The Ball

[WoodsmanVol]

When did, and why did the football transform from brown or tan to black? I didn't notice this until Okie game.

 

[VOLfrombama]

The ball is dark brown, not black. You can actually see the reddish-brown color around the laces. Its definitely not light brown, but ot black either.

 

[farmdogvol]

When did, and why did the football transform from brown or tan to black? I didn't notice this until Pkie game.

I noticed other games using black balls also, Nike footballs.

 

[TexasVolfan1]

The ball is still a brown/tan color, it’s the process they use to prep and break in the balls that makes them darker. It’s called mudding almost all football programs do some variation of it.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

The ball is dark brown, not black. You can actually see the reddish-brown color around the laces. Its definitely not light brown, but ot black either.View attachment 680364

From a distance, it looks black. From as far back as I can recall, Wilson, Spaulding, Rawlings, Adidas and other balls were clearly either brown or tan. I can't recall any dark brown or black balls. I guess Nike will come up with a blue or purple ball soon, they mess up everything else, including golf clubs.

 

[HookerToHyatt115]

I Think Nike balls are faded plus it has been used.

 

[VOLfrombama]

The ball was probably wet too, making it look darker than it previously was. That field was pretty wet once the dew fell.

 

[VOLfrombama]

From a distance, it looks black. From as far back as I can recall, Wilson, Spaulding, Rawlings, Adidas and other balls were clearly either brown or tan. I can't recall any dark brown or black balls. I guess Nike will come up with a blue or purple ball soon, they mess up everything else, including golf clubs.

Blue balls imo

 

[WillisWG]

 

[aRmo]

When did, and why did the football transform from brown or tan to black? I didn't notice this until Okie game.

IDK how they found the actual game ball. When Nico first gave him the gameball after the game, Josh gave it to a GA, then the GA gave it to another GA who tossed it in the ball bag.

 

[volunator]

Could be just schweddy balls!

 

[livefaith]

Fun Facts: UT started using GST "orange" colored balls in 2002. Casey Clausen fumbled it in the wet v UF 62 times in a row, to complete yet another inexplicable meltdown v the Gators. From the point we adopted that ball, our FB program decended into the dark ages of our proud history. Balls matter.

 

[#1fulmerite]

When did, and why did the football transform from brown or tan to black? I didn't notice this until Okie game.

OP, I noticed this a couple/few years ago first, in an NFL game. Though I watch football, I didn’t really pay much attention to it. However, I very much noticed it again Saturday evening watching from T.V. I have the exact same question.

 

[Volnanza]

Fun Facts: UT started using TST "orange" colored balls in 2002. Casey Clausen fumbled it in the wet v UF 62 times in a row, to complete yet another inexplicable meltdown v the Gators. From the point we adopted that ball, our FB program decended into the dark ages of our proud history.

Oh my God. The fumble fest. I swear some gator fan had a voodoo doll of Clausen and they jabbed it every time we snapped the ball. I've never seen anything like that.

 

[LittleVol]

When did, and why did the football transform from brown or tan to black? I didn't notice this until Okie game.

The ball is wet. That’s why it looks black

 

[Orangeburst]

ball was wet from their tears

 

[bigorangepoppa]

With it being a darker color, it could make it easier for receivers to spot the ball in the air.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

With it being a darker color, it could make it easier for receivers to spot the ball in the air.

At night?

 

[bigorangepoppa]

At night?

See how much I thought that through? Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Dirtyhairies]

The ball is a lot darker than it was just a few years ago

 

[Dirtyhairies]

View attachment 680531
The ball is a lot darker than it was just a few years ago

Heres a comparison to last time we played there

 

[greenbacknative]

Could be just schweddy balls! View attachment 680390

this skit is priceless !

 

[volinSmyrna]

View attachment 680531
The ball is a lot darker than it was just a few years ago

It's from the mudding process the poster above referenced. I'm guessing they used to just use wax which doesn't discolor the balls as much, but mudding is much better. It's not surprising that Butchy boy and company didn't know/think about mudding. CJH being very sensitive to the nuances of the QB position would obviously value the mudding process.

 

[Milehigh_Vol]

When did, and why did the football transform from brown or tan to black? I didn't notice this until Okie game.

Its the breaking in process, wax, rubbing and heat will change the color. The area where the ball gets touched the most will turn darker.

Kicking balls are broke in a different way vs throwing balls, this causes them to look different from each other.

Balls matter and every player that uses them likes them differently broken in.

 

[gule]

that sounds hurtful.