Football Uniform Grades.

Written Friday August 4th at 10:00 PM

Updated Saturday August 26th at 8:40 AM

Media Day is now in the books for the season. Now comes the football uniform grades, some I like while some not so much.

Red

Clarkston (Uniform Provider-Nike): No changes to the uniforms. I really like the Wolves uniforms. The road uniforms are all white with blue numbering to go along with white pants with blue stripes on the sides. The blue Michigan helmet makes this look one of the best around the league. The home uniforms are solid as well with the all blue look even though I’m not a huge fan of the white trim on them. The all white look looks very good, wish they would bring back the name plates. They should never go back to gold pants ever again, the record proves it. GRADE A.

Lake Orion (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Dragons went back old school with the football uniforms last season. The all green and all white with the green V-Neck look is classic Lake Orion. There are no stripes or no LO V-neck collar, just a simple classic look with names on the back. The only down side is the road uniforms say DRAGONS as well and not LAKE ORION. The pants have the classic stripes on the sides with the Dragons logo and the green helmet makes it a perfect uniform. Finally a jersey that Coach Chris Bell got right and it’s me approved. GRADE A.

Adams (Uniform Provider-Adidas): The Highlanders have a yellow helmet with the Adams A on one side and the player number on the other side. There was talk about putting the script Adams on them which I questioned why they would do that. The home yellow is okay but not great, it is an upgrade over the brown jerseys and white pants look and or the brown and yellow look. The road whites are different with the brown and yellow stripes on the elbows. I’m not a fan of these jerseys. GRADE C.

West Bloomfield (Uniform Provider-Home/Road/Alt-Nike, Third jersey-Russell Athletic): The Lakers haven’t changed much with their uniforms. The white pants are classic along with the green and white uniforms. The all white look looks like the clone troopers from the Star Wars series. The all black uniforms look solid as well. The military uniforms also look great as well. The helmet needs a paint job. Green helmet would be much better and smoother. GRADE A-

Stoney Creek (Uniform Provider- Home/Road-Under Armor, Alternate-Zenith): I really like the Cougars uniforms. They have name plates on the back and they can wear any pants whether gold, blue, or white. The helmet needs a redesign a little bit. I’m a fan of the gold helmet but not the design with the SC on one side and the player number on the other side. The Armor Up on the V-Neck looks very good. The traditions are great. I didn’t mention their American pride uniforms but they look very good as well. The third jersey is the all gold. I really like that jersey as well. Overall great uniform designs. GRADE A.

Oxford (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Wildcats have a classic simple uniform whether it’s the home blue or road white uniforms. They went with a yellow helmet which is different from past tradition when they wore blue helmets. The new design with the small wildcat with the OHS on top of the sides along with the white stripe doesn't look right. The simple plain uniform looks very nice especially with yellow or blue pants. Oxford should NEVER wear white pants under any circumstance. White pants have been bad luck in the past. GRADE B.

 

 

White

Harper Woods (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Pioneers have an interesting uniform combination. They have three helmets and a very good uniform design. I like the black and maroon helmet much better than their white helmets. The uniform top looks great whether if it’s maroon, black, or white jerseys and pants. The black or maroon helmets make the uniform look very strong but the white helmet,well not so much. GRADE B.

Southfield Arts and Tech (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Warriors finally got out of the Adidas looks and went to Nike last season. The all blue uniforms with red helmet looked very good along with the all white with red helmet as well but I’m not a fan of the Warriors name on the back of the road uniforms. They look so much better in the Nike uniforms and also red helmets which has the Warriors logo on both sides which is great. White is not a good look for the helmet. Great uniform and pants. GRADE A-.

Groves (Uniform Provider-Nike, Alternate-Zenith): The Falcons have a great home uniform but a subpar road uniform. The green helmet is great with the old classic Atlanta Falcons bird on both sides of the helmet. The home green, gold, and black look is a great look for the Falcons. The road white uniforms look odd especially the lettering in gold. It’s not like two years ago with that look, now that was a great look, the current look not so much. The alternate uniforms look good, the yellow jerseys look solid with the Falcons wings on the top of the jerseys. The greens look fine, the white needs a ton of work. GRADE C.

Rochester (Uniform Provider-Under Armor): The Falcons finally went back to tradition and no gimmicks. Rochester has an all blue uniform with a blue helmet and a road white look with a blue helmet. They have an alternate black look for a game if it’s a big one. I like that they finally figured out the uniform design and not go all Oregon like they did a few years ago which was the definition of fashion disaster. GRADE A.

Bloomfield Hills (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Blackhawks went back to black helmets which made the most sense and brought a black uniform with purple lettering. I like this uniform a lot. The white uniforms look too plain. The home black looks good, the white needs to bring back the opposite elbows. GRADE B.

Farmington (Uniform Provider-Nike): This is not the best design when it comes to uniforms. I don’t like the helmet being white but the Falcon wings make up for it. The all blue look looks very good but the helmet doesn’t click. If there is a team that could go back to a classic look like they did with the Penn State look then Farmington might have a great shot to do so. GRADE B.

 

 

Blue

North Farmington (Uniform Provider-Adidas): The Raiders are going with three jerseys. The Adidas logo scares me but Coach Jon Herstein loved the new look especially the black with the brown trim and the same with the white with brown trim. They finally got out of the white helmets. The all white look with the gold helmet would look great along with the all black and golds as well. Great look, not a fan of the provider. GRADE B.

Seaholm (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Maples went back to Maple helmets and went with an all Maple look at home and all white on the road. I think its okay but it’s not like the uniforms from three years ago. I wished the Maple helmet were with the old uniforms of the past. It’s an okay look but the jerseys are too plain but if they bring back the opposite elbows then yippie. GRADE B.

Troy (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Colts finally got Nike uniforms and they look as sharp as ever. The home black has the COLTS name while the road white has TROY. I wish they would put name plates on the back of the road uniforms but they got the all black and the all white look finally nailed down. GRADE A.

Troy Athens (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Red Hawks classic uniform design I really like with the gold helmet, red jersey, and gold pants. It’s the traditional look and the ATHENS crest looks sharp. The all white on the road looks very strong as well. I would like for Coach Tom Cook to at least put a Red Hawk on the helmet and not an A. They took the name plates off which was very sad. I like the Nike uniforms they wear. GRADE A.

Oak Park (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Knights changed uniforms last season. I really like the home red uniforms with the name OAK PARK on the crest with white pants with the Knights logo. The all white look looks great with the black helmets however the rumor on the street is that the Knights are going to white helmets. Overall I like the uniform design looks good but if they change to white helmets that’s a bit of a concern. GRADE B.

 

 

Gold

Berkley (Uniform Provider-Nike): Berkley went back to the old tradition but something a bit different. They will have maroon helmets with the same design which is fine but they are bringing back the blue uniforms which looks great and white pants on both home and road. Overall I’m going to miss the all maroon look but the old school and the all white on the road looks great anyway. GRADE A.

Royal Oak (Uniform Provider-???): The Ravens kept their uniforms from last season. The home black jerseys have the Ravens name in white with blue numbering. The elbows are much better with the blue, white, blue stripes. The road ones are the same design. They have a black helmet to go with it. I forgot the provider but they look fine. GRADE A.

Ferndale (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Eagles kept the same look with the all brown look. They still have an all yellow look and an all white look as well. The helmet is dark brown which I really like a lot. This is a great uniform that can make the colors work to their advantage. GRADE A.

Pontiac (Uniform Provider-Home/Third jerseys Russell Athletic, Road-Nike): The Phoenix have a solid color scheme. Pontiac has purple uniforms with black pants at home. They wore a new black uniform with purple wings on them. The road is white with all white uniforms with the purple helmet. I really like the purple even though Pontiac has two different uniform providers, I’ll live with it. GRADE A.

Avondale (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Yellow Jackets changed their home uniforms last season. I really like their home purple uniforms with the yellow pants. It is very classic. I am not a fan of their road uniforms. The changed the road uniforms by going to Nike. The all black third jerseys look very good as well for the Yellow Jackets. Finally a clean look. GRADE A