ATHENS — All white is all the rage.
That seems to be the consensus after the Georgia Bulldogs unveiled all-white uniforms – including white helmets – for recruits to try on during a huge official-visit weekend this past weekend. Among the notable top 100 recruits to post pictures in the never-before-worn outfits was five-star quarterback prospect Arch Manning of New Orleans.
“The all-whites are dope,” four-star running back recruit Justice Haynes of Buford High told DawgNation. “There is just something about that all-white with the red stripe on the helmet that sets it off. It looks clean. It sets it off. … I really, really like that look.”
Georgia traditionalists can relax, however. While all-white “unis” were a hit with recruits, the Bulldogs specially ordered only a handful of them specifically for use during recruiting visits and have no plans to wear them this season or anytime soon.
Asked about the chances of Georgia playing a game in the all-white uniforms, a person familiar with Bulldogs’ football operations responded with an all-cap text: “ZERO.”
Many longtime Georgia fans are anxious when it comes to alternate uniforms for the Bulldogs. UGA’s history in non-traditional looks – that is, something other than silver “britches,” red or white jerseys and red helmets with a black “power G” – is not as bad as many think. But colossal losses to Alabama in all-black in 2008, to Florida in black helmets in 2009 and to Boise State in a specially designed, all-red getup to start the 2011 season created a complex among some fans when the Bulldogs step out in anything other than traditional garb.
Georgia actually has worn all-black uniforms a few times under coach Kirby Smart. The last time was the 2021 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Cincinnati, which the Bulldogs won 24-21. Smart has maintained that black is one of the school’s colors, so it shouldn’t be a big deal when the team chooses to wear it.
However, he also said he doesn’t think the team should ever depend on uniform colors to create “juice,” or motivation. Smart was the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator in 2008 when Georgia went all-black against them, and he said it provided the visitors with extra motivation.
Not coincidentally, Smart’s Georgia teams typically have worn black only against non-Power Five opponents. However, the Bulldogs wore an alternate road uniform against Arkansas in 2020 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1980 national championship team. Georgia won that game 37-10.
Of course, Oregon – UGA’s opponent in its season opener in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game Sept. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium – wears a different uniform pretty much every week. That had the Bulldogs’ recruits wondering if the Bulldogs might break out the all-whites against the Ducks.
“Oregon is known for the flashy uniforms,” Haynes said. “If they came out in all-whites, then Georgia would have a little flash to themselves, too. That would be pretty cool.”
Indeed, but apparently that’s not going to happen.
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