Kirk Herbstreit is a man of many strong opinions.
Usually, those opinions are about the play on the field. This one, however, is about what those on the field are wearing.
Herbstreit is heading to Eugene, Oregon, this weekend as College GameDay will be on the ground before the Oregon Ducks take on the Indiana Hoosiers in a top-ten showdown. Perhaps more importantly than how that game will impact the Big Ten and College Football Playoff pictures is whether Indiana can win despite their Adidas uniforms. At least, that’s how Herbstreit sees it.
“The one guy who has a real dilemma on his hands this weekend is none other than Pat McAfee, because he’s got his home squad in their Adidas really bad uniforms,” Herbstreit said on McAfee’s show before launching into his rant. “While I’m at it, the Miami uniforms are hideous as well. It’s hideous. Miami’s uniforms are a disgrace. Indiana’s are trash, their uniforms are terrible.
“The dilemma is that Pat’s got his home team, those Hoosiers, against (Oregon coach) Dan Lanning, you got a real, real, real problem on your hands. It’s awful. Awful.”
McAfee stepped into the corporate-friendly role and defended Adidas’s attempt to be involved in college football, but Herbstreit was having none of it.
“I don’t mind them getting involved. It’s just the uniforms. They need to be redone. They’re terrible. It’s a bad look,” Herbstreit said.
Adidas does the apparel for several high-profile college football programs, including Texas A&M, Nebraska, Indiana, Miami, Washington, Arizona State, Louisville, Georgia Tech, and Texas Tech.
It may just be an idle rant, but Herbstreit’s seemingly harmless rants have led to significant changes before. After Herbstreit launched into an impassioned diatribe about how Miami’s football program had fallen off, that was said to be the impetus for the school to fire Manny Diaz and pull out all the stops to hire Mario Cristobal. Cristobal even thanked Herbstreit in his introductory press conference.
So, if Miami, Indiana, or another school suddenly announces they’re severing ties with Adidas in a few weeks, don’t be too surprised…
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.