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http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WOSudHnJUwQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWOSudHnJUwQ

 (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WOSudHnJUwQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWOSudHnJUwQ)

Whoever is doing these promo vids knows what they're doing.

It must be some crazy "alternative" uniform.  I doubt they'd go to that much trouble to hype the minor tweaks to the regular unis that we already know about.   :dunno:

It's sounding pretty likely that there will be an alternate for Oregon, probably gray, and possibly an alternate for a home game as well. I have no idea what they're revealing today though.

I swear our fanbase's obsession with the uniforms beats all I've ever seen. I've read at least two dozen fans in the last 24 hours basically saying they'd stop supporting the program if X is done to the uniforms. Fine by me. GTFO and you won't be missed.

Fanship based on uni design? Preposterous! I'm with you....I hope they don't let the door hit 'em on their way out.

Clearly, anyone who abandons ship over uniforms was never a true fan to start with. And when it comes right down to it, no one is going to abandon ship over uniform changes. They're just engaging their mouths before their brains kick in.

With that said, I'm wholeheartedly against wholesale uniform changes. Some tweaking, within reason, I don't mind. But there are some traditions that just shouldn't be messed with and, IMO, monkeying with the uniform design should be done carefully and sparsely. If some of the rumors are true that we're going to have two completely different alternative uniforms this year, I don't really like it. Because, IMO, that sends us down a road similar to Oregon and a lot of other college teams that have gone overboard with this stuff. I think you can make a strong argument that uniform changes haven't helped a single program sell itself. And obviously Alabama is a strong case-in-point for the argument of why adhering strictly to tradition still works.

I think you can make a strong argument that Oregon, Nike connections or no, didn't start getting the kind of national attention they get now until they started in with the uniforms. I think it's made a HUGE difference for their football program.

Now, I don't want to go full-Oregon with uniforms but I think there's zero reason to worry about that. If we wear an alternate twice a year-- once at home and once on the road-- I see no negative whatsoever.

Oregon didn't have a national brand like a lot of the other teams that have tried to monkey with their uniforms . . . and like Tennessee. Teams like Tennessee and Notre Dame and Virginia Tech shouldn't need gimmicks to market themselves. If we're so desperate that we have to try to change who we are to turn heads, we've got a problem that Butch Jones and Dave Hart aren't going to be able to fix. (I don't think we have such a problem, I'm just saying.)

This explains the color schemes for UT. I think.

http://communications.utk.edu/branding/palette.php (http://communications.utk.edu/branding/palette.php)

I don't think special unis are any indication that anyone thinks we have a serious problem. It's fun for the current players, and in turn that makes us more attractive for recruits. I think you read too much into it.

Also, regarding traditions . . . I think Butch has done as well as any UT coach I can remember at respecting traditions and instilling respect for them within his team. A gray uni doesn't take away from that, IMO.

Alternative jazzy uniforms do help recruiting and adds some excitement. Yes, ultimately the play on the field is what counts, but go back and see how excited we were as a team and fandom when we came out in black unis for SCe in 2009. I'm all for the change...which appears to be a dark gray alternative.

Oh my. Pics posted on VQ. fizzleing fantastic IMO.

Saw them. I love it. I wish we'd wear them more than just one game though

Here it is...  "Smokey"


(http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/879/1434559.jpg)

well, I didn't want to post it because that's an exclusive VQ pic....

Maggitt looks like a beast btw

When it goes to the twitter-verse, it become fair game.

I'm okay with one alternative uniform game a year. It's when we start 2+ games that I get my dander up.

I don't hate the smokey gray look. Again, just as long as it's a single game.

I think I'd like them better if the helmets were a matte gray instead of white.

UGH!! Hate hate hate black (or grey) unis.....always have, always will.   picture on Facebook

based on twitter responses, recruits love it. THAT is what it's about

I'll be honest: I grow weary of the "it's for the recruits" argument. No it isn't. They may be 18-year-old kids but they aren't THAT shallow. Let's give them a little bit of credit. What did the black jerseys in '09 due for recruiting? Very little. Meanwhile, schools like Alabama and Southern Cal stay very true to their traditional team look and they have zero problems drawing in recruits. Recruits want to go somewhere that will enable them to win championships, receive national recognition and have an opportunity to play in the NFL. Anything else is gravy.

I like the gray uniforms a lot better than I liked the black uniforms, in no small part because gray is an official (if seldom used) color of the university. But I just don't buy into the theory that it helps with recruiting.

I love em.  At this point I'm riding with Butch and his vision until I have a reason not to.   :dude:

Another look just tweeted by Adidas.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BRuETbeCAAEtwco.jpg)

Wow!!!!!   :thumbup:

The gray is growing on me. I would change the helmets to a matte gray and the sleeves to gray (but my wife would be the first to tell you that I'm no stylist), but I like the jerseys and the pants a lot. Still just want to see them one game, though.

See, to me the helmet is sacred and I don't want it changed so in that aspect maybe I'm somewhat of a traditionalist.  However, I also don't think the black jerseys we wore a few years ago looked right with the orange pants and the helmet having no black whatsoever so I'm kind of torn.  I think if it's tastefully done, and IMO these gray uni's are, it can look nice with the helmets as is.

I like the gray uniform from the VQ photo.  The Adidas photo release I am not liking as much.  Hopefully it will look better in person.  Whatever gets the recruits to turn this program around I will support.

Adidas carefully models their photo releases to highlight the tech-fit aspect of the jerseys. To me those pictures look unnatural.

More from Adidas. Digging the gloves.  :biggrin:

https://www.youtube.com/v/CeBlMaH9y50

The color is off. It almost looks blue/green instead of gray. I think adidas played with the color/saturation and that's why it looks iffy.

It's not the uni itself that sells recruits on UT. It's what it says about the coaching staff. Whether we like it or not, players really do . . . and the coaches' willingness to allow them that is attractive to recruits.

I like our traditional helmet, but it does seem to clash with the gray uni's to me.  I'm an ultra traditionalist though, and would prefer black instead of gray since from 1911 to 1920 black was the primary color for Tennessee football jerseys.

I can stand them. Heck I might even like them if they win a game while wearing them.

It will be a big flame out to wear a new uni and lose though.

According to Butch, it matters to recruits. Jones told Volquest in the story published this morning that recruiting considerations drove the move to add an alternate uniform.
"If you had to put a top-10 list that the prospective student-athletes ask you, in the top three would be uniforms," he said.


http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2013/aug/15/vols-new-alternative-football-uniform-add-smokey-s/ (http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2013/aug/15/vols-new-alternative-football-uniform-add-smokey-s/)

Perhaps that shows the insignificant (to us) things kids are interested in, but it's the new reality.

It's those danged young whippersnappers.  :old:

Hard not to take Butch's word for it.  He seems to know what he's doing at this time.

I laughed at this tweet:

"NCAA14 better have these ready for download by the time I get off work!"

Butch said uniforms are in the top 3 questions recruits ask.   Now I agree with you that a final decision would not likely be influenced by the answer to that question, but I do think an early decision might be influenced by it.  Call me cynical, but I do believe a portion of the recruiting base is definitely that shallow.  As long as the question is in the top 3, then I like for Butch to have an answer.

Coach Jones disagrees with you.

And it's not about being shallow.

Lots of people disagree with me and I disagree with lots of people. Including Coach Jones.  :laugh:

Something else, if you look at this photo from UT's promo video, it looks like orange-on-orange is going to make a reappearance at some point this season, along with some other combos:

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BRumXlXCUAAN0P3.jpg)

there are 5 combos

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/539692_10153120972800161_965643173_n.jpg)

Love em.

No black outline on the road jerseys makes pleases me.

Lots of pics here.



http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/081513aah.html


 (http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/081513aah.html)

Looks good to me.  :thumbup:

The gray/orange cleats are next level!!

I love it!

Rob Lewis (@Volquest_Rob) tweeted at 3:25 PM on Thu, Aug 15, 2013:
Butch Jones: 'My phone has blown up today with recruits from all over the country who love the new uniforms.'


He also says the gray unis will be worn in one game, which game that is is unknown.

Rob Lewis (@Volquest_Rob) tweeted at 3:30 PM on Thu, Aug 15, 2013:
Butch, 'We're not going to be  program that's all over the place with its uniforms

:thumbup: :dude:

(http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/tenn/sports/m-footbl/auto_player/9138732.jpeg)

That's what I wanted to hear.  :laugh:

Like the new website: www.risetothetop.com

I agree with Creek- if we're going to go "new school", don't half-ass it; go all the way.  The helmet with those gray unis needs to be either gray or orange. And I won't be surprised if that happens by the time they wear them.

I also like that they removed the black outlines in the road whites.  Those look sharp. :thumbup:

This is what it's about.

I love the Smokey gray more and more each time I see these pics.  I never thought black looked great with our orange and white for th unis (unless it's cleats).  I remember seeing photoshops with a lighter gray that didn't look good either.  But to me this hits it square in the bullseye.  The Smokey gray really makes the orange POP.  I'll definitely be buying Smokey gear.

Something everybody forgets is that the Baseball team has worn grey shirts many times while playing.  The baseball team has always seemed to have orange, white, and gray (or grey your choice -- and it IS NOT British as some stupid idiot claimed over on another site ------ ID10T)  so therefore the football team wearing a gray (or grey) uni does not freak me out at all and I am one of those BLUEHAIRS (aka Oldster) that has been contributing to UT and the Athletic dept for a long time so I get to address my concerns with the unis.  I for one like the alternative option of having a gray (grey) uni as an inducement to the recruits as well as a changeup for the fans.  So therefore all you sticks in the MUD get over it.....   :naughty:  :clap: :dcool: