Because there was no black outline on the numerals you could barely read the numbers on the jerseys. I suppose other teams did not like wearing their road unis at home. I remember Bear Byrant saying that he thought UT's one uniform scheme was cool and he had no problem conforming. I thought that was a great "tradition". Kinda like LSU's white home jerseys.
VOLS85 writes:
DC,
are you a tennessee fan? If not, I suggest you step away from this board...
gavol2572 writes:
I too liked the orange on orange, but if we throw in too much black the team would look like Halloween rejects. Imagine 22 jack o' lanterns on the field
VOLS85 writes:
Tommy,
Tradition? Like our traditional, predictable offense that many of the Fulmer haters have been blaming for our losses for years? I thought that's what people were blaming Fulmer for, being too traditional!
The uniforms have undergone multiple changes from the size of the numbers, color of lettering, size of lettering, stripes (both on the helmet and pants). I didn't suggest to wear the orange pants every game, I just said that they look sharp...and I would guarantee that more young people like them than older people...sorry you don't respect that viewpoint
CoverOrange writes:
The all orange always made me think of those DIII schools back in the 70's. I also like the all white pants as they looked "serious" with the black shoes. Always thought there should be some more orange on the white helmut, white jersey, white pants uniform, but not orange pants. Make a side panel under the arms of the jersey orange. But no more orange pants.
BigVolinCarolina writes:
I love the all orange uniforms. Always have and always will.
I can live with the all-white for road games, too. I prefer the old road uniforms--white jersey with orange pants. But, that wouldn't look as good now because the white jerseys have black trim around the orange numbers.
Heck, fellas...it's just nice to be talking football now that it's here!
ONUV writes:
get rid of the shiny material.
bhjohnso#207063 writes:
I don't mind using black as an accent color on the road unis like they currently do. I think it looks pretty good. I'd hate to see a version of the uniform using black as a main color though, at least in football. I wouldn't mind it as much in basketball, though I wouldn't necessarily be in favor of it. I would like to see the orange pants used on the road. Just add a little more color (the most beautiful color in football in my opinion) to the road uniforms. I also like the all orange look on occasion but I wouldn't want to see it all the time.
volinSmyrna writes:
Our colors are orange and white...not black. The day we come out in Black uni's I will puke right there in my seat. It is fine for Uga because black is part of their color scheme. For us it is not.
LanceR24 writes:
i want the big numbers back lol.
Bass_Vol_1998 writes:
bricker- the all white is classic. The orange numbers with black trim looks cool.
MrBamSeydu writes:
FWBVol: I respect my elders. I call my dad an old fart too and he doesn't get all "riled up". It's just a figure of speech.
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree because I feel that the uniforms have changed alot of the years. We've added stripes, made the numbers smaller, added or taken away the names on the back at times, worn various color schemes with orange, whites, and blacks..... heck, in the early 90's alot of guys jerseys wouldn't even tuck into their pants because they were cut off to show their stomachs. All of these things are "fads" or what looks good at THAT particular time. I mean, could you imagine a player with a cutoff jersey now?? No, but it was "cool" then to do it.
My only point with the older generation is that they will ALWAYS want things to stay the way they remember it "back in their day". I respect tradition, but I also understand that times change and to keep up with what the kids we recruit like... we have to evolve. That was my point with Oregon. People either love or hate all their different uniform variations (old guys normally hate them, young people normally like them), but what they have done is cause people to talk about their program SOLELY based on how ugly or "cool" their uniforms are. Noone cared about Oregon football prior to this decade. Maybe if we stay the same for another 20 years, eventually noone will care about us either.
Go Vols, I love old people, and God Bless America.
haha
MrBamSeydu writes:
By the way, I just turned 27 so I'm not THAT young!
TommyJack writes:
vols85: I respect your opinion. I just don't share it. I'm not the one on here name calling and raggin on people about their age.
Tradition is tradition..the changes you mention are subtle ones. My call would be NO change, much like Penn State. But hey, that's why they make chocolate and vanilla.
Pax
Jwilly: In the late 60's, the NCAA ruled that one team had to wear white...I guess choice went to the home team..Until then, TN only had the orange jerseys...That Cotton Bowl you mentioned may have been the first time in white..can't remember. Tom Mattingly would.
volnation200973 writes:
utkjoe29,
I was at the UL-Monroe game a few yrs ago we were orange and white the whole time. I was also at the Memphis game when we were in the all orange. Personally, I think the all orange looks pretty good. I like many others would like to see the all orange at home against Florida, or Bama, or UGA next yr when they come back to Neyland. But I don't care what we come out wearing, football isn't a game to look pretty in, it is about beating our oppositions tails on Saturdays that is all that matters to me.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
All orange is boss!!!!! Let's go Fulmer, do it again.
LargeOrange writes:
Orange and White at home and White and Orange on the road that is the tradition and that is my vote. I think the all white is as worse than the all Orange. All black is wrong, but I don't care if they wear purple as long as they WIN, just WIN baby!!
volfan73120#211815 writes:
The first time the vols wore white jerseys, was in the Jan. 1, 1953 cotton bowl against Texas. Texas, being the home team, got to wear their orange jerseys. Texas won 16-0. Neyland said that would be the last time the vols would play in white jerseys.
kbart4033#247331 writes:
School colors are orange and white--so should the
uniforms be. Saw an e-mail recently that showed pix
of 2008 road uniforms: white jerseys with orange
numbers front and back, orange names on back and
orange numbers on both sleeves (instead of on
shoulders); pants were orange with two thick
white stripes on both legs. NOTE: Oregon is the
flagship school for nearby Nike. I thought their
unis look more like gang wear than football gear.
snafu14u#241639 writes:
Like to see all orange when we play Oregon and the Ducks in all green. I live in Oregon and it's a big deal about the uniforms. They can be bizzare, but recruits talk about that kind of stuff. bonzaivol
snowvol writes:
Orange jerseys, white pants with orange stripes at home...
White jerseys, orange pants with white stripes on the road...
Get rid of as much black as possible. I don't care about the media crying "we can't read the numbers..." Whatever. They have spotters that can read just fine. Our colors are Orange and White. We're not Oregon State; we're not Oklahoma State.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
I got a nice fishin lure. Can pull just about anything outta Loudon. It's kinda a green blue but let's just switch the unis to that because I like it.
Seriously, black is the new black. And as much as you'd hear the halloween jokes it would be killer on the eyes and young folk would dig it.
MidTennVol writes:
WHITE SHOES. Anybody remember the last time the team all wore white cleats?
I think it was during the Willie Gault, Wide Receiver U days. We were FAST as a team and those white cleats made us look even faster.
We'll need speed against FL as Meyer has been training them all summer to be the fastest team in America.
WHITE SHOES, adidas.
wally writes:
The orange pants look like some redneck Halloween deal. I can't stand them...ever. Please stick with the all white on the road and the orange & white at home.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
This has just been certified as a five star doldrum article.
More to follow...
DadwasaVol writes:
No, all-white makes us look like freakin Penn State - the blandest uniforms ever. At road games are we supposed to yell "Go Big White?" Don't need more orange in Neyland, but on the road let's see more orange pants!
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