Boise State has their blue turf. Oregon is known for their unique, if sometimes wacky, uniforms. And now the Virginia Tech Hokies will be known for being the first college football team to sport stone helmets:

Those helmets give new meaning to the phrase, “hit me like a tone of bricks,” (or stones in this case). Lest any moms out there think they have another reason to add to the list of why their boys shouldn’t play football, the helmets aren’t really made of stone–they just resemble the Hokie Stone that is part of the school’s history.

Virginia Tech will wear the new Hokie Stone helmets in their game on Thursday night against Georgia Tech. Hokie Stone is a name used for a type of rock that is mined near Virginia Tech, plus it is used on many buildings on campus. While the Hokie Stone helmets will certainly catch a few people off guard when they watch the Hokies and the Yellow Jackets on ESPN on Thursday, head coach Frank Beamer doesn’t care what outsiders think because the stone is such a huge part of the school’s history.

“When you look at this helmet, it’s not flashy, but it means a tremendous amount to this university,” Beamer said. “The outside world may have to do a double-take, but the Hokie Nation will know exactly what it is: Hokie Stone. And it’s something we’re proud of. The reason I like it, is because it represents what this program and this University are built on.” Beamer also says that the Hokie Stone helmet represents what the Hokies are all about: “brotherhood, loyalty, leadership, Ut Prosim, sacrifice, service, honor, and duty.”

Virginia Tech’s new helmets have received a lot of critical responses on Twitter. What do you think of the Hokie Stone helmets? Respond below.

The college football uni/helmet thing has now officially jumped the shark for me. #HokieStone http://t.co/O6quPgrZUI

— Bobby Bartle (@BobbyBartle) September 24, 2013

Usually I'm for cool football uniforms, but this is hideous. I think we've found the line and crossed it. Congrats VT http://t.co/XKBCZrHfSj

— Katy Williams (@k8ywilliams) September 24, 2013

Underlying meaning aside, Virginia Tech's "helmet stone" helmets may be the most hideous looking things to ever be worn on a football field

— Ben Murray (@benmurray123) September 25, 2013

The official page of the football team retweeted the following comment regarding some of the ridiculing comments:

“@NathanWarters: Wonder what the reaction to Hokie Stone helmets would be if non-VT people actually knew what Hokie Stone was.” <— THIS!

— VT Football (@VT_Football) September 24, 2013

Image via YouTube