Eagles unveil new Nike Beast and Pro Combat uniforms

Carson-Newman’s football team will wear Nike Beast and Pro Combat uniforms for the upcoming 2013 campaign.

Carson-Newman head coach Ken Sparks entered into an agreement with Nike for the athletic apparel company to supply the football program with its uniforms, cleats, gloves and other gear.

“This will be the first time we’ve been totally Nike across the board,” Sparks said. “We’ve always thought that if we were going to represent the Lord in a first class manner, then we needed to do things first class.  We think these uniforms and this partnership raise us to another level.”

All told, Carson-Newman will have 12 uniform options.  The Eagles would have to play eight home games this year to expunge all their dark-jerseyed uniform options.

“They’re nice, they’re clean,” Carson-Newman safety Sean Rawson said. “It’s a really nice change of pace.”

Carson-Newman’s Nike Beast jerseys are orange with blue numbers trimmed in white on the front, back and shoulders.

The Beast jerseys were custom designed by Nike for Carson-Newman.

“Eagles” is embroidered above the numbers on the front of the jerseys while “R.E.A.L” sits above the numbers on the back.

R.E.A.L is a Sparks’ acronym for “Right Effort, Right Attitude and Right Living.”

The word “faith” adorns the rear of the waistband.

If you combine the tops and bottoms, the jerseys show “Real Faith” on their rears.

“Spectacular,” Carson-Newman all-conference offensive tackle Alex Taylor said with a grin on his face. “Love the combinations, the colors, the style. There’s nothing I would change about them”

The Pro Combat variety comes in blue and white.  The blue has white numbers outlined in orange with a patch of white on the shoulder and sleeves containing a blue Eagles’ wing trimmed in orange.

The white jerseys are a near inverse of the blue.  They contain blue numbers trimmed in orange, but a blue patch on the shoulder and sleeves containing an orange Eagles’ wing trimmed in white.

Carson-Newman’s helmets remain the same orange with the Eagles head on either side.

The Eagles’ will showcase their new jerseys in competition for the first time on Sept. 5 against Wayne State at 7 p.m.

No decision has been made on what combination will be on display in the opener.