Written By Sammy Jacobs (@SammyJ108)
The six helmets that Indiana Football will be sporting for 2013
Throughout the spring the Indiana Athletic Department and
the Football program continuously dropped hits about the fact that something
big was coming on June 3rd. What could it be? Was it new jerseys, a new tradition they
would try and create, or was it a candy-striped football field?!
It turned out to be none of those, however it was exciting
nonetheless. It was unveiled that the
Hoosiers would be sporting five new helmet designs throughout the 2013
season.
Helmet changes are nothing new at IU. This is not a program like Ohio State or
Michigan who have iconic helmets. So if
there isn’t much tradition in regards to the helmets it makes complete sense to
stay on trend and help use them as a recruiting tool, to further brand the “New
Indiana Football”. The helmets try and
touch different eras, themes, and materials.
One even lays claim to the state flag, something I am sure that another
university was none too thrilled about.
Today were going to take a look at each of the five new
designs that were created for the 2013 season.
We break them down, rank them and tell you the strengths and weaknesses
of each. So enjoy our Hoosier Helmet
Power Rankings!
1) Chrome Striped Helmet:
This was the obvious headliner of the group. It has long been a fantasy of many Hoosier
fans for Indiana Football to adopt the famed candy-stripes into their uniform. There have even been rumors that have swirled
around for years that it was a possibility, but to no avail, until this year!
The chrome helmet fad kicked off when they were debuted at
the 2012 Rose Bowl by who else, the Oregon Ducks. The pioneers of the multi-uniform movement,
the Ducks once again put the sports fashion world on notice. It now seems as if at least half of college
football teams have a shiny metallic helmet of their own. What make the Hoosiers helmet unique to the
others that are out there are the candy stripes. This helmet should get students and recruits
excited about the direction of Indiana football in the future.
What I Like:
Finally Indiana has stepped into the 21st
century, even if it’s just a foot. Indiana
has long been behind the times when it comes to being on the cutting edge of
uniforms, which I whole-heartedly blame the athletic departments relationship
with addidas for this. I love the idea
of this helmet. It’s the perfect mix of
modern coolness while still being able to bring in a traditional theme like the
candy-stripes to the gridiron.
What I Don’t Like:
I do not like the execution of the helmet. The orientation of the stripes on the helmet
kind of make it looks like a super shiny red Michigan headpieces. I am also not a huge fan of the fact there is
no IU insignia on the helmet. Sure
that’s the case for other programs, but those usually have rather recognizable
headgear that you identify with the program already.
2) New White Interlocking:
The Hoosiers first broke out the white helmets against
Virginia in 2011. In 2013, there will be
two versions of the white helmet, with the interlocking IU getting an upgrade.
The helmet is a base white with a modern crimson stripe down the middle of the
helmet.
What I Like:
Prior to the 2011 season I had been begging for the Hoosiers
to come out with a white helmet and I was literally jumping out of my seat when
I saw the team come out for warm-ups with the white domes. The new white helmets give the Hoosiers a
more modern look, while keeping the traditional IU colors, instead of going to
a black like so many schools have done in the last few years.
What I Don’t Like:
While there is not much to dislike about these helmets, the
stripe down the middle isn’t my favorite, but all in all this is win across the
board. However, I do think it would have
been cool to put a crimson facemask onto one of the two white helmets.
3) New White Numerical:
This is a play off of the white interlocking IU
helmets. While for the modern (read:
young) fan this will immediately remind you of Alabama’s helmets. It is a bit of a nostalgia play, as many
programs displayed player’s numbers on the side of their headgear, including
the Hoosiers who wore a helmet similar to this back in the late 1950s until
1961.
What I Like:
I like the throwback feel, while still giving it a fresh
look for the Hoosiers. While I am not
even close to old enough to see the earlier incarnation of these helmets, I
appreciate the look back to earlier years.
What I Don’t Like:
I again don’t love
the stripe down the middle, but even more so in this case. I feel that the clash of the vintage
numerical decal look with the modern stripe makes the helmet look as if it has
a bit of an identity crisis. I also
would have liked to see them incorporate the IU logo on the front of the helmet
as they had back in the original version.
Wisconsin had a throwback helmet with their “W” on the front in similar
fashion.
4) Block-I Helmet:
A true throw back to the days of Anthony Thomson, Trent
Green, and even the 1967 Rose Bowl team, the Block-I is a classic look that was
last seen in the 2007 Bucket Game. While
the Block-I is not the most famous IU logo, it does bridge generations of fans
together.
What I Like:
I have always loved the concept of the Block-I helmet. The 2007 Bucket Game Helmet was one of my
all-time favorites. The helmet will
bridge the gap between the older generations of Hoosier fans with the younger
current fans. While the helmet is pretty
old school looking it does give another fresh look for Indiana football.
What I Don’t Like:
While I do love the Block-I, it doesn’t scream Indiana. While I understand that Hoosier fans are the
ones who will be watching these helmets most often, we have to understand that
this is a branding ploy, and very few people outside of the Hoosier football
culture will correlate the Block-I with Indiana. Most have said if anything it looks like a
red Illinois helmet. Also while I like
having a helmet that is a bit more traditional, this particular one doesn’t
have much eye appeal for the young recruits.
5) State Flag Helmet:
The Hoosiers will use their regular red helmet, but instead
of having the interlocking “IU” on both sides of the helmet, one side will have
the Indiana State flag. Many people see
this as a bit of a pie in the face of in-state rival Purdue. While winning the state is important for
growing the fan base, fans that already root for either IU or Purdue will not
change allegiance because of a helmet design.
What I Like:
If I am being completely honest, this is my least favorite
helmet of the five. I don’t think that
the state flag makes for a great visual effect on the helmet. It actually looks quite awkward in fact. In addition, the whole idea of the concept of
wearing multiple helmets is to be cool and trendy, and I don’t think that
either of those are displayed very well in this design. I am however rather excited about the fan
reaction to this helmet. The fans seem
to have loved it and that’s a big plus.
What I Don’t Like:
While I understand the concept behind the helmet, it just
looks plain awful. It may not look
horrendous in a still photo, but there is no way that this thing will look good
on the players heads during live game action on TV.
Fans and recruits will have their favorite and most
definitely their least favorite helmet, however we must remember the desired
goal of the new headgear. Fans and
college football media from all of the country were talking about Hoosier
football at the beginning of June. This
was a branding and recruiting move for Indiana, one that looks, at least at the
beginning, as if it has worked out well for the Hoosiers. While all of the helmets look good up close it
will be interesting how their looks will translate onto your television or your
view from your seat in Memorial Stadium.
Feel free to let us your favorite helmet and why either
bellow or on Twitter, at @Hoosier_Huddle!