Under Armour on Thursday unveiled the "next iteration of its 'Maryland Pride' uniforms, featuring a Maryland-flag-inspired red jersey it says will be impossible for opposing players to grab onto," according to Jeff Barker of the Baltimore SUN. The "no grab" technology was "the highlight of the 'Maryland Pride 2.0' uniform." UA Creative Dir for Team Sports Adam Clement said, "It took us three years to develop. It's a proprietary fabric, so it's exclusive to our company. What's unique about this fabric from a football standpoint is it does not stretch. It's impossible to grab." Maryland will "wear the uniforms for the first time" Saturday against West Virginia at M&T Bank Stadium. The helmets, which "also evoke the state flag's Calvert and Crossland coats of arms, are hand-painted and airbrushed to create a sense of motion." The word "MARYLAND" appears in "gold lettering on the backs of the helmets." There are "200 helmets, each identified individually by a barely visible number on the back" (Baltimore SUN, 9/20). COMPLEX.com's Nick Schonberger noted the uniform was inspired by the Maryland flag and "celebrates its four quadrants." A "game-changing individually artist numbered helmet pushes the whole design forward." The helmet is "the big statement." The idea is to "go in a completely different direction than the chrome trend" (COMPLEX.com, 9/19).
