By Alyssa Chrisope
In honor of the Lone Survivor Foundation, the Texas Tech Football team will be wearing special uniforms and host Purple Heart recipients at Saturday’s game against Kansas State.
Texas Tech football will honor men and women who have served our country during their last home game. The Red Raiders will take the field in specially designed uniforms that honor the Lone Survivor Foundation whose mission is to restore, empower, and renew hope of our wounded service members and their families.
The uniforms will be all grey with a winged design on the shoulder. This design is inspired by the LSF logo and incorporates the number 19 that represents the number of soldiers who gave their lives during Operation Red Wing. The words “Never Quit” will be printed on the helmet, on the shoulders and pants.
Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury said it was an honor to be selected and this will motivate the team by playing for a cause.
“The Lone Survivor, we were very honored to be part of that, the story behind it, and they selected us to do it, which is a huge honor,” Kingsbury said. “Our players know all about it going into the game. Yeah, that should be plenty of motivation going out there and wearing that and playing really hard for that cause.”
In order to benefit the foundation the game worn jerseys will be auctioned off and 100 percent of the proceeds will support the Lone Survivor Foundation. Senior wide receiver Eric Ward said wearing this uniform and honoring the people who risk their lives means a lot.
“It means a lot,” Ward said. “It’s for a special cause and for special individuals that go out and lay their life on the line, to do something so great for Americans, that means a lot.”
Texas Tech will also host Purple Heart recipients at Saturday’s game. This is expected be the largest gathering of Purple Heart recipients in American history with more than 400. The Purple Heart is given to members of the armed forces who are wounded and or the kin in the name of those who were killed in action or by wounds received in action.
Among these recipients are Tim Kingsbury who is the father of Kliff Kingsbury and Guffrie Smith the father of Tech head basketball coach Tubby Smith. Kingsbury said it is a huge honor to have his father here and is something he has always been proud of.
“That’s a huge honor. Something I’ve always been very proud of,” Kingsbury said. “He’s a marine, Purple Heart recipient and Vietnam vet. That’s something I’ve always been proud of. So it will be great to have him here and be part of that.”
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