VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL MEMORANDUM May 22, 2014 TO: NCAA Head ...

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

MEMORANDUM

May 22, 2014

TO: NCAA Head Football Coaches, Conference Football Coordinators of
Officials, Division I Football Conference Administrators and Divisions II
and III Conference Commissioners.

FROM: Troy Calhoun, chair
NCAA Football Rules Committee

Rogers Redding, secretary-rules editor
NCAA Football Rules Committee.

SUBJECT: Requirements for Football Uniform Jerseys.

The NCAA Football Rules Committee has become increasingly concerned about
the proliferation of jerseys that do not meet the requirements stated in the playing
rules. This letter is intended to draw attention to these rules so that equipment
manufacturers, member institutions and game officials will have a clear
understanding of what is permissible and the ramifications of a team wearing non-
compliant jerseys. The relevant regulations are in Rules 1-4-4, 1-4-5 and 1-4-8.

If you have a uniform that may be in question, you should share your design first
with your conference coordinator of officials. The coordinator, in turn, will
communicate any questions or concerns to the NCAA Secretary-Rules Editor,
Rogers Redding, before responding. Teams may elect to copy Rogers
([email protected]) on their correspondence with their respective
coordinator, but the conference office should be the first reviewer.

1. Jersey Color—Home Team

a. The home team must wear colored jerseys. White jerseys are allowed
for the home team only if the two teams have agreed in writing before
the season.

b. The home team jersey must be of such a color that it clearly and
unquestionably is in distinct contrast with the white jersey worn by the

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May 22, 2014
Page No. 2
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visiting team. Jerseys that are gray or light yellow, for example, are very likely not to
comply with this rule.

2. Jersey Color—Visiting Team

a. The visiting team must wear white jerseys.
Exceptions:
(1) The visiting team has agreed in writing before the season that the home team
may where white jerseys (I-a above). In this case, the visitor must wear its
colored jerseys.
(2) The teams have agreed in writing before the season that both teams will wear
colored jerseys. In this case, the conference of the home team must certify that
the visiting team’s jersey is of a contrasting color. If at the start of each half
the visiting team is wearing a colored jersey without having met these
conditions, there will be a 15-yard penalty on each opening kickoff for
unsportsmanlike conduct.

3. Jersey Numerals

a. Size and type
The jersey must have clearly visible, permanent Arabic numerals measuring at least 8
inches on the front of the jersey and at least 10 inches on the back. If there are
numerals on any other part of the jersey, they must correspond to the mandatory front
and back numerals.

b. Color
The numerals must be of a color that clearly and distinctly contrasts with the color of
the jersey. This requirement for a contrasting color applies to the numeral itself,
irrespective of any border around it. If there is any question as to whether the
colors of the numerals contrast with the color of the jersey, they are deemed
NOT to contrast. To assist with designing a uniform, a white jersey should have a
dark colored number; a colored jersey should have a white or light colored number.

c. Violations
Jersey numbers that do not conform to the rules constitute illegal equipment. Rule 1-
4-8 requires that a player who is wearing illegal equipment may not be allowed to
play, and his team shall be charged with a timeout. When this rule originated, the
rules committee did not anticipate that an entire team would be wearing illegal
equipment. Therefore, to address this issue the rules committee has confirmed a 2013
interpretation by making the following rule clarification:

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May 22, 2014
Page No. 3
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Beginning in 2014, if a team is wearing jerseys with numerals that do not clearly
and distinctly contrast with the color of the jersey, the team will be asked to
change into compliant jerseys before the game and before the start of each
quarter until the jerseys are changed. Officials shall charge a team timeout at
the start of each quarter in which the non-compliant jerseys are worn.

TC/RR:bw

cc: NCAA Football Rules Committee
Selected NCAA Staff Members