Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Photos believed to be Arkansas' new 2012 football uniforms have been leaking online for weeks.

They were the real thing.

Arkansas officially released video and photo of three uniform colors and two helmet options on Wednesday.

Athletic Director Jeff Long said the uniforms were designed to keep tradition intact, but with a modern touch. Designs are supposed to be lighter, cooler (temperature-wise) and tighter fitting.

Colors include charcoal anthracite, red and white, plus options of red and white helmets. That will give the Razorbacks multiple combinations to chose from when hitting the field.

"We can do a little mixing and matching," Long said. "Overall we’ve been very conservative. We’ve made it cutting edge. We’ve made it futuristic. We’ve stayed conservative. We’ve not going wild with it."

Razorback players said they like the new look. Each jersey bears the team slogan "ring the bell" on the inside neck.

Giving the players a fresh look and appealing to recruits were cited as reasons for the change.

"It’s a new era for Arkansas football," quarterback Tyler Wilson said. "I think it’s great."

Here are some specifics on the designs from Nike:

The Razorback’s new uniform delivers superior lightweight performance as well as optimal protection and tells a story through the new design. Nike worked closely with the university to bring elements of the schools rich Razorback heritage into a distinguished, clean and modern uniform design by emphasizing the strong iconic hog features. The shoulders are accented with jagged metallic razorback lines, which reflect the hairline along the hog’s back, thus creating a wider look across the pads. The “RAZORBACK” slogan has been placed on the front of the home jersey, which also features new number fonts and logo typeface, while “ARKANSAS” is shown on the away and alternate versions. Additionally the numbers, as well as the helmets, feature an aggressive faded finish. The “RING THE BELL” rally cry is also stitched into the inside neckline as a reminder to the athletes. 

In addition to the new design, this integrated uniform system provides enhanced durability and innovation from the inside out.  Additional padding without the bulk offers optimal low-profile impact protection specifically throughout the crucial “hit zone” around the hip area.

The uniform system design also emphasizes improved thermoregulation, including the Nike Pro Combat base layer, which is constructed with fabric selected for its ability to help keep the body cool and wick away sweat – making the uniform, and player, lighter and dryer. The jerseys are made of four-way stretch nylon that sheds moisture. Flywire technology in the collar eliminates two layers of fabric for improved breathability, providing a more stable anchor to keep the jersey in place.

Thoughts?