Whether you are brand new to the U or a returning student, there are certain traditions and lexicons that unite and help connect students (past and present) as a part of the U community. Here is a list of a few traditions and the history of how they came to be.
Block U
As a backdrop to the campus, the block letter U is often seen day and night (air quality permitting) – what first started out as class rivalry evolved into a school rivalry. The story goes that in 1905 sophomores carried buckets of lime and painted a giant ‘07 on the mountain, but a short time later freshman went and changed it to ’08. Other classes joined in on changing the year, until one student suggested that they change it to a U to represent the whole school and not just the graduating classes. Concrete and lights were installed later to make it a permanent fixture. Anytime that football, basketball or gymnastic teams win a game, the team joins in lighting up the U at the end of the game.
Flash the U, Throw up the U
The U hand gesture all started with the U’s gymnastics team, the Red Rocks, back in 2001, but has since erupted and ended up on billboards, bumper stickers and even emojis. Legendary Ute fan, John Bircumshaw, told the story of how gymnast Melissa Vituj’s father couldn’t make it to all of her gymnastics meets. He talked with Bircumshaw about representing him in the crowd for Melissa since he couldn’t be there. They often would communicate through hand gestures during meets, which slowly evolved into incorporating them into routines. Now Ute fans and athletes everywhere in different sports use the Flash the U signal to represent their teams and the university. View the video interview here about the story behind Flash the U.
Holy War
One of the biggest time-honored traditions is the Holy War, which is the long standing rivalry between Brigham Young University and the U and their sports teams. This tradition reaches a wider spectrum of people than just students and is often seen in flags and colors of the various teams. #teamblue or #teamred
Swoop
Swoop is a red-tailed hawk and the mascot of the Utes sports teams. Originally the Crimson Warrior used to be more of a symbol than the mascot, but as it was typically a white man on a horse dressed in Indian costume, the U changed the mascot to a more culturally appropriate one.
The Grand Kerfuffle
The Grand Kerfuffle is an end of the school year, two-day music festival. The festival used to be called Mayfest, but the name was changed once the U changed from quarters to semesters as the event happens now in April and not May. Mayfest was described once as Utah’s own Woodstock, and had a long tradition of tie-dye and folk music. The Grand Kerfuffle has updated the look of the event, as well as the name. In the fall there is a similar celebration called the Redfest.
Utah Man Fight song
“Who am I, sir? A Utah Man/Fan am I.” There is some controversy surrounding its inception and also of its lyrics. According to a Salt Lake Tribune article, the song’s authorship is in question, “theorizing that fraternity brothers may have written it in response to a 1901 song contest sponsored by The Daily Utah Chronicle.” The song has been sung at games and events for well over a century. Visit here to view the lyrics and get ready for some fightin’ words.
Utes
The Utes are a local Native American tribe that have given permission to the U to use the Ute name since 1972, in exchange the U provides scholarships to members of the Ute Indian Tribe. Many streets in Research Park, adjacent to the U, are named after Ute Indians to honor them. For more in depth history on the Ute tribe and the relationship to the U visit “Ute Proud” website.
For more U traditions, download The MUSS/U Book App on any android or iPhone. This app has the complete the U Book traditions developed by the Student Alumni Board.