A closer look at Tennessee Football's new 'Volunteer Spirit' Smokey Grey uniform
Tennessee Football’s Smokey Grey alternate uniform for the 2025 season pays homage to the United States Armed Forces, with the new look designed in collaboration with the Tennessee Military Department, the 134th Air Refueling Wing in East Tennessee and the Tennessee National Guard
“For centuries,” the Vols wrote on Thursday while unveiling the uniform, “Volunteers have always answered the call through service, sacrifice and selfless leadership. This is the Volunteer Spirit.”
Tennessee will wear the new Smokey Grey uniform against New Mexico State on November 15 at Neyland Stadium, when the Vols host their annual Salute to Service Weekend.
The Smokey Grey Series was announced before the 2022 season, with Tennessee wearing a new version of the alternate uniform for four straight seasons.
Here’s a closer look at the newest look in the series:
The Helmet
The traditional Smokey Grey helmet, with a black facemask and the Smokey Mountains silhouetted around the shell, features ‘The Davy Stripe’ on both sides of the orange helmet stripe, a tribute to Davy Crockett.
The stripe is “a modern take on Crockett’s famous, fringed uniform in grey, flanks the orange center stripe of the helmet and is prominently displayed on the sleeves of the jersey.
The “star Vols” logo also makes its return — for the first time since the turn of the century, according to Tennessee — on the front bumper of the helmet.
The Jersey
After using a Tennessee word mark across the chest, the 2025 uniform has Volunteers just above new stencil numbers, orange block numerals outlined in gray.
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“Inspired by the military standard,” the Vols wrote, “this (number) font ensures numbers stay sharp and legible through any challenge.”
The Davy Stripe is also used on the jersey sleeves, above Tennessee orange piping.
The two-tone grey used on the jersey and pants is “a combination resembles a similar look of steel forged from military artillery,” according to the Vols.
“‘Volunteers’ is proudly etched across the chest of the jersey. Each stitch woven into the fabric of the uniform serves as a tribute to the state’s rich military heritage. Sharp, stencil numbers on the front, back and shoulders of the jersey, as well as the back of the helmet, are inspired by military standard font.”
The Pants
The “star Vols” logo is also on the pants — in a “military-inspired patch” — along with Tennessee orange piping on the pants stripe, as well as The Davy Strip seen on the helmet and the jersey’s shoulders.
Tennessee noted that its in-house creative agency, “151 Creative”, worked alongside Tennessee’s equipment staff and Nike to create the uniform.
“One of the unique pieces of the project was the conception of a ‘Volunteer Spirit’ Tennessee Tri-Star logo as an homage to the 134th Air Refueling Wing. The creative team brought all of the elements to life during a content shoot in May thanks to the service members at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base.”
