When athletes talk about National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) team uniform restrictions, they’re usually rolling their eyes. The general consensus is that the NCAA is awfully picky and could probably be focusing its energy elsewhere. Nonetheless, athletes must heed its rules. If you don’t want to get sidelined, you should be aware of some of the recent changes to football uniform regulations.

The Nitty-Gritty

The coaches will probably keep their teams in compliance, which is good news. NCAA restrictions are dense reads with a lot of detail. Most of it is common sense. If you have a question about whether something is allowed, you can assume that it’s not. The bottom line is that a good sport does not express him- or herself through team fashion. Even the eye black that many players apply to their faces to reduce glare is regulated (rule 1-4-6-e). Eye black must be solid black, with no words, numbers, or symbols written on it—sorry, no university logos or Bible verses.

Social Justice

Last summer, the NCAA’s Playing Rules Oversight Panel made a big concession: it agreed that players could wear patches on their uniforms to honor causes. One patch can be worn on the front of the uniform and one on the back, not to exceed 2¼ inches in diameter. Players are also now authorized to replace their last names on their jerseys to pay tribute to an issue or to serve as a memorial.

2018 Crackdown

The NCAA got a lot of attention with its amendments in 2018, which essentially translated to “less skin.” Here’s an overview:

• Stomachs must be covered. Players can’t wear their jerseys above their stomachs.
• Uniform base layers can’t be visible under the jersey.
• Backplates must be fully covered.
• Kneepads must stretch below the knee. The pads as well as the pants and socks must protect the knee.

MK Socks takes NCAA team uniform restrictions seriously, and we do our best to ensure players don’t run afoul of them. We do our part the only way we know how: by selling custom team socks that have the support and elasticity players need to keep those knees concealed. Contact us with any questions you have or to order premier socks that can give you a competitive edge.