IU Football (helmet) Mania: Catch it!

It's the summer...It's sometimes difficult to find Purdue stuff to write about...but when a Purdue opponent or rival does something entertaining, we gotta give it a look.

Yesterday, a video of IU's players watching the unveiling of their FIVE new helmets was launched into the interwebnet ether and it became a Twitter hit.  That's right, Coach Wilson wanted to give his players one helmet for every win over the past two seasons as a well-earned reward...and the end result is entertaining.

Before I get into my biased look at IU's new looks, lemme say one thing in all seriousness- Fred Glass got part of this right, yet again.  He's doing everything he can to generate interest and energy into a sleepy football program...they've invested money, tried to innovate and have marketed a decidedly lousy product as much as possible.  And there have been more than fifty or sixty people in IU's Memorial Stadium...so his efforts aren't in vain.  But a few of these helmets are simply stabs in the dark.

The first option is what IU has had the last few seasons- crimson helmet, white "IU" and facemask.

The next one is pretty solid:

This design plays on the EVO Speed helmet's chiseled details...it looks modern and isn't too goofy really.

Option 3 gets a touch goofy:

A tip of the cap to IU's rich football heritage; numbers on the helmets are pretty classic.  BUT, if you're already not making the helmet truly retro, why not have the numbers match those on the jerseys? I'm being nit-picky, so I'll move on.

Option 4 is pretty horrible:

That's the state of Indiana's seal...in the wrong colors...on a helmet.

This is a bad design.

I know, I know, Maryland put their state seal on their helmet...I really liked that.  BUT, they wen't over-the-top with it, which made it pretty cool.  PLUS, Maryland's state seal is a much stronger, more-athletic graphic.  Atop of that, Indiana's state flag is blue and yellow, not red/white, of course.  (note: Indiana's state flag was also in some of the 90s Batman movies as Gotham's City flag.)

The last option is the best/worst; depending on your perspective.

But before I do my big reveal, lemme lay some groundwork.  Someone decided it'd be best to focus even more on basketball during football season in an effort to tug on the heart strings of IU's fanbase.  The problem is, most of these folks will be watching UND on the Saturday that IU wears their gaudy new chapeaus.  The five or ten IU alums that actually root for IU's football team probably appreciate this...but I'd think the purists would want to: A. keep the stripes red and white B. Not bastardize the stripes this way C. Pay homage in a more fitting way...So I wanted to help.

But before I give them a hand, here is that fifth option:

When I first saw the helmet, I thought this was Adidas' doing.  But I'm not so sure now.  Adidas would be a fair fall guy; they did some truly heinous things with Michigan, UND, Nebraska and Wisconsin's unis last season...But a couple things are wrong with that theory- First, that would point to Adidas actually caring about IU's football program...that's doubtful.  The bluebloods that Adidas shat upon last year were all full head-to-toe, single-game changes.  This isn't a full uniform change, just lids.

One one hand, I get it- Kids really like new helmets; that can be a recruiting tool...You guys all know that I'd like to see Purdue do a single game alternate black helmet.  Plus, and even more than Purdue, IU doesn't have much football heritage or tradition...so the shackles are off. No design rules really because none of the hundred fans in the seats will be offended either way.

I think I found the guy who is behind some of these designs...and I don't blame him for this.  He's got some good ideas...and the red/chrome helmet wasn't his (which I'd brag about, if I were him).

And speaking of that chrome design, J summed it up best last night on Twitter when he said he hopes IU wears the mirrored finish helmets v. Purdue...so Purdue's players can see themselves knocking the crap out of IU in real time.

Until IU can climb the highest mountain yet again and reach that elusive six-win mark (something Danny Hope accomplished twice in the last two years; and was subsequently fired for)...this is all sizzle, no steak. Memorial Stadium's re-fresh is pretty solid and looks great...but with 1-5 wins/season and no one in the stands, it seems like a waste of money and time; the same goes for these helmets.

So for that handful of IU fans that actually know IU has a football team, here's my gift to you: The basketball homage football helmets you WISH they would have made...

This one's called "Cut 'em down"...

Next up, something more familiar and closer to most IU fans' hearts; it's called "Goldy":

My option three commemorates back-to-back Sweet 16s...Almost called it twin rings...or simply, "The Movement":

And finally, if IU fans like over-the-top, they'll love this. It'll scare the crap out of opposition with its intensity...plus, the forehead is so shiny that the glare will distract opposing DBs as IU's QBs rain mad fire down on their opponents:

In closing, as Purdue fans, we should give IU some credit for the shiny striped helmet.  They did something that is completely unique to their university...unlike so many of the astroturf traditions that have popped up in the last decade around IU's football program...PLUS, they did something we want Purdue's football program to do- take a small risk and give the team a new look.  So hats off for that.  PLUS, they stayed pretty close to their school colors...something they didn't do the last time they significantly changed their helmets.

As one of IU's alums, Tim O'Brien says, why not just just go all-in with the concept???

We agree with Tim...this would be unspeakably-awesome...DO IT, FREDDY!!!

But they really didn't expect us to sit idly and say nothing, did they?

Until Purdue takes the next step, we can continue to dream...

Change is a Good Thing: Purdue Football

Yes, that's a very similar headline to the one the Panda used the other day with regard to the Purdue basketball program. However, as has been the case for a while, Purdue football and Purdue basketball are in very different places.

While the basketball program is experiencing some changes that border on "upheaval" (seriously, I hope the Boilers have enough guys to field a team next year at this rate), the program in general remains respected. Matt Painter alone is someone who many pundits and analysts will openly praise as a giant bright spot for Purdue, even in down years such as '12-'13. The football program, however, was not in such a good state during their recent down year(s).

As has been noted on this here site, we feel that has changed and will continue to change in the months and years ahead. Darrell Hazell was the right man for the job and as months have passed since his hiring, I've continued to think about the decision Purdue made as well as the decisions they didn't make (other potential hires, etc.) and even the decisions other programs made (Tennessee, etc.). And the truth is, I don't know if Purdue could have done any better given the situation they were in.

Coach Hazell represented -- and represents -- change for the Purdue football program. The thing that is pleasing me lately is that the change is wholesale -- it's not just for show, for example. He has begun changing the mentality and the effort. He's a supporter of these guys but he's also busting their asses. Ricardo Allen commented on how hard even the dinged up guys work on the sidelines, as opposed to under the previous regime. And one thing to keep in mind with regard to that kind of stuff -- you can't rely on these players to think that's necessarily a "better" thing or not. Think back to yourself at 18-22 -- you probably wanted to exert yourself as little as possible. If you played a sport and had a coach that went easy on the condition/running stuff and always was your pal, you probably loved him. You also probably lost a lot.

You know what else? It's okay to say things needed changing. That doesn't make you a disloyal fan or a bad Boilermaker. It's great if you supported the recent teams through thick and thin. That's wonderful and in some ways, you're a better fan than many of us who became disgusted with the Hope regime. But it's not an indictment of your fanhood or your loyalty to your alma mater to say you think the program needed a good scrubbing. It did and it's not getting it.

Changing the thinking is obviously one of the biggest components of the overall change that is needed in West Lafayette, and that's already at work. Could it have been effected this quickly? No, probably not. But with leaders like Rob Henry and coaches like Coach Hazell, Coach Hudson, Coach Freeman and Coach Shoop, it appears thus far as though the pieces are being put into place. There is a clear focus on one team with unified goals and a preliminary understanding of the level of work required to become great. I love seeing that and I hope we get to continue to see it develop.

Seeing it is all key to this change as well. Another big difference that has been documented is the openness and willingness to let us all peer into the program. There have already been more open practices than I can remember under Danny Hope. Darrell Hazell is a confident man who believes in what he is doing and has nothing to hide -- the way any successful practitioner of their trade should be. He does not feel everyone is out to get them and even if he did think someone was, my feeling is that he wouldn't care. He's going to do things his way until he is told to stop. If winning follows, I don't suspect anyone will tell him to stop.

The visibility should also comfort anyone who worries about Coach Hazell's tutelage under the OSU football factory. Sure, there were some improprieties there but if you have a coach who wants the fans and media to see much or all of what they're doing, that's at least a good sign that you're not the kind of guy to hide things. Obviously, I'm not naive enough to think it's not still possible that cheating could occur -- but I like the visibility as a first step in ensuring we all feel well-informed on the football program we love to support.

Change has trickled to other facets of the program as well. Music is played at practice and it's a variety of themes, styles and volumes. They work hard, but they're also going to enjoy their time together. Ross-Ade Stadium has also been bestowed the moniker of "The Furnace," which whether you like it or not, makes sense the the Boilermaker mascot -- something on other school shares. And why not try to give the bland Ross-Ade some personality in any way possible? This is a place that hasn't been a home-field advantage for many years -- but it actually can be. Those of you who were there in the '98-'04 timeframe know that. It may be among the smaller Big Ten venues, but it doesn't have to be a quiet one.

Another change to R-A is one that was brought to my attention A fake change to R-A sent to me by Twitter follower @Boiler_Brandon, is as follows:



The paint was shipped in from Iowa City. What? We got a deal!

 If we want to keep the "Furnace" theme going, how about a flame burning at the bottom of the signage?

The colors aren't completely right, but they haven't been right on most Purdue uniforms for over a decade-plus now. Would we like Nike to learn Purdue's colors? Of course. But they haven't yet and Purdue hasn't forced them to, so in the meantime, adding some menacing black to the stadium instead of the welcoming white would be fine by me. For comparison:

It seems only natural that this theme of change might also extend to uniforms. Joe Tiller stripped the names off the back of the unis immediately (among other changes that were already happening to the jerseys) upon his arrival. Danny Hope put them back on and allowed the team to choose combos (black/black, black/gold, etc.) regardless of whether they'd earned that sort of right. Darrell Hazell brought back retro Kent State uniforms for their bowl game this past January, which was something he had promised his players if they made a bowl -- something Kent hadn't done in 40 years. Might that mean a black alternate helmet or other uni tweaks? You know we'll keep beating that drum.

Change looks like it will continue to come to Purdue football. And as long as the program turns back in the direction of something we can all be proud of, I think the fans will come back and I also think the team will be supported regardless of record in 2013. Effort is something that is evident in football, as is preparedness. If this team and coaching staff shows effort and preparedness, then the future is indeed bright. 

A Welcomed Change of Season

Tonight Matty's Pups will begin the B1G basketball season at Mackey and our gaze will shift indoors for a few months.  Sadly, this change might not be the most enjoyable as Purdue looks very flawed thus far as they go through growing pains, struggle to find offensive continuity and search for defensive toughness.  This is not a typical Painter team at this point...and everyone involved, from our pal, former player and current GA, Ryne Smith, to veteran DJ Byrd, to the Freshman players to the HC himself, have their work cut out for them.  If nothing else, I want to see this team fight to try to get better.  If they do, good things will happen. If they continue to need to be reminded to move in motion offense, and switch on defense, it's going to be painful repetition for the next few months.

But, the change of season that officially happens following Kent State's bowl game will usher a season of real hope for Purdue's football program.  I'd argue this is the first time we've really had something to look forward to in about eight years.  Sure, as fans, our hearts wanted to see big things in the September of Joe Tiller's career and when an under experienced successor was hired, we pulled for him as well...but our logic nudged us another direction.  One not of cautious optimism, but extremely-managed expectations at best...and a negative outlook at worst.

So with the change, Hazell says he'll open up practices and invite fans to come watch...he wants to see guys earn their positions...and he wants to change the culture of the program.  As we saw yesterday, he has his work cut out for him.  But a guy who truly knows what it's like to be around a winner and has the combination of Xs & Os knowledge with a bit of rah-rah sprinkled on top, might be exactly what Purdue needs to not only become a competitor again, but to do it in a season or two.

We've been beating the drum of Purdue wearing a matte black helmet as an alternate for a few years...and we still like the idea.  The matte black looks tough...and unlike most programs in America who roll out the dull finish for special games, Purdue actually has black in its colors.  Plus, players love to see alternate uniforms and changes in unis.  So while you might be an old guy who doesn't think it matters, it kinda does to a 19 year old...and it'd be pretty fun to see some change.

So, to go along with a new coaching staff, let's pull for a change to the uniforms...

If you follow us on Twitter, you've already seen these...so this is a bit redundant. But, our reach on the site is a bit larger than that on Twitter, so here goes:

Matte black helmet, gloss P, gloss single stripe, black chin strap and trim on the back.

This along with a slight tweak to the uniforms would be a pretty solid improvement- same general design, but no italicized numerals...traditional block.

A tweak, not a radical change should do the trick below the neck.

If you agree or disagree, weigh in. If you really like what you see, forward the link to Burke, Hazell or whomever else you think might appreciate the concept.

Purdue helmets circa 1949

One more thing- black helmets for Purdue aren't something that Fred Akers invented.  Purdue has had black helmets four times in the program's history...But gloss black with a gold P and twin white stripes surrounding a gold stripe were Coach Akers' brain child.  That look still makes me wanna throw up a bit in my mouth...but I like the black/black look much more.