Just about everything went right in FAMU’s season-opening win vs. Texas Southern last week. And FAMU couldn’t get right at all against Arkansas, losing the game 49-7 and losing timeouts for their jerseys.
The Rattlers rocked their white jerseys with white numbers (outlined in green and orange), violating a NCAA rule that states that jersey numbers must ‘clearly contrast with the body of the jersey.” The price they paid was giving up one time out at the start of each quarter, so they ended up with only two timeouts instead of the allotted six.
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Neither the rule, nor the jerseys are new, but this is the first time FAMU was penalized for them.
FAMU wearing illegal uniforms and get charged a timeout…we had ALL OFFSEASON TO FIX THE JERSEYS ???
— C. Ford (@C_Ford87) September 1, 2017
It’s a rule we probably should have known, frankly,” Athletic Director Milton Overton told Tallahassee.com. “However the rule changed two years ago around the same time we purchased the jerseys. We played all last year — the official (Thursday) brought it to our attention.”
FAMU, which switched to Nike from Russell in 2016, wore the jerseys for every away game last season.
The good news for FAMU is after playing two games in less than a week, it won’t have to suit up again until it meets up with Tennessee State in the Tampa Classic on Sept. 16.
Just fix it and wear the older white ones that not illegal and purchase the proper white set with green numbers or orange from Nike. Sell the current white set as a fundraiser.