The fact of Texas Tech University’s existence is one of the great underdog stories from the state of Texas - specifically the western part of Texas. It’s a huge swath of the state that Austin, College Station, Houston, and Dallas have often been loath to acknowledge even matters (that is, unless they are discussing the funding of their university systems). In fact, an effort was made in the early 1960s to place the college into the Texas A&M University system, a move that fortunately failed.
Texas Technological College (as it was originally established) was founded in 1923 after efforts to create a college in west Texas cleared several years of political and financial hurdles. After being signed into existence by Governor Pat Neff, a small campus of six buildings was constructed on the dusty plains of Lubbock, Texas, and the college accepted its first students in the fall of 1925. Through the efforts of shrewd and hardy west Texans, the school has grown and thrived as the largest university in the western two-thirds of Texas.
Texas Technological College fielded its first football team in 1926, informally adopting the Double T as the team’s symbol. The Double T became the official logo for the school in 1963. The college officially became Texas Tech University in 1969, retaining the Double T as its logo.
Since 1926, different iterations of the nationally-recognized Double T have been the symbol of the university. For most of its life the Double T was a flat design that saw few changes. However, in 2000 the university adopted a beveled Double T as its new symbol, which was met with a general level of approval by students, alumni, and fans. The beveled version remains the official logo to this day.
The beveled Double T has served the modern era of Texas Tech well, but with the popularity of “throwback” uniforms and helmets featuring the old flat Double T in recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in returning to a flat version. Young and old Tech fans alike can be seen wearing clothing, hats, and gear featuring the flat Double T, and its popularity is growing.
With that said, the future of Texas Tech calls for a flat Double T to once again be the logo that represents our school.
This Double T melds the best attributes of previous versions to create a bold, timeless mark that is easily reproduced at all scales in both full and single color. Keep scrolling to see it in use.
A return to a flat Double T doesn’t negate the bevel’s legacy at Texas Tech. Not all bevels need to go away. Below are examples of beveled Double T’s around campus that need no updating. A 3D rendering of the Double T can retain the bevel in a flat Double T world.
Leveling the bevel after 20+ years of service is the right move. To save money, it can be phased in over time. The bevel doesn’t have to disappear overnight. A soft transition to a flat Double T has seemingly already begun. It’s becoming a more frequent fixture on Tech merchandise. Throwback uniforms featuring a flat Double-T (pictured below) are worn across all major sports. The new Womble Basketball Center almost exclusively uses a flat Double-T. The typeface that was introduced alongside the beveled Double T was recently retired in favor of a more traditional block typeface. The recent groundswell of enthusiasm for a flat Double T is no fluke. It’s time for Texas Tech’s adiminstration to make it official and level the bevel.
