San Diego State players wore their sleeveless red hoodies and black shorts warmups on the field at Snapdragon Stadium two hours before kickoff for Saturday night’s game against James Madison.
Most of them did, anyway.
The specialists couldn’t wait to wear their new uniforms. Punters Tashi Dorje and Camden Cowgill and long snappers Connor Poulson and Matthew Mercado were among those those who immediately took the field modeling the “Age of the Jaguar” alternate uniforms — red jerseys and pants and black helmets with the Ocelotl glyph on the right side — unveiled in a midweek social splash.
Soon enough, their SDSU teammates changed into the uniforms that brought a buzz to the proceedings. Fans were encouraged to join in for the contest billed as a “red-out” game. About half of them got the memo.
The players got a glimpse of the outfits before practice on Tuesday.
“We’re very excited,” SDSU edge Kai Wallin said after a midweek practice. “It was awesome. Having new uniforms is always cool, whether it’s something small, something big, something drastic. You know what I mean? The boys are fired up. I think the main message is it’s not about looking good, it’s about playing good. That’s what we need to emphasize and put on tape. It’s about how you play.”
SDSU has worn all-black jerseys and pants for home games dating back six decades, so what reaction were players expecting from longtime fans and season ticket holders?
“Hopefully, it’s a lot of juice and energy in the stadium,” Wallin said.
SDSU cornerback Mike Lindsay said the bright red is what struck him when he first saw the jersey and pants.
“It feels like a color rush,” Lindsay said. “You know what I mean? I used to, when I was a kid, play Madden and all those games they’d have all the color rush (vibrant alternate jersey). It looks like those. I love it. … I’ve definitely been a uniform guy. Look good, play good. Those are some good uniforms, and I’m excited to go out there and represent our colors.”
Lindsay said he also liked the black helmets as a contrast to the jerseys and pants.
“It’s not just all one color,” he said. “It gives some detail to it. Our helmets are always detailed and have got something to it. I’m ready to play in them, show them out.”
Wallin, a senior transfer from Sacramento, said he’s never kept his jerseys from previous teams he’s played on, but he plans to ask for his Aztecs jersey when he graduates. All black or all red?
“Definitely this one,” Wallin said.
Gear heads
The new gear was for sale in the Aztecs Team Store at Snapdragon as well as two merch trailers, with red jerseys priced at $130, white and black T-shirts with the Ocelotl going for $39 and black hats with the Ocelotl for $35. While there were dozens of people in the team store 90 minutes before kickoff, there wasn’t a run on product.
Will Griffin was among those checking out the Ocelotl T-shirts.
“It’s not bad. It’s simple,” said Griffin, a 2012 SDSU graduate who drove down to the game from Riverside. “It looks like a hockey logo, almost. I think it looks good.”
He still likes the calendar on the helmet better.
“I wish they did (the Ocelotl) on one side and the calendar on the other side,” Griffin said. “It’s a good alternate as long as they don’t get rid of the calendar. The calendar is amazing.”
Walking along the concourse moments later, Bonita’s Tommy Thompson was spotted wearing the new red jersey with No. 1 on it.
“The new uniform that came out is pretty dope, bro,” Thompson said. “I like it because it’s the culture of the Aztecs and everything, the color, the logo, the jaguar. It’s nice. I like it.”
Thompson said he noticed online that they will be selling the jerseys with nameplates on the back. He’s planning to get the No. 7 of running back Lucky Sutton.
Age of the Jaguar?
While the red jerseys and pants received high marks, the black helmets received a thumb down from many people on social media and chat boards.
The popularity of the red calendar helmets is such (many consider them the best helmets in college football) that any substitution is going to be met with torches and pitchforks at the gates.
There was a certain segment, however, that took issue with the Oceletl — the Jaguar — on the helmet.
For one thing, the image is too big for the helmet. More than that, there is a belief by some that it is a subtle way to introduce a potential replacement for the Aztecs nickname and iconography the next time a group challenges its use.
Tweeted @PinehavenGuy: I agree with this. “The Jaguar is clearly a backhanded attempt at erasing any reference to the Proud Aztec Warrior Iconography. No complicated rationalizations from the Administration change this fact.”
For the record, SDSU it has no plans to change its nickname. It’s an alternate uniform/helmet, not a lifestyle change.
Going viral
How popular are uniforms with the public? Put it this way:
By Friday night, the @AztecFB social media account on X had about 2.5 million combined views for the three uniform-related tweets — Tuesday’s tease (103,000 views) and Wednesday’s tweet of the Ocelotl glyph (733,000 views) and uniform reveal (1.6 million).
The previous 50 tweets on the account averaged 6,000 views each, with the most (27,000) for video of Jaylon Hawkins’ 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Portland State.
Up next
SDSU plays at Toledo on Saturday at 9 a.m. PT at Glass Bowl. Toledo defeated Temple 49-48 in overtime on Saturday, the difference a failed two-point conversion by Temple in OT. Toledo quarterback John Alan Richter completed 36 of 51 passes for 429 yards and four touchdowns in the game.
The Aztecs won the only meeting between the teams 17-14 in 2022 at Snapdragon Stadium.