Illinois football doing unprecedented throwback for the Michigan game

As we prepare for the opening game against Eastern Illinois, there is plenty the Illinois football program should be hyped for entering the 2024 campaign.

Luke Altmyer is entering year two of his reign at quarterback. The former Ole Miss gunslinger has a chance to literally rewrite Illini record books, as the offense is loaded with talent.

While the Illinois players suit up on the field is fun to think about, this season, we are going to see some throwback uniforms as well. Illinois announced earlier this year that for a few games during the 2024 season, the program will be wearing throwback helmets from different decades.

On Wednesday night, Illinois took things a step further. The football program announced that on the October 19 game against Michigan, the Illini will be wearing throwback helmets and uniforms. But this isn’t any ordinary garb that fans alive today remember.

As this is the 100-year rededication to Memorial Stadium, and the incredible game Red Grange had against Michigan that day 100 years ago, Illinois will be wearing a head-to-toe replica of what Grange wore during that legendary performance.

The helmet, while having all of the regular helmet necessities, will have a scheme that of the leather helmet that Grange wore. The jersey will be similar as well, with stripes running down the middle, coming to a point mid-chest.

The decision-making from the Illinois football staff has been on-point with the throwback ideas

For the past few years, I have been calling for Illinois to go with the throwback helmets. I wanted to see the helmets, and jerseys, from the Rose Bowl run in 2007. Finally, we are getting a glimpse of those again.

Now the Illinois football decision-makers are coming out with a Grange tribute for the 100-year rededication game against Michigan. Not only is it a great time to do this tribute, but they knocked everything out of the park.

I feel like, pre-Josh Whitman, the Illinois football decision-making was sub-par. We didn’t really know what we were doing. He has this athletic department working well and we are competent now.

Decisions like this, a big tribute to Grange and some killer uniforms, are great for the Illinois fanbase, and it is something that brings positive attention to the program. Big media outlets picked up the great-looking jerseys, and that positive press is only going to help the team build a brand. This was a great move by the Orange and Blue.