NORMAN, Okla. — The Oklahoma Sooners will debut a new alternate uniform in Saturday’s home game against Kansas.

The “Unity” uniform will honor former Sooner running back Prentice Gautt, the first Black scholarship football player at the University of Oklahoma (OU).

OU said it was designed by student-athletes to emphasize the importance of togetherness and building relationships to better society.

The uniforms will feature anthracite-colored jerseys, pants and helmets with crimson trim and lettering. They say “unity” on the back, “together” sewn in on the collar and has an outline of the state of Oklahoma on the sleeves.

Gautt played on Hall of Fame head coach Bud Wilkinson’s varsity teams from 1957 to 1959. He was a two-time All-Big Eight Conference selection and an Academic All-American in 1958. He earned his undergraduate degree from OU in 1960 and later earned a doctorate in counseling psychology at the University of Missouri.

Gautt played professionally for the Cleveland Browns in 1960 and the St. Louis Cardinals from 1961 to 1967.

Gautt joined the Big Eight as assistant commissioner in 1979, rising through the ranks to the position of associate commissioner of the Big 12 Conference.

“He stood for unity, he stood for doing things the right way. He stood for making sure that you handled academics and football,” said Caleb Kelly, former OU linebacker who is now a director for the football team’s SOUL Mission program. “He was one of the founding fathers who made Oklahoma football what it is and gave all the African American players who have come through OU that opportunity.”

The alternate uniform has been in the works since 2020.

The Sooners and Jayhawks kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Gautt’s widow, Sandra Gautt, who lives in Lawrence, Kan., and Gautt’s son, Roger, will be recognized on the field during a first-half timeout.

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