Ranking the Ducks Past Decade of Uniform Combinations: Building a Brand

If you're a fan of the Ducks, then chances are that you're a fan of new and innovative uniform combinations. It's 'Rankings Week' here at Duck Maven, and we continue our deep dive into Oregon's jersey combinations by looking at the early years, and how they set up Oregon as a National Brand.

As the team goes on the mend during their bye week, we want to take the chance to look outside of the box and dive deeper into what got the Oregon program to the level it's at today. We start by ranking what put the Ducks on the map — their flashy uniform combinations. Check back in on Friday to see the next installment.

If you're a fan of Oregon football, chances are that you're a fan of uniform combinations. Sometimes they're flashy, sometimes they're safe, but always they are touted as the newest and sleekest designs, gifted to the school by Uncle Phil and the Nike Corporation. 

While Oregon's peak era of uniform combinations came in the early years of this decade, none of it would have been made possible had they not garnered some attention in the late 2000s. Let's take a look at some of the ways Oregon made a name for themselves at the turn of the decade, and why they caught so many eyes in the first place while building a brand. 

No. 7 | Bucking the National Trend (2008)

Oregon's obsession with uniforms was in its infancy in 2008, but this season would lay the groundwork for what's to come. The tire tread on shoulder pads and knees was considered flashy at the time, and their implementation of white helmets was a welcomed surprise. If you look to see where Oregon started to buck the trend and look different on the field, it all starts here. 

The Good

Oregon's obsession with uniforms started in 2008, and while it may seem tame compared to today's standards, this was revolutionary at the time. While implementing a variation of helmet colors, and utilizing an array of jersey-pant combinations, the Ducks started to make waves across the nation. These Home/Away splits were clean, and they laid the ground work for what's to come. 

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The Great

These white helmets arguably put Oregon on the map, and while they acted as an 'alternative' uniform at the time, they soon gave way to the Ducks trend-setting habit of deploying a new jersey combination each and every week. Do you remember that first time you saw the Ducks wear all white, including their cap? I do. It was magical. Ah, the things we were yet to learn. 

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No. 6 | Introducing Carbon Fiber (2010)

2010 is a year in which the Ducks were finding their way. They introduced a new Carbon-Fiber helmet, that matched nicely with their grey accent colors, but at times it was too muting to the jerseys as a whole. There were very few risks taken, but very few failures at the same time. Although the year ended with a trip to the BCS National Championship Game, the 'electric yellow' implementation soon became cursed because of the outcome. 

The Fine

Carbon-fiber helmets and a disregard for team colors — Oregon had started to find its niche in 2010. While the helmets were sleek and new, they quickly became mundane as new logos were implemented and a broad spectrum of colors became available, but the carbon-fiber designed acted as a launching pad for the Ducks to explore their headgear throughout the years. The bright-yellow tops with matte black caps was also a stable look in the early part of the decade. 

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The Good

It needs to be stated that, like a few other jersey combinations in Oregon history, the uniforms worn at the BCS National Championship Game against Auburn would rank near the top of the list, had the Ducks not suffered a bone-crushing defeat that would reroute the path of success in Eugene for years to come. The 'electric-yellow' mixed with charcoal was a flashy, yet somehow subtle look, and it was a perfect statement on the national stage. As for the all-black, it wasn't the first time this team went 'black-out' and it wasn't their best attempt either, but I'm a sucker for that combination, so it gets a solid ranking here. 

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The Great

There's just something about those white helmets....Again, like the black-out against UW, this wasn't the first time the Ducks went all-white, and it wasn't the best time either. Still, you can't knock that cleanliness, and it's always sure to rank high in my book. As for the white/white/green look, that's just a solid combination that anyone can get behind. 

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No.5 | The Rise of the Shoulder Wing (2009)

Though it ranks at No. 5, this was quite possibly my favorite year of Oregon football uniforms, due only to the introduction of the Shoulder Wings, and the group of players that were wearing them. Think back to this year; TJ Ward, Cliff Harris, Jeff Maehl, Walter Thurmond III, LeGarrette Blount, Eddie Pleasant, and LaMichael James. Need me to keep going? John Boyett, Boseko Lokombo, Kenjon Barner, Spencer Paysinger, Kiko Alonso, Casey Matthews, Lavasier Tuinei, Dion Jordon, Ed Dixson. 

If you made me pick a favorite out of that group of players, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. When you think of Oregon, you think of swagger. When you think of teams with swagger, the 2009 Oregon Ducks take the cake. 

The Fine

They're subtle, but they're clean. They're also sure to kick your ass. Oregon took few risks this season with their jersey combinations, but they didn't need to. The classic 'O' on the helmet was painted over an array of different colors, and the toned down color combinations didn't detract from the winged design on the shoulders. 

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The Good

An underrated combination, the White/Green/Grey combination ranks somewhere in the Top-10 all-time for me, and it could be getting close to Top-5. As stated before, these uniforms just look cooler due to the players who are wearing them. The all-white combination would have been made nicer had they gone with a white helmet as well, but these players in these jerseys are just clean. 

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The Great

Two memorable games for different reasons — Oregon's "Punch Heard 'Round the World" against Boise State to open the year, and their Civil War win to end the season and reach their first Rose Bowl berth since 1994. While these games are well remembered for what happened on the field, they should also be remembered for what the Ducks wore while doing what they did. The throwbacks against OSU were a nice callback to Oregon history as they reached what was the pinnacle of success at that time, and the all-white uni's against BSU just felt different. It was Chip Kelly's first game at head coach, and though it ended in a loss, the drama with Blount marked a major point in history; this Oregon team was ready to punch some people in the mouth. 

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