Back to the College Football Uniforms
LaDainian Tomlinson brought TCU football to the forefront in a gridiron-rich Lone Star state during the late 1990s and now, the Horned Frogs are one of Nike’s leading figureheads for apparel design.
Cutting-edge additions in recent years have included silver pants that have been sublimated to resemble frogskin, digitized camouflage numerals on two-tone jerseys and purple refractive helmets with a slimy, frog-like glow. Red lines on TCU’s Pro Combat helmets in 2009 represented blood that shoots from Horned Frogs eyes when provoked.
TCU might as well have been Nike’s flagship school for the system of dress campaign as the supplier incorporates tons of interesting concepts to the school’s on-field attire. In 2011, TCU’s gameday look was two-tone, incorporating the program’s white, black and purple colors into every uniform. The Horned Frogs’ personalized font is interesting as numerals don’t fully connect.
From 1998-2010, TCU’s preferred helmet was a purple shell with a black facemask completed by a “Horned Frog” logo. Since becoming an annual BCS threat and now a member of the Big XII Conference, TCU has donned several different shells including black-speckled helmets, silver with frogskin graphics and matte purple. The mirrored purple HydroFX shell is perhaps its best look, but North Carolina, Oregon and now Oregon State have also donned similar reflective lids.
Before joining forces with Nike post-Tomlinson, TCU was outfitted by Russell Athletic and had several get ups on gameday that were among the company’s best looks. Drop-shadowed numerals were a nice touch on black, white or purple tops and purple pants were a fan favorite. Russell used Horn Frog graphics to make the neckline and armholes stand out on each set.
In 1966, the Horned Frog logo made its debut on TCU’s helmets, but it has since been updated with a more sinister look. The decal made a three-decade exit on shells after that season before reappearing for good in 1998.
