Posted by ESPN.com's Graham Watson
New coach, new style of play, old uniforms.
SMU announced late last week that it was reverting back to its white helmets and white pants as part of an initiative to bring tradition back to the program.
The uniforms will be officially unveiled at the annual football kickoff luncheon on Aug. 20 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas.
"The fans have spoken and we have listened," SMU Director of Athletics Steve Orsini said in a statement. "Since I arrived at SMU, I have stated that I wanted to return the Mustang football program to national prominence. When people think of SMU, they think of white helmets with a red Mustang logo. When you have a rich tradition like we do here at SMU, it only makes sense to draw from that."
Wait, this sounds vaguely familiar. In 2003, SMU did away with the white helmets because then-head coach Phil Bennett said, "We're changing the perception of who we are. Although the white helmets were not bad looking at all, we were looking for a new identity."
And then-Associate Athletics Director Shawn Heilbron added, "Navy blue is a strong color.
Apparently, not strong enough. The Mustangs haven't won more than six games in any season since changing the helmets, including a 1-11 debacle last season that led to Bennett's ouster.
The white helmets and white pants were worn by some of the greatest SMU teams, including the famed "Pony Express" teams in the 1980s.
There is no word on whether $100 bills will be sewn into the lining.
Watson joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four seasons covering the Missouri Tigers and the Big 12 Conference for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She also covered college football recruiting for the Dallas Morning News.
