In December 2017, Adidas unveiled its first new football uniform template since 2015, the Primeknit A1 template. Gone is the obnoxious primeknit pattern; it has been replaced by a more subtle diagonal line pattern that should look much better on the field. In addition, the seam across the shoulder has been eliminated; the only major seam on the jersey outlines the shoulder cap.
It'll be interesting to see if State switches to the updated template for the 2018 season; they were one of the first teams to switch to the Primeknit template in 2015, so it would make sense if they do. The Bulldogs' uniforms are very solid as is, but a template upgrade would provide a good opportunity to iron out some small imperfections. For example, the numbers on the maroon jersey still have a black outline. Also, the pants logo location on the gray pants could stand to be brought in line with the location on the white and maroon pants. For a more detailed list of changes that could be made in 2018, check out the 2017 season recap. As far as alternates, I think State should choose either a gray or black alternate that fits in line with the rest of the uniform set. If we have to do black, I wouldn't mind seeing a matte black helmet replace the silver helmet. There are several different routes they could take here.
This concept shows what the Bulldogs' 2017 football uniform design would look like on the Nike Vapor Untouchable Template, with an updated Interlocking MSU logo on the helmet.
It was inspired by a Tweet by Bulldog Defensive Back Jamal Peters, which read "Can we go to Nike now? ?" in response to Head Coach Dan Mullen's departure. The answer to Peters's question is "no"; Mississippi State's contract with Adidas runs through 2020 and is not dependent on the head coach. However, the question got people talking, so I decided to make this concept as a "What-if" visualization.
Much of the news in the sports uniform world in August 2017 has revolved around Nike taking over the NBA's uniforms. Controversially, Nike did away with "home" and "away" designations, instead opting for four uniform designations ( and a fifth, "classic" for 8 teams in 2018): "association", "icon", "athlete", and "community". This got me thinking: what if Mississippi State basketball did something similar. Of course, State is currently signed with Adidas, and that doesn't look to be changing any time soon. That doesn't matter in the world of concepts though!
The association, icon, and athlete editions all feature a classic "State" on the chest, with base colors white, maroon, and gray respectively. The community edition is a black jersey, with a cursive "Starkvegas" on the front. The "classic" edition is a cream jersey with a cursive "State" on the front. Other than the "Starkvegas" jersey, I actually wouldn't mind seeing Adidas versions of the other four on the court sometime in the near future. My latest concept is something I'm calling the baseball uniform Master Plan. The Master Plan includes 11 different jerseys that can be cycled in and out over the coming years. I recognize that 11 different jerseys are far too many for a single season, but I think that all of these designs should be worn again at some point. There's no need, however, to have three maroon jerseys or two white pinstripe jerseys, for example, in a single season.
The Master Plan is split into three sections: Fundamentals, Diamond Classics, and Script Rotation. The Fundamentals all feature the MS logo on the chest and the custom "Starkville" block number font. All of the Fundamentals have been worn within the last few seasons, and are some of the most recognizable looks for Mississippi State baseball. The Diamond Classics all feature the classic 1985 font for the numbers and NOB. The white and maroon diamond classics feature the 1985 wordmark as well, while the cream and anthracite diamond classics feature the MS logo on the chest. Versions of the white, maroon, and cream Diamond Classics have been worn recently; the anthracite is an original idea, The Script Rotation uniforms all feature a script font on the front with the "Starkville" number font. They would rotate one of their above counterparts (White MS Pinstripes, Maroon MS or 85, and Gray Pinstripes) every few years. |