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EMU will have a new look when they step onto the field against Coastal Carolina on Aug. 31, according to a press release on Friday afternoon.
There are a few notable changes with this particular uniform set, as adidas is in the process of phasing out its old TechFit “tire track” look in exchange for the Primeknit A1’s more subtle mesh look, which incorporates ClimaCool technology.
Besides the “tire track” no longer being a part of the uniform, there’s several notable changes. Starting with the helmet, numbers are no longer a prominent feature on the front. The ribbon has an additional color now, with green outlining the previously white and metallic silver. The block “E” also gets a face lift, with a minor change being made to the metallic silver color, blending it in closer with the helmet’s natural casing while still retaining the diamond plate look.
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The jersey top is where the most change took place. The “tire track” is gone, replaced by a much subtler mesh look that weaves in a concave fashion to incorporate a closer fit. The “Eastern Michigan” nameplate is also gone, replaced by a much smaller and de-emphasized block E. The numbers no longer have a diamond plate in-lay, instead opting for a reflective number with the same mesh as the jersey.
The back also features a lovely state outline with the block E on top of Ypsilanti.
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Pants are a simple mono-color look. The set as a whole seems to de-emphasize the color grey, which had been a prominent feature of recent uniform sets, emphasizing instead the “school’s traditional green color palette.”
(Below is a look at the all-white combo.)
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The new Primeknit A1 kit promises to be a new “body-mapping jersey design” that gives players “enhanced breathability and cooling zones.” A chevron pattern on the external part of the jersey allows for a better fit and higher durability, while the inside part “features silicon grip patterns on the shoulders to lock pads in place.”
EMU is the third MAC team to adapt the Primeknit A1 jersey, with Central Michigan and Ohio also changing over in recent weeks. Miami was the other MAC adidas school with a “tire track” look in 2018, but have thus far not announced any changes.