Ever wonder what a Big Red football player keeps in his equipment bag? Sophomore running back Harold Coles breaks down his gameday essentials.
Shoulder Pads and Back Brace: I’m a running back so a lot of running backs wear back braces to protect themselves. You can get hit anywhere. Big shoulder pads obviously help to protect your shoulders.
Gloves: They’re pretty torn up by the end of the season. They help me catch the ball, hold on to the ball, get a good grip on the ball, especially when you’re running with it.
Helmet: It got a little beat up over the season. As a running back, I have a different helmet than most people because I get hit more often. So I have this SpeedFlex – it has this little indentation here so that it absorbs more hits. It’s slightly more comfortable and has slightly different straps.
Low Cut Cleats: Pretty light, good for cutting. We’re sponsored by Nike so we use all Nike gear. But, I’ve always been a Nike guy even before I came here. I used to get customized cleats from them.
Mouthpiece: Just to make sure you don’t bite your tongue off and keep your teeth attached when you get hit. That’s always a good thing.
Compression Shorts: I wear them during the game. They have thigh pads and a tailbone pad built in for protection.
Thigh Pads: For putting in my girdle. I actually forgot my girdle for a game recently, which was unfortunate. But, Radar, our equipment manager, has a whole bunch of them so it wasn’t a big deal. But, I’ve only [gone without] one time and it was miserable.
Leggings: For when it gets colder, especially at the end of the season. Also helps protect against turf burn.
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