Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: Reno Boyd
Homecoming celebrated with a new helmet design
6/17/2019 6:30:00 PM | Football
Rams depart from their horns, adopt logo for 150th anniversary
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – When it comes to football helmets, Joe Parker is a traditionalist.
The Colorado State athletic director believes the green and gold of the university, as well as the Rams horns are a trademark for the program. The less tinkering the better. A darn good reason is needed for alteration.
"Helmets to me are kind of sacred ground in a way. By virtue of some of the places I've been, there's not a lot of latitude for tinkering," Parker said. "I think our Rams-horn helmet, in my opinion, is one of those things. We've done a bit of modification with the bone, which I think is appropriate."
A sesquicentennial celebration for the university qualifies. Since Colorado State adopted the Rams horns as the traditional style in 1973 (they initially appeared in 1951, coincidently, in a white bone form on a green helmet), the team has only twice worn a helmet without the horns. The first instance came in 2007 with a late-1950's throwback helmet against Cal to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the switch from Colorado A&M to Colorado State. The second time was in 2017 with the State Pride uniforms.
The third instance will happen for the homecoming game Oct. 5 against San Diego State. The team will wear a white helmet which features the current Rams-head logo on the side, a 150th celebration sticker on the back and an EDGE sticker on the front.
"What we're planning for the 150th is a unique celebration, and I think we're trying to be thoughtful," Parker said. "It will be a blank white with some modifications to it, and that will give us a chance to use the investment in another blank white to give us some options as we move forward.
"I hope it creates some excitement for the fan base. I hope it reflects how we have pride in place. It's pretty unique when any institution is able to celebrate 150 years of its history."
John Hirn, a CSU historian, also falls into Parker's traditional camp. Part of his passion has been documenting every new look for the Rams over the years, back to beginnings of leather helmets to the switch to plastic in 1950.
"When it comes to the horns, that's us," Hirn said. "When you think about it in college football, Division I, there's no other school with helmets like that. That's really defined us since 1973. That's almost 50 years."
He's documented them all. CSU made the switch from pumpkin and alfalfa to green and gold in 1933 for the first time. It became permanent in 1959. He knows the first "pickle" uniform (green on green) was worn in 1990, delivered by coach Earle Bruce. As it turns out, Bruce was ahead of his time, also breaking out gold tops for the 1990 Freedom Bowl against Oregon.
In 1973, the first year of the horns, they were green on a yellow helmet. Almost 20 years later, the colors flipped. Under coach Sonny Lubick, the yellow became "Vegas Gold."
Still, Hirn is a fan of the team and understands today's players like the new looks and different uniform combinations. Give him a choice, his favorite modern look is the 1993 uniform – green jersey, white numbers, gold pants and the Rams horn helmet -- design under Lubick. His all-time favorite was worn in 1955.
"I think it gets to be a bit too much sometimes, but I understand people get excited about it, there's extra branding that comes along," he said. "I get that it's hip, it's happening, it's that type of stuff. You know the players really like the difference."
Yes, the players do like the changes, and this one received rave reviews.
"Woo. I like it. It's just new, it's all white," receiver Warren Jackson said. "I like the logo a lot. That's something I haven't seen with our uniforms, bringing that logo into it.
"It's a different look, for sure. I'm always open to trying new things."
The fact it stands for the 150th celebration brings a little more to the homecoming game for them.
"I'm excited to play in it," safety Braylin Scott said. "This is something that's been going on for a long time."
Parker likes the design, saying it speaks to a very unique moment for the university, one which opens doors for recognition. Otherwise, traditions should be tightly guarded.
Hirn prefers when the school colors are recognized, but that's him. Like the changes or not, it's part of the history, and he agrees the most important aspect to document is the scoreboard.
"Let's win the football game," he said. "As long as they win the game, they can wear the 1933 uniforms for all I care. I'm still a football fan."
The Colorado State athletic director believes the green and gold of the university, as well as the Rams horns are a trademark for the program. The less tinkering the better. A darn good reason is needed for alteration.
"Helmets to me are kind of sacred ground in a way. By virtue of some of the places I've been, there's not a lot of latitude for tinkering," Parker said. "I think our Rams-horn helmet, in my opinion, is one of those things. We've done a bit of modification with the bone, which I think is appropriate."
A sesquicentennial celebration for the university qualifies. Since Colorado State adopted the Rams horns as the traditional style in 1973 (they initially appeared in 1951, coincidently, in a white bone form on a green helmet), the team has only twice worn a helmet without the horns. The first instance came in 2007 with a late-1950's throwback helmet against Cal to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the switch from Colorado A&M to Colorado State. The second time was in 2017 with the State Pride uniforms.
The third instance will happen for the homecoming game Oct. 5 against San Diego State. The team will wear a white helmet which features the current Rams-head logo on the side, a 150th celebration sticker on the back and an EDGE sticker on the front.
"What we're planning for the 150th is a unique celebration, and I think we're trying to be thoughtful," Parker said. "It will be a blank white with some modifications to it, and that will give us a chance to use the investment in another blank white to give us some options as we move forward.
"I hope it creates some excitement for the fan base. I hope it reflects how we have pride in place. It's pretty unique when any institution is able to celebrate 150 years of its history."
John Hirn, a CSU historian, also falls into Parker's traditional camp. Part of his passion has been documenting every new look for the Rams over the years, back to beginnings of leather helmets to the switch to plastic in 1950.
"When it comes to the horns, that's us," Hirn said. "When you think about it in college football, Division I, there's no other school with helmets like that. That's really defined us since 1973. That's almost 50 years."
He's documented them all. CSU made the switch from pumpkin and alfalfa to green and gold in 1933 for the first time. It became permanent in 1959. He knows the first "pickle" uniform (green on green) was worn in 1990, delivered by coach Earle Bruce. As it turns out, Bruce was ahead of his time, also breaking out gold tops for the 1990 Freedom Bowl against Oregon.
In 1973, the first year of the horns, they were green on a yellow helmet. Almost 20 years later, the colors flipped. Under coach Sonny Lubick, the yellow became "Vegas Gold."
Still, Hirn is a fan of the team and understands today's players like the new looks and different uniform combinations. Give him a choice, his favorite modern look is the 1993 uniform – green jersey, white numbers, gold pants and the Rams horn helmet -- design under Lubick. His all-time favorite was worn in 1955.
"I think it gets to be a bit too much sometimes, but I understand people get excited about it, there's extra branding that comes along," he said. "I get that it's hip, it's happening, it's that type of stuff. You know the players really like the difference."
Yes, the players do like the changes, and this one received rave reviews.
"Woo. I like it. It's just new, it's all white," receiver Warren Jackson said. "I like the logo a lot. That's something I haven't seen with our uniforms, bringing that logo into it.
"It's a different look, for sure. I'm always open to trying new things."
The fact it stands for the 150th celebration brings a little more to the homecoming game for them.
"I'm excited to play in it," safety Braylin Scott said. "This is something that's been going on for a long time."
Parker likes the design, saying it speaks to a very unique moment for the university, one which opens doors for recognition. Otherwise, traditions should be tightly guarded.
Hirn prefers when the school colors are recognized, but that's him. Like the changes or not, it's part of the history, and he agrees the most important aspect to document is the scoreboard.
"Let's win the football game," he said. "As long as they win the game, they can wear the 1933 uniforms for all I care. I'm still a football fan."
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