The University of West Georgia football team unveiled its new uniforms on Friday afternoon, one day before this evening’s scrimmage leading into the Aug. 29 season opener at Wingate.

While UWG’s new look showcases some elements never seen in a West Georgia football uniform before, it also represents a return to tradition in many areas.

“We’re ready to start a new era here,” UWG coach Daryl Dickey said. “We have the attitude that we’re done with the past and it’s time to move everything into a new day.”

Fans wishing to get a full look at the new-look Wolves can catch up with the team on Sunday at West Georgia’s annual Fan-Photo Day. Activities begin at 1 p.m. at the practice fields on the UWG campus. The scrimmage is set for tonight at 6:30 at Observatory Field.

UWG will continue to wear blue jerseys at home, marking its 13th straight season since changing from red jerseys after the 1996 campaign.

The blue jerseys, which are identical in style to the white road jerseys, have a UCLA-style shoulder stripe. This marks the first time since 1992 (blue) and 1993 (white) that UWG has worn a striped jersey. The pants, which are white for both home and away games, feature a traditional stripe for the first time since the 1990 season.

However, the biggest return to tradition for the Wolves’ uniforms is the switch back to red helmets. The new headgear features a single, wide, white stripe down the middle and a large, prominent “UWG” logo on each side.

“That UWG logo will really show up well in pictures and on TV,” Dickey said. “When you see it, you will know you’re watching West Georgia.”

One special addition to this season’s helmet is the placement of the number “76” on the back of each helmet. The tribute is to Willie Pitts, the sophomore-to-be defensive tackle who lost his life March 14. Pitts died due to injuries sustained in auto accident while traveling home on spring break.

Though Dickey was excited to put the new uniforms on display, he noted that uniforms don’t win games.

“But our players are very excited about the new look, and something that gets the players excited is always a positive,” Dickey said.