Don't expect Texas AD Chris Del Conte to stray from tradition anytime soon

NIL deals, in-stadium sponsorships, increased media presence... It's all a part of the modern world of college football.

Now, we're seeing some of the biggest names in the sport sell their souls (or, just naming rights, to be more accurate) to corporations to add their logo on jersey patches.

However, even as powerhouse teams like the Ohio State Buckeyes, Georgia Bulldogs, Oregon Ducks, and others grasp at as many funding straws as possible, the Texas Longhorns have seemed to adamantly dismiss the latest trend.

This has been exactly what fans have wanted to see. The University of Texas Longhorns do not need, nor want, a brand sponsorship on their jerseys.

Yet, fans have started to hint at the idea that they would like to see one change... and that has most recently come in the form of alternate uniforms. Even with the dawn of the 2026 season just one night's sleep away, fans have started to ask if a blackout uniform, a black-and-white combo, or anything other than the two mainstays of Texas football would be possible.

All of that has been met by a swift but clear response from athletic director Chris Del Conte, who has made the Texas athletic department the premier program in the country.

"No, sir," Del Conte responded to one request for blackout jerseys. "Embrace the tradition that is Texas!"

Longhorns are going to stick to burnt orange and white uniforms

Of course, there are teams across the country that create alternate uniforms for any given season. The Oregon Ducks are one of the best-known programs to do this, and dozens of other teams are jumping aboard the trend, even including teams in the SEC like Tennessee and Texas A&M.

However, with how bluntly and unequivocally Del Conte responded, it would take a big change for the Longhorns to turn to any uniform combinations other than their traditional burnt orange and white options.

And, it isn't every fan who wants to see alternate uniforms, with quite a few of the Texas faithful speaking out against fans who are asking to see black or grey, or something else.

"Some of y’all need your Twitter privileges revoked for wanting this," one fan wrote on X, including edited pictures of Texas's uniforms.

There is a reason that Del Conte loves to reiterate the phrase, "The pride and winning tradition of The University of Texas will not be entrusted to the weak or the timid," and that is because the Longhorns have earned the type of tradition that a team can be proud of.

This year, the Horns are going to march to the beat of their own drum (Big Bertha), and will do so in burnt orange or white, with no other colors encroaching on tradition.

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