Nebraska Football: Huskers Going with Alternate Uniform Is a Great Move

Nebraska has decided to join the alternate uniform craze for the 2012 season, becoming one of the last storied programs to take the "new look" plunge. While Penn State, Oklahoma and Southern Cal have not made the leap, schools like Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame and even Alabama have made the turn for at least one game. This move is fantastic for Nebraska on so many levels; fans who are dyed in the wool and dedicated to tradition need to get on board now because embracing it will make them sleep a lot easier.

The new uniforms are the latest in a marketing tool used by apparel companies and schools to sell the product and their program. Money is the clear positive that comes out of this for the companies and schools. New jerseys sell on a massive scale; fans have the old ones, but they want to wear the new threads that their teams have on and they respond en masse. That's money for the school, that's money for the company and to deny that as a major factor would be doing a clear disservice in this piece.

Money is great, and is certainly the most quantifiable benefit to the uniform moves. For Nebraska, it will mean thousands of fans going online or to their local stores to pick up the latest Rex Burkhead, Taylor Martinez or Kenny Bell jersey. Tom Osborne can sit back, watch the checks roll in and figure out how to spend that money to help get the Huskers back into a BCS bowl.

But the biggest reason fans should get behind these moves is not the money; the biggest reason is a bit more amorphous and difficult to quantify on a number scale. These schools are making a conscious move to capitalize on an intangible benefit that comes with the fresh look. To call it a "cool factor" is to trivialize the mix of national buzz, player excitement and recruiting enthusiasm that comes with having the hot jerseys on the block as an option.

National buzz is probably the easiest of these three factors to understand. The release of these uniforms has become a big deal across the nation. Revealing uniforms means a press conference, a photo shoot and people clamoring to see what the new gear looks like. Blogs are clearly in on the chatter, but even the larger, national media outlets see the value in opening up discussion to readers, listeners and viewers.

Whether folks like them or hate them, the fact is people will be talking about the program and that's a plus even for a school like Maryland, who saw their uniform combinations become national fodder.

The big media discussion that comes across multiple platforms with every reveal and game played in new uniforms is clear to folks. However, the second reason, player excitement, is one that folks often fail to even consider. For starters, there exists a massive level of self-importance in the fan population. It is about what the fans want and fans feel this need to have their desires served above all else. We see it in the playoff push of late and where uniforms are concerned, we see each school's fans decide that what they want should rank higher than the previously mentioned money or buzz.

Fans' desires also rank higher than what the players wants in this situation, at least to the fans themselves. Simple fact is players love new gear. New shoes. New gloves. New pants. New jerseys. Players love this stuff. Especially when it is a first edition, a never been worn look that they really like.

You don't like the blackout jerseys or the alternate color gear? Get over it, because the guys out there bleeding, sweating and risking injury to entertain you for a couple hours on Saturdays do. Throw in the fact that these uniforms are viewed as an incentive to the team or a decision made by the squad themselves. The current players enjoying the gear should trump any sort of pseudo-traditionalist curmudgeonly view because, after all, they are the ones who are out there grinding while fans sit on the couch or in the stands.

Lastly, this is one of the more misunderstood pluses of the uniforms: recruiting. Let's be clear, most kids are not picking a school outright because they have jazzy uniforms. That's not the recruiting positive to come out of this. The plus in the recruiting game with uniforms comes in much the same way as having delicious food, desirable restaurants or an indoor facility prove to be positives.

Uniforms are not going to elevate a program above their tier from a recruiting standpoint. However, when a kid is down to his final decisions and all things are equal, it helps to have a a positive like food, or in this case uniforms, to help put your school over the top.

Current players love them, future players absolutely are enamored with the possibility of wearing something different. There is a reason that coaches have every possible uniform and helmet combination laid out for the recruits during visits; they know it sells. Even at places which rarely go the alternate route, the coaches have all of the gloves, shoes, pants, jerseys and helmets laid out just to get the kids excited by the possibilities.

It is showing off and there is no better way to show off what you have than on national television. The recruits in the stadium see it and the other prospects have their eyes on it at home.

Basically folks, get over it. Clinging to the jerseys from the 1980's simply because that's what you grew up watching your team wear is not doing anyone any favors, besides yourself. Embrace the change and the experimentation. Your school can always use the money for one thing, the buzz is invaluable, your players like them and prospects that you drool over are in love with the possibilities.