Anything but uniform.

Byline: DUCK FOOTBALL By Rob Moseley The Register-Guard

In a move that blends innovations from each of Oregon's last two uniform changes, the Ducks unveiled a new line of football apparel Wednesday that the athletic department hopes will inspire current players and intrigue recruits, without stretching the souvenir budget for fans or the patience of national media in the process.

The new look builds off the black uniforms unveiled for last year's Civil War and also used in the Holiday Bowl, with minor alterations, most notably to the numerals. There are black, green, yellow and white jerseys, and pants in each of the four colors as well, with white and yellow helmets still in the development stage but eventually expected to augment the green ones currently in use.

The uniforms combine the darker, more intimidating look sought by the Ducks for their 1999 changes, plus the mix-and-match capability that came with the 2003 update. With four jerseys, four pairs of pants and three helmets, the Ducks will have 48 potential combinations at their disposal in the fall.

"There were so many ideas," said UO quarterback Dennis Dixon, one of the current players involved in the design process. "You can only wear one uniform at a time, but I'm looking forward to working with all of them."

The ability to mix different jerseys and pants seems to be the most exciting factor for current players, and the Ducks hope recruits take notice, as well. But there are also practical benefits that presenters tried to stress at Wednesday's unveiling.

Todd Van Horne, the creative director of U.S. sports apparel for Nike, said the fabrics and designs employed in the new uniforms make them 28 percent lighter when dry and 34 percent lighter when wet compared to the previous UO uniforms.

"We're fully confident it's the best uniform in the nation," said Van Horne, whose company designed the uniforms along with Oregon in a project funded under the terms of the athletic department's equipment and apparel contract with Nike.

Besides the numerals, the new uniforms - particularly those in black, green and yellow - closely resemble those used in the final two games of last season. The base color on the chest and back is complemented by another color on the shoulders - green for the black and yellow versions, black for the green jersey - and there is diamond plating on the shoulders and knees.

"Oregon" is printed in block letters down the back of the left thigh, "Ducks" appears above the numerals in front, and an "O" is stamped on the right hip.

New designs by Nike tend to crop up at other schools across the country, but company representatives said there are no plans to replicate the new Oregon uniforms anywhere else.

In particular, said Nike promo product line manager Alec Mattison, "the diamond plating, I doubt you'll see that anywhere."

Oregon also has the inside track on the font for the new numerals, named "Bellotti Bold" after being inspired by ideas from UO coach Mike Bellotti. The numbers have a rounded look and taper from the shoulders to the waist, a marked contrast to the space-age numerals from the Civil War that some observers thought resembled nothing more than masking tape.

"I think these new ones are much improved," Bellotti said.

Van Horne said the new looks were in the works last season, with the black version rushed into production for the Civil War. Alterations were then made this offseason, and indeed continue as Nike searches for white and yellow helmet paints that will allow for a prism effect similar to that of the current green helmets.

When the new helmets are unveiled, they will no doubt elicit a national buzz like that heard in 2003, when the Ducks went to their lightning yellow uniforms and caused a stir among sportscasters and fans across the country. Souvenirs based on the new uniforms were also said to be available as of Wednesday morning, a further burden on fans trying to stay up to date with Oregon's new look, though Bellotti said the changes should simply be viewed as another option for fans.

The changes are in line with Oregon's constantly evolving look over the past decade, beginning with Nike-designed updates for the 1996 Cotton Bowl uniform. In the decade since, the Ducks have now undertaken three dramatic overhauls in style.

"We pride ourselves in never ceasing to be innovative ..." UO athletic director Bill Moos said. "Our tradition at Oregon is being a step ahead."

It's now up to everyone else to get on the same page, considering the Ducks have so many combinations to keep track of. They used nine during last season's 12-game schedule, and could employ a baker's dozen this fall, with a potential bowl game included.

"There are enough uniform combinations now," Bellotti said, "I may have to coach 10 more years to see them all."