Does Wisconsin Football Need a New Look?

Circa 1990, Barry Alvarez came into Madison with a vision, and he felt that the Wisconsin football program needed a complete overhaul.

That overhaul included the visual aspects of the team. The “Block W” became the more modern “motion W” and was part of a necessary mindset change for everyone inside Camp Randall.

Since then, Wisconsin has won many-a games, with multiple Rose Bowls and other bowl games all over the country. The “motion W” is synonymous with Wisconsin football. Consequently, you could see it worldwide and know exactly what it represents.

A New Opportunity for Wisconsin Football

The question now is if we’re in a similar boat. The Wisconsin football program is nowhere near the pathetic place they were almost 25 years ago. But there’s no arguing that UW is entering a new age in its program. Are we in store for another rebranding?

All things considered, there is no wrong answer here. All over social media, people get into arguments about what’s “fire” and what’s lame. While those are fun, it’s a matter of opinion. I know that all too well because I’m one of the only people on the planet who LOVE the Maryland flag helmets.

We just saw an example of this at the Kohl Center when the basketball team premiered a black jersey with red lettering and gold accents. They have done this annually for the past handful of seasons as a player-designed jersey.

They’ve become a fan favorite every year. (Pump that “block W” Bucky right into my veins!)

Will Luke Fickell Take This Approach with Wisconsin Football?

It seems relatively likely that Luke Fickell will allow for something similar with the Wisconsin football program. He did it at his previous spot in Cincinnati. Likewise, there has been strong support in the locker room for the rebranding, and none more vocal than Sophomore RB Braelon Allen.

Kicking off 2023 with an @UnderArmour X @BadgerFootball “Blackout” design.

RT if you think @CoachFick needs to bring these out in 2023! Thank you for supporting my graphic design work.

Feat. @chez_mellusi , @BraelonAllen , @chimdk11 pic.twitter.com/Ky1akHBjBa

— Mike Murphy (@RealMikeMurph) January 2, 2023

I’ll attempt to achieve the impossible, which is explaining what is in my what I’d love to see when Wisconsin football sets foot on Barry Alvarez’s field next season.

For instance, I love the black jersey idea. Gold lettering would look great! I was inspired by the basketball team adding gold into the equation. Make that helmet gold with the red “motion W” and the black outline. Along with that, black should be the pants of choice.

The Beauty of the Game

I used to think that consistent programs don’t need to change their image, and I haven’t completely jumped off that stance, for the record. Teams like Alabama, Penn State, and USC are all classics.

We can have traditional looks for some and programs with a more modern look for others too. What works for some won’t work for others. And that’s ok. Because of that, we get some variety in this game.

Let us know what you think. Do you think Wisconsin football should stick with that classic look or rebrand? Conversely, How do you imagine the new look?

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