Scan a player? QR codes, linking to merchandise sites, will be on UCF spring game uniforms

Never shy to push the limits of college football fashion, UCF unveiled its spring game uniforms Friday morning with individual QR codes on the backs of each players' jerseys.

When scanned, the QR code will link directly to an athlete's bio page on the UCF athletics' website. Bio pages include separate links to players' social media accounts and, in some instances, merchandise sites.

Under head coach Gus Malzahn, UCF has branded itself the "future of college football." That includes leaning into the world of name, image and likeness opportunities for athletes.

Last spring, the Knights wore jerseys with Twitter handles replacing surnames on the nameplate. Malzahn has attended multiple press conferences this spring wearing T-shirts designed and sold by his players, including running back Isaiah Bowser and offensive lineman Samuel Jackson.

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The 56-year-old coach will sport a QR code on his polo shirt for Saturday's spring game.

“We wanted to be the school that embraced it," Malzahn told Sports Illustrated. "At the old traditional schools, there’s a lot of dynamics. Yeah, they’re for it but really, they’re not for it. We are a school that can fully embrace it — the young school, social media. It fits with us.”

UCF's undergraduate population topped 60,000 for the 2021-22 school year, and the university has a young alumni base with a pronounced presence on Twitter and Instagram. In addition to the tech-savvy spring uniforms, the Knights have rolled out special NASA-inspired uniforms for a Space Game in each of the last five regular seasons.

The space uniforms are a highly popular choice for recruits to wear while posing for pictures on unofficial and official visits.

UCF's spring game is set for a noon Saturday kickoff. In an interview with 96.9 The Game earlier this week, Malzahn said the exhibition will have four, 12-minute quarters in which the first team will square off against the second unit and a possible running clock after halftime.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF spring football uniforms feature individual player QR codes