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Tennessee State Tigers sport new look, attitude
Tennessee State Tigers Coach Rod Reed touts logo changes
By Mike Organ • THE TENNESSEAN • July 27, 2010
A new look for helmets, names on uniforms, and more oversight on discipline are some of the changes new football Coach Rod Reed has put in place at Tennessee State.
Reed revealed the helmet changes Monday at OVC Media Days. The Tigers were picked to finish fifth by the league's coaches and sports information directors.
The new helmets will be white with a similar TSU logo on the sides to those the Tigers had on the blue helmets they've worn since the 1990s. But the logo will now be blue, outlined in red.
There also will no longer be a stripe down the middle of the helmets.
Those helmets, however, won't be worn in the first game.
TSU will have a throwback helmet look for the John Merritt Classic Sept. 4 against Alabama A&M. Those will be white with a large red T and smaller blue S and U, like those worn in the 1960s and '70s when Merritt was the coach.
"The plan is to wear those helmets that one game unless we score 50 points and get to feeling good about it and then we'll stay with the throwbacks the whole year," Reed said. "We just thought we would do that in commemoration of John Merritt.
When my father (Robert) played here (1961-64) that's what they had on the helmets so I thought it'd be nice to throw out there."
The players requested that their names be put on the jerseys as they were before former Coach James Webster removed them in 2005.
They asked early in the spring and Reed offered a deal.
"I said if they did well in the spring and offseason we would do it," Reed said. "We had a really good spring and they showed a lot of commitment with their summer workouts so I felt like I had to reward them.
If they look good, they feel good, and hopefully they'll play good."
It was welcomed motivation for the players, said senior defensive back Eugene Clifford, a preseason All-OVC selection.
"The offense and defense got together a lot more for seven-on-sevens,'' Clifford said. "We got with Vanderbilt's players and worked with them a couple of times."
Reed said he is also handling any discipline issues. Under Webster, the assistants were more involved.
"If the assistants find out about something they tell me," Reed said. "I want the players to understand how important discipline is. And if it's important enough for me to get out of my bed and do a breakfast club with somebody, or stay late after practice to remind them how things are supposed to be done, they'll get the idea."
That's nothing new for the defensive players. Reed was defensive coordinator before being promoted.
"We warned the offensive guys about the kind of disciplinarian Coach Reed is when he got the job,'' senior linebacker Sydney Tarver said. "On offense it was a little looser, but we've always been under his control, pressure, whatever you want to call it."
http://www.tennessean.com/article/201007....titude+for+2010
, Whatever TennSU, you look like The Texas Southern University to me!
