Helmet stickers, also known as reward decals and pride stickers, are stickers that are affixed to a high school or college football player's helmet. They can denote either individual or team accomplishments.
ESPN says the practice of awarding helmet stickers is often wrongly credited to Ernie Biggs, also a trainer at Ohio State under legendary coach Woody Hayes. They instead claim that the practice of awarding stickers began with Jim Young, former assistant coach at Miami in 1965, two years before they were used by the Buckeyes.
An even earlier attribution is given to Gene Stauber, freshman coach at Nebraska (1955–1957) by head coach Pete Elliott. Stauber routinely used stickers throughout his tenure as assistant coach at Illinois (1960–1970), as a 1962 photo of All-American linebacker Dick Butkus indicates. The stickers stem from fighter pilots marking their planes with stickers after kills and/or successful missions.
Michael Pellowski, in his book “Rutgers Football: A Gridiron Tradition in Scarlet," credits Rutgers defensive backs coach Dewey King with being “one of the first” to award decals for helmets in 1961. The stickers were given for interceptions only so they were more difficult to earn. Every time there was an interception, the crowd yelled “give him the star.” The stars can be seen in this photo of the 1961 team walking from the locker room to the field prior to the season finale against Columbia.
Arkansas: Hog Head logoClemson: Paw PrintColorado State: Ram HornDuke: Grim Reaper (only for defensive players)Eastern MichiganFlorida State: Tomahawk (tomahawks given for academic achievements have "ACADEMIC" written up the handle of the tomahawk)Iowa State: Cy HawkLouisiana Lafayette: Fleur-de-lis/Gold Fleur-de-lisLouisiana Monroe: Maroon Star/Warhawk TalonMiami: Green hurricane/Orange hurricaneMichigan: Football with a wolverineMichigan State: White Block "S"/JavelinMinnesota: "Gold Standard"Nevada: AxeNew MexicoOhio State: Buckeye leafStanford: AxeToledo: Yellow RocketWestern Michigan: Crossed OarsWest Virginia: MusketAlabama A&MFlorida A&M: Snake HeadsFordham University: Ram HeadIllinois State: Reggie RedbirdNorth Carolina A&TYoungstown State: White StarNew HampshireButler: Dog BoneSouth Dakota StateMississippi State BullDogsAir Force: Lighting BoltAppalachian State: YosefArizona: Wildcat PawArkansas State: "I Will"Baylor: Green StarBowling Green: "BG" logoBYU: Gold Cougar (Personal Goals) and Blue Cougar (Team Goals, Wins)/"HC"(used only on throwback helmets)California: Football (football with big C and "WIN" on it, Growling Bear head ('70s))Central Michigan: Yellow Block CCincinnatiColorado: BuffaloEast Carolina: Skull Pirate LogoFlorida AtlanticFresno State: White Bone, Yellow Bone, and Black BoneGeorgia: White Bone (football excellence) and Black Bone (academic excellence)Georgia State: Panther, a block "M" (standing for magnanimatas, or "greatness of spirit" in Latin), and a gold star for academicsUniversity of Hawaii: Warrior helmet and cross spears Houston: White PawIndianaKentucky: White Wildcat Paw/Blue Wildcat Paw(only on white helmets)Louisville: CardinalMarshall: Green HornMaryland: Red Turtle and Yellow TurtleMemphis: Tiger PawMiami(Ohio): Star/TomahawkMiddle Tennessee State: PegasusMississippi State: White BoneMissouri: Tiger PawNorth Carolina State: Wolf FangNew Mexico State: Aggie "A"North Carolina: Tar HeelNorthern Illinois: White BoneRice: OwlRutgers: Silver Star/SwordSan Jose StateSouthern Miss: EagleSouth Carolina: Gamecock foot with spurSouth Florida: Green Bull LogoTemple: DiamondTennesseeTexas Tech: Red Star Tulane: Fleur-de-lisTulsa: Skull and CrossbonesUConn: Huskie/"C" logoUCLA: Blue Bear PawUtah: Utes logoUtah State: Block letter 'A'/BullVanderbilt: Ship Anchor(only on gold helmets)Western Kentucky: "WKU" Red Towel logoWyoming: Small Bucking Horse
