Tennessee Football to Honor Pat Summitt with ‘Summitt Blue’ Accessories
University of Tennessee Vols to Wear Special Uniforms in Homecoming Game
Tennessee football will pay tribute to the legendary coach Pat Summitt during their upcoming home game against UConn. The Vols announced on Thursday that they will be incorporating ‘Summitt Blue’ accessories into their traditional home uniforms.
The ‘Summitt Blue’ accessories, which feature the same color used by the Lady Vols in their uniforms, were first introduced last season to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Title IX movement. The Vols wore these accessories during their Homecoming game against UT Martin, where they emerged victorious.
In addition to honoring Pat Summitt, the Vols will also be raising awareness for Alzheimer’s disease, as November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. Head coach Josh Heupel expressed the team’s commitment to supporting Alzheimer’s research by offering a commemorative cup for purchase, with all proceeds going to UT Medical’s research on the disease.
The highly anticipated Homecoming game between No. 17 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC) and Connecticut (1-7) is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on the SEC Network this Saturday.
Tennessee has a rich history of showcasing different uniforms throughout the season. They recently wore their traditional home uniforms, consisting of white helmets, orange jerseys, and white pants, in their victory over Texas A&M. Prior to that, they debuted the “Artful Dodger” uniform in honor of former UT quarterback Condredge Holloway during their home-opener against Austin Peay.
The “Artful Dodger” uniform is part of the Smokey Grey series, which introduces a new uniform each season. This particular uniform paid homage to Holloway, who became the first Black quarterback to start in the SEC 51 years ago. It combined elements of the Smokey Grey uniform with the jersey Holloway wore during his historic start at Georgia Tech.
Throughout the season, the Vols have also sported orange “britches” to complement their traditional orange jerseys and donned all-black uniforms for a night game against South Carolina. The all-black uniforms made a rare appearance, with Tennessee only wearing them five times in program history.
Last Saturday, the Vols showcased their all-white uniforms in a victory against Kentucky. This marked the third time this season that Tennessee wore the all-white ensemble, having previously worn it in games against Florida and Alabama.
As the Vols prepare to take the field in their special ‘Summitt Blue’ accessories, they aim to honor the legacy of Pat Summitt and raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease. Fans can show their support by purchasing the commemorative cup, with all proceeds contributing to Alzheimer’s research at UT Medical.