The Gryphon football team will utilize a gold helmet as they look to forge a new identity

Many will remember last September’s Homecoming game against McMaster when the Gryphons unveiled a matte black helmets and jerseys to accompany their commonly used black pants. It was the first time the Gryphons had worn all black in the history of the program. This upcoming season, the Gryphons will introduce another uniform element that is sure to excite the Guelph faithful.

Gold helmets featuring a black facemask will be worn at select games throughout the Gryphons’ season next year. While labeled as gold, the helmet features a colour more similar to the NFL’s Green Bay Packers than the gold used at the University of Notre Dame.

The phenomenon of alternate uniform options is dominating American university football programs and is also working its way north of the 49th parallel.

Head coach Stu Lang claims the decision to introduce the helmets isn’t simply a fashion statement, but a recruiting tool as well.

“We’re sort of a little school, which is a great school and a great community, but to build a football powerhouse [in this environment] is difficult,” he said. With the presence of perennially elite programs in Southern Ontario, Guelph needed to find an alternative approach to bringing in top recruits; the variety of uniform options may help to do that.

Fans of American university football should consider schools like Oregon when looking into the effectiveness of this approach. The nearly infinite uniform possibilities the Oregon football team uses has allowed for an explosion of interest in the program. This interest often translates into stronger recruiting classes; thus the on-field product improves as a result.

While Guelph does not have the same sort of funding as Oregon, the Gryphons will look to employ their own take on alternate uniforms as they look to “build a unique brand” of football.

The installation of the new synthetic turf at Alumni Stadium will feature some uniquely Gryphon design elements, an uncommon feature for a Canadian university. “We want people to say, ‘hey, that’s the Gryphons,’” said Coach Lang.

The Gryphons will rely on a “leadership council” composed of veteran team leaders to determine what the team will don for each game. However, the uniforms are only one part of the success equation for the Gryphons. In the coming year, the Gryphons will look to utilize the red, black, and yellow as they pursue the silver and gold of the Yates and Vanier Cups.

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