Husker Alt Uniform Predictions 2024

Dave Feit looks at possibilities for Nebraska's 2024 season

Ndamukong Suh in 1962 throwback jersey /

The summer months are usually slow for Nebraska football news - especially if you don't follow recruiting. But one constant is the release of the alternate uniform the Huskers will wear in the coming season.

As we await the release - which usually happens before Fan Day in August - let's speculate on what Adidas might have in store for this season, and when it might be worn. I see three likely scenarios.

Throwbacks for the 400th Consecutive Sellout

As you likely know, the 400th consecutive sellout of Memorial Stadium will take place September 20th against Illinois. The obvious move* would be to don throwback uniforms against the Illini.

*Let's pause and remember the many times Adidas has failed to see the obvious move:

• Nebraska has yet to wear throwback uniforms for either of their "Greatest Team of All Time" contenders: 1971 and 1995. Yes, the 1997 throwbacks (worn in 2017) were very similar to what NU wore in 1995, but the intention was to honor 1997.

• Adidas allowed the 50th anniversary of the "Game of the Century" to pass without a throwback uniform. In 2021, NU wore the all-white "Frosty Camo" uniforms in a tribute to 9/11 that was full of mixed messages.

• Good news: Adidas and NU honored the 1983 Scoring Explosion team with a throwback. Bad news: They did it for the 39th anniversary of that team. Worse news: While NU scored 42 points in those uniforms, Georgia Southern scored 45.

• Last year, Adidas chose to acknowledge the first game ever played at Memorial Stadium (when Nebraska wore blue jerseys). Instead of going all-in and creating a memorable Memorial moment, they chickened out and did the bare minimum.

Should Nebraska and Adidas choose to recognize the 400th sellout with an alternate uniform, it would make sense to honor the start of the Streak by bringing back the 1962 throwbacks that NU wore against Louisiana for the 300th sellout in 2009.

If they wanted to do something fresh, I could also see Adidas finally doing a throwback version of the gorgeous uniforms Nebraska wore in the early 1970s with the two white loops around the shoulders.

Why this could happen: It's the obvious, slam dunk choice that also serves as a callback to Nebraska's first alternate uniform with Adidas.

Why this will not happen: Nebraska's alternate uniform history is very throwback heavy. Plus, Adidas doesn't have a great record of recognizing the elephant in the room.

When they would likely be worn: Friday, September 20 vs. Illinois - the 400th consecutive sellout.

The Blackshirt Alternates

Do you remember the "Everybody Gets a Blackshirt!" alternate uniforms? The ensemble had the classic white Nebraska helmet with everything red switched to black, a black jersey with Blackshirt logos on the sleeves, and white pants with no stripes. They made their on-field debut against Indiana in 2019 (a loss).

The Blackshirt jersey (which essentially is a refined version of what Nebraska wore against UCLA in 2013 - another loss) made a second appearance a year later. In 2020, the Blackshirt jerseys were paired with black pants for a game against Illinois that was, you guessed it, another loss. (Are you seeing a trend?).

I assumed after those two painful losses (and Scott Frost getting fired), the Blackshirt uniforms were gone forever. But recently, the Blackshirt alts have been popping up in numerous recruiting visit photoshoot pictures (such as here, here, and here) raising speculation that they may return in 2024.

With Troy Dannen and Matt Rhule now in charge, will the Blackshirt jerseys come back out? And more importantly: Will Nebraska ever win a game wearing a black jersey? They're currently 0-3 in black, allowing a very un-Blackshirt-like 40 points per game.

When they would be worn: In theory, any of the home games would be on the table. But I have a hard time seeing Nebraska wearing black when their opponent has black as one of their primary colors. That eliminates Colorado and Rutgers (both at home), as well as Purdue and Iowa (on the road).

Adidas Throws a Wildcard

The third option for the alternate uniform is Adidas pulling something out of their….um…. hat.

In 2023, many Adidas schools wore "glow in the dark" alternates. Arizona State, Miami, Georgia Tech, NC State, and other Adidas schools wore some type of superhero costume that would reflect / glow under stadium lights.

Nebraska missed out (he typed sarcastically) on the glow in the dark phase because Adidas was too busy celebrating Memorial Stadium's 100th Anniversary with a thin blue outline around the numbers and a shipment of blue gloves. Is this the year Nebraska takes their turn promoting Adidas's new fantastic fashion feature?

Why this could happen: As one of their premier schools, Adidas obviously wants Nebraska showcasing their latest and greatest technology. The Huskers in turn may want to keep their long-time apparel partner happy.

Why this will not happen: Former Athletic Director Trev Alberts had a stated goal of maintaining brand unity across the department, and his tastes were rather conservative. I've heard that during his tenure, Trev squashed some of the flashier design options that Adidas brought to the table.

Given the necessary lead time for manufacturing alternate uniforms - and the equally important fan merch available at your local retailer - I'd wager that 2024's designs were sent to the overseas factory before Troy Dannen took over.

When they would be worn:  Obviously, it makes sense to wear a glow in the dark uniform for night game.  Currently, the Huskers have four night games on the schedule:  Colorado, Northern Iowa, Illinois, and at Iowa.

In addition to the alternate, could we see other notable changes to Nebraska's uniform in 2024?

2024 marks the 125th season of Nebraska Football.  For the 100th anniversary in 1989, Nebraska wore large patches on both shoulders throughout the season.*

A special version of the "Winning Tradition" patch on the left shoulder would be a nice way to commemorate the 125th season of one of the sport's blue blood programs.

Beyond that, I can definitely see Nebraska wearing an all-white or all-red "color rush" look.  But that's a separate conversation.

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