Navy and Under Armour unveiled the uniforms the Midshipmen will don when they clash with Army on Dec. 14 in the 120th meeting between the two service academies.
The Maryland-based apparel behemoth collaborated with Navy Athletics to turn back the clock for this year’s design, opting for a vintage look that pays homage to historic Annapolis teams of the 1960s.
The design pays particular respects to two stars — Joe Bellino and Roger Staubach — who won the Heisman Trophy in 1960 and 1963, respectively.
During that four-season stretch, the Mids went 30-12, played in the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl, and most importantly, went 4-0 against another team from West Point.
“All the memories come flooding back when you see a uniform like that,” said retired Rear Adm. Thomas Lynch, who played center for the Midshipmen from 1962-64.
“Just to see that we have the young men on the field in that same tradition, in those same type of uniforms — nothing ever changes.”
Each helmet shell has been painted to mimic both the Navy helmet of the 1960s and the bronze texture of the Heisman Trophy.
Two center stripes and three painted dimples on each front panel recall the actual headgear on the Heisman statue.
The crown of the shell features Staubach’s number 12 and Bellino’s 27.
Insignia patches honoring various naval units adorn the shoulder of each jersey.
“I think this uniform, being able to tie it into our current team and some of the great teams that have come from the past — just the history of the Naval Academy — it’s an awesome tribute to those who have come before,” Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo said.
The Mids currently sit at 9-2 and are ranked 23rd in the AP Top 25. Despite dropping the last three tilts against the Black Knights, Navy leads the overall series 60-52-7.
After finishing with an 11-2 record last year — good for 19th in the final AP poll — Army has sputtered this season to a 5-7 record under head coach Jeff Monken.
Prior to this year, Monken led Army to three straight winning seasons.
The program boasted one winning campaign from 1997 to 2015.
CBS will once again be the broadcast home for the game, which is presented by USAA and kicks off at 3 p.m. at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.
Jon Simkins is the executive editor for Military Times and Defense News, and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.
