The Arizona Wildcats will take the field this fall with a new look that harkens to the state’s mining past.

The Wildcats will wear copper helmets as part of an alternate uniform, athletic director Greg Byrne told the Star tonight.

Byrne wouldn’t say when the UA will debut the new look, only that copper is “an option going forward.” Nike will likely produce a special uniform to wear with the new helmet.

The Wildcats will primarily stick to their cardinal-and-navy color scheme, Byrne said.

“(Copper) is something that’s strongly tied to our university and our state, and certainly fits within the historical context,” he said.

The UA did not consider any darker tones.

“Anybody can do black,” Byrne said.

The helmets, which took six months to develop, mark the most significant change to Arizona’s look since 1981, when the team unveiled its now-familiar white helmets with an “block A” logo.