Helmet Design Changes compared to Conference Titles

JonDMiller

JonDMiller

Publisher/Founder
In another thread, there is a discussion taking place related to Iowa State's alleged (but unverified) change to yet another helmet design.

They, like any school, are free to make whatever change they want to make of course. However, history is not very kind to such changes as it relates to conference titles.

Steve Deace and I have always shared our theory that the more uniform and/or helmet changes a school makes, you will find a direct correlation to a lack of consistent success on the football field as it relates to conference titles. As in any comparison, there are always outliers, yet I have always assumed our 'hypothesis' was fairly accurate.

Tonight, I went and counted the changes, the results were shocking...as in, 'Yo, we were dead on.'

Here are the number of helmet changes Big Ten schools have made since 1980 (not counting single game changes like for bowls, or throwback games)

Indiana: 10
MSU: 7
Minnesota: 7
Purdue: 6
Illinois: 5
Northwestern: 3
Wisconsin: 3
Penn State: 1
Iowa: 0
Michigan: 0
Ohio State: 0

Now, juxtapose that list against Big Ten titles won (and shared) since 1980:

Michigan: 13
Ohio State: 13
Iowa: 5
Wisconsin: 4
Northwestern: 3
Penn State: 3
Illinois: 3
Michigan State: 2
Purdue: 1
Minnesota: 0
Indiana: 0

It's pretty uncanny, no?

Let's cross examine the changes against winning percentage since 1980:

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Penn State
4. Iowa
5. Wisconsin
6. Michigan State
7. Illinois
8. Purdue
9. Minnesota
10. Northwestern
11. Indiana

Like I said, there are always outliers; Northwestern was so horrendous during the 1980's that they reflect poorly in this comparison. They were arguably the worst major conference program in the 1980's, along with Kansas State. But for most of the rest, the inverse relationship holds steady.

So note to aspiring football programs looking to hoist some iron: keep it simple.

PS: Iowa State has had 8 helmet changes since 1980 and no championships. Not surprising, Texas and Oklahoma have not had a helmet change in that span, and Nebraska had just one.
 
You've let the secret out of the bag. ISU isn't going to change the helmets ever again and they will start winning Big 12 titles in bunches. Thanks Jon! : )
 
Interesting correlation Jon. When teams can't consistently produce on the field the school needs to drum up attention somehow. ISU is a consistent example of that theory.
 
Jon, are your #'s not including teams changing helmets for just a couple games? B/c OSU and Michigan have worn different helmets for certain games. I don't think ISU is changing helmets as much as maybe wearing a helmet for certain game
 
They'd do well to change away from their awful current logo. It would be worth whatever consequences befall them to get rid of that P.O.S.
 
Cyclones17 said:
You've let the secret out of the bag. ISU isn't going to change the helmets ever again and they will start winning Big 12 titles in bunches. Thanks Jon! : )
Click to expand...

It's no secret that crappy teams keep making uniform changes and good teams stay with one uniform.
 
Cyclones17 said:
Jon, are your #'s not including teams changing helmets for just a couple games? B/c OSU and Michigan have worn different helmets for certain games. I don't think ISU is changing helmets as much as maybe wearing a helmet for certain game
Click to expand...

I find this over at cyfanatic as well, you guys have a reading problem.

JonDMiller said:
In another thread, there is a discussion taking place related to Iowa State's apparent change to yet another helmet design.

They, like any school, are free to make whatever change they want to make of course. However, history is not very kind to such changes as it relates to conference titles.

Steve Deace and I have always shared our theory that the more uniform and/or helmet changes a school makes, you will find a direct correlation to a lack of consistent success on the football field as it relates to conference titles. As in any comparison, there are always outliers, yet I have always assumed our 'hypothesis' was fairly accurate.

Tonight, I went and counted the changes, the results were shocking...as in, 'Yo, we were dead on.'

Here are the number of helmet changes Big Ten schools have made since 1980 (not counting single game changes like for bowls, or throwback games)
Click to expand...
 
Cyclones17 said:
That website is not accurate at all. It has ISU's helmet from 4 years ago that they wore for 1 game but yet they don't have all the helmets that Michigan or Ohio State has worn different for 1 game
Click to expand...

What don't you understand? Jon isn't counting that helmet, go back and look and you will find ISU has worn 8 different helmets (NOT COUNTING THE THROWBACK AGAINST IOWA) for a full year since 1980 and some of those years were for 1 year only but changes were still made the following year.
 
Since PSU came to the Big Ten, I don't remember them having anything other then a white helment. According to your numbers, PSU changed once? When was that?
 
HawkeyeJ said:
Since PSU came to the Big Ten, I don't remember them having anything other then a white helment. According to your numbers, PSU changed once? When was that?
Click to expand...

Since 1980 was the parameter I chose, because that pretty much covers the years I can recall watching Big Ten football.

PSU changed their facemask color once in that time, 1987.
 
HawkeyeJ said:
Since PSU came to the Big Ten, I don't remember them having anything other then a white helment. According to your numbers, PSU changed once? When was that?
Click to expand...

He's counting helmet changes since 1980. PSU changed to blue facemasks in 1987. Before they were in the BT, but still since 1980.
 
Actually it's just what I'd expect. There's a clear cause/effect process going on here.

Losing programs (the word "losers" sounds a bit harsh...except in the case of ISU) are constantly trying to reinvent themselves.

Winning programs with tradition don't feel the need to repaint the rec room every 3 years. They stand proud and strong.

There are, of course, exceptions (The University of Nike @ Eugene for example) but I think you'll find this formula to hold true across the country.
 
Section136 said:
Jon- Why dont you consider the ANF stickers a change to our helmets?
Click to expand...

Probably because Iowa didn't change their helmets, they just put a sticker on the helmets they have currently had since 1979.

Say you drive a red car but you want to trade it in for a white one, is putting a white bumper sticker on that red car going to make it like the white one and change it?
 
hawkeyescott said:
Probably because Iowa didn't change their helmets, they just put a sticker on the helmets they have currently had since 1979.
Click to expand...


But they have been on for 2 full seasons and counting since 2009. JD said he wasnt counting one game changes for throwbacks. This has been a consistent change. Not really a big deal to me, I was just wondering if Jon forgot about the ANF stickers or if he does not consider it a "change"?
 
hawkeyescott said:
Say you drive a red car but you want to trade it in for a white one, is putting a white bumper sticker on that red car going to make it like the white one and change it?
Click to expand...


Not going to make it like the white one but it will change the car. JD was talking about changes in football helmets, he never said they had to be completely made over and look nothing like their previous ones (hence including PSU when they changed just the color of their facemask).
 
Section136 said:
Not going to make it like the white one but it will change the car. JD was talking about changes in football helmets, he never said they had to be completely made over and look nothing like their previous ones (hence including PSU when they changed just the color of their facemask).
Click to expand...

The face mask is part of the hardware of the helmet. I'm sure the helmets themselves have been changed as well, that doesn't mean it's been a "design change".

just my take on it, I don't really care enough about it to argue.
 
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