How Arizona's football coach brought levity to the team after its first loss of the season

Everything was business as usual in the Arizona Wildcats’ team meeting until they received a pleasant surprise.

In the days leading up to Arizona’s 41-13 win over Oklahoma State, the players were surprised with new uniforms — the off-white “Sandstorm” look the Wildcats wore on Saturday.

Arizona’s new alternate uniforms were inspired by the Los Angeles Rams’ bone-colored uniforms, and the collar, jersey numbers and patches on the Wildcats’ alternates are red. Arizona also wore candy-red helmets with retro “cactus-sunset” decals.

“They’re fire,” said Arizona wide receiver Tre Spivey, who had three catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma State. “It’s funny, because I was talking to a couple of teammates literally a few weeks ago and was like, ‘Bruh, if we had some white uniforms with red numbers, that’ll be so fire.’”

The uniforms were unveiled to the players during a team meeting. A 6-4 lanky model wearing a No. 81 jersey walked into the meeting room at Lowell-Stevens Football Facility. Arizona’s No. 81 is walk-on wide receiver Scotty Brennan, the son of Arizona head coach Brent Brennan. Except it was the older Brennan in uniform — shoulder pads, helmets, cleats, gloves and all.

“We were in a meeting and he surprised us,” said linebacker Max Harris.

Added Spivey: “It’s funny how Coach Brennan introduced them. He came fully suited and he looked like his son, Scotty. We all thought it was Scotty. It was hilarious.”

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Brennan said he and Scotty Brennan are “built similarly, but Scotty is better-looking.”

“When I took the helmet off, the players were shocked because they thought it was him,” Brennan said. “It was a fun moment. I was really excited about those uniforms. ... The funny part was that they weren’t sure who it was because there was a visor, so they couldn’t see my face.”

Brennan modeled new uniforms “once before” when he was the head coach at San Jose State. After a loss to Iowa State in Ames, the first of the season for the Wildcats, Brennan modeling a uniform for the UA players was a moment of comedic relief.

“These young men that are playing college football here at the U of A, everywhere in college football, they care so much and they put in so much,” Brennan said. “Sometimes it can be a pressured life they live on this level. Football has to be fun. How do we find ways to make it fun? One of the easiest ways to make it fun is to make fun of the head coach looking like a jerk in a college football uniform.”

The new uniform itself “is something fun for the players,” Brennan said.

“I’m a traditional football guy and I love our traditional uniforms,” said the Arizona coach. “We’re blessed with the best colors in all of college sports, but a little variety is fun. It’s great for the players, it’s great for recruiting. ... It’s fun to have a change-up and have some variation in our uniform when we play — every now and then.”