On Thursday, just days after it unveiled an entirely new uniform set, the West Virginia football program revealed a black alternate design that pays homage to the state’s coal mining history.
“Our staff did a great job with the design and rollout of our traditional complement of uniforms last week, but we wanted to have an alternate that our student-athletes would enjoy and would connect with West Virginians,” athletic director Wren Baker said in a press release.
The black jerseys prominently display the same “West Virginia” wordmark as the Mountaineers’ new white road jerseys above reflective silver numbers that embody reflectors used for safety and navigation in a mine.
Both the collar and sleeves include a coal-like pattern that was sourced from the Leer Mine in Grafton, West Virginia, while the latter also features a reflective stripe that mimics the safety stripes on a miner’s work uniform.
Additionally, the sleeve cuffs include a jagged pattern designed to replicate the blade of a mine shearer, a tool that is considered the backbone of mining operations.
The aforementioned coal-like pattern and safety stripes are carried over to the side panels of the black pants, which feature the Flying “WV” inside of a white state outline on the right hip.
The uniforms are complete with matte black helmets featuring the same state outline logo on the sides and metallic gray flecks throughout to resemble the shimmer of fresh-cut coal.
The stripe down the center also includes the same coal-like pattern as the jerseys and pants, but fade from white to transparent to give the impression of the light from a miner’s headlamp.
“If our football team was going to have a black alternate uniform, we wanted it to tell a story and it mean something to our fans,” Baker said. “Every design element of the uniform has been researched, carefully thought out and implemented based on what our designers observed on their visit to the mine.
“Coal mining has a deep history in West Virginia, and the work ethic of coal miners is woven into the fabric of our culture. Our football team looks forward to honoring the rich tradition and history of West Virginia’s coal mining industry, and we are thankful to all our staff members who contributed to the design and implementation of these uniforms.”
It’s unclear when the uniforms will make their on-field debut, though it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them in the season opener against Penn State, provided it’s a night game at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium.