The (Somewhat) Complete UConn Uniform History, Part II

Time for Part II of the history of UConn's uniforms, a part-tribute, part-apology following the Huskies' shocking rise from 1-11 to bowl eligibility. This chapter chronicles UConn's look from the start of the Yankee Conference through 1967.

Part I can be found here.

1947: UConn continues its basic design dating to the early 1940s, with contrasting shoulder panels and three stripes on the lower sleeves.

1948: The shoulder panels disappear and the helmets go to blue from white. The Huskies flip-flop between blue and white lids over the next several years.

1949: UConn dumps leather helmets for plastic versions en route to the first of 15 Yankee Conference titles. 

1952: Gold pants debut and remain part of the Huskies' ensemble into the 1960s.

1957: Numbers appear on the helmet sides. By this time, most players are wearing facemasks and low-top shoes. The '57 Huskies won the second of five straight Yankee Conference titles.

1964: Here's when the Huskies start changing outfits like actors backstage at a play. Big, curved numbers replace the block digits and the helmets have a big "C" in a football shape. A white jersey with shoulder stripes and block numbers is worn for late-season games (heavier material for the cold weather, perhaps?). Note the blue trim on top of the low-cut socks.

1965: Ah, a true Bizarro World classic. The helmet retains the logo of '64, but is white on one side and blue on the other! The rest of the uniform remains the same from '64. I wrote about this design here. College football has seen tons of wacky uniforms in recent years, and nothing, not even from Oregon's wildest fever dreams, approaches UConn's two-toned helmet. The Huskies need to bring this back just once!

The C-in-a-football logo was used only during the two-year reign of head coach Rick Forzano (who later coached the Detroit Lions in the 1970s); coaching turnover can certainly play a role in uniform changes, as each new leader wants his own look. ... But then Forzano's successor, John "As AD, I Put UConn in the Big East and Hired Auriemma and Calhoun, You're Welcome" Toner, burned through a few styles quickly, so who knows? 

1966: Maybe in an overreaction to the wild '65 helmet, UConn switches to a plain blue lid. The helmets had one stripe early in the season, then grew to three later on. The jerseys, with block numbers and contrasting shoulder panels with TV numbers, are worn this season only. Most of the pants had one stripe, but ones with two or none have popped up in photos.

1967: Hey, how about another overhaul? Why not! The curved numbers return to the jerseys, although the striping is slightly different from 1964-65. A unique "UC" logo that resembles a pair of interlocking horseshoes is used this season only. The white late-season alternate jersey with the block numbers returns.