Per Wikipedia
According to NCAA rule book, Rule 1 Section 4 Article 1 recommends numbering as follows for offensive players;
- Backs 1–49
- Center 50–59
- Guard 60–69
- Tackle 70–79
- End 80–99
Otherwise all player must be numbered 1–99, the NCAA makes no stipulation on defensive players. Two players may also share the same number though they may not play during the same down.
The lowest numbers are often considered the most prestigious, and they are frequently worn not just by specialists and quarterbacks but also by running backs, defensive backs, and linebackers. Kickers and punters are frequently numbered in the 40s or 90s, which are the least in-demand numbers on a college roster. The increased flexibility in numbering of NCAA rosters is needed since NCAA rules allow larger rosters than the NFL; thus teams would frequently exhaust the available numbers for a position under the NFL rules. It is not uncommon for NCAA teams to have duplicate numbers, with an offensive player having the same number as a defensive one—this is allowed as long as both players are not on the field at the same time. Usually, one of the players will be a reserve who rarely plays, but this is not always the case: for example, the
2005 Texas Longhorns team had two key players who both wore #4: wide receiver
Limas Sweed and linebacker Drew Kelson. The
2007 USC Trojans team had two key players who both wore #10: quarterback
John David Booty and linebacker
Brian Cushing. The
2008 Missouri Tigers both had key players wearing #1: safety
William Moore and running back Jimmy Jackson. In the same season, the
Alabama Crimson Tide had four numbers shared by two players each. In the
2009 season, the
Ohio State Buckeyes roster also had numerous duplicate numbers: quarterback
Terrelle Pryor and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins both wore #2, and running back Daniel Herron and linebacker Marcus Freeman both wore #1,
[6] while
USC had both running back C. J. Gable and safety Taylor Mays wearing #2. At
Texas, both safety
Earl Thomas and quarterback
Colt McCoyboth wore #12. In 2010 at the
University of Illinois, both quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase and linebacker Martez Wilson wore #2. In 2012, Notre Dame starting linebacker and team captain
Manti Te'o and starting quarterback
Everett Golson both wore #5. In 2013, Virginia Tech runningback JC Coleman and defensive end Ken Ekanem both wore #4.
Perhaps the most interesting use of duplicate numbers was at
South Carolina. Both cornerback
Stephon Gilmore and quarterback
Stephen Garcia wore #5. However, Gilmore also has played quarterback for the Gamecocks, usually in the
wildcat formation. During the annual
end of season derby, Head Coach
Steve Spurrier effectively rotated Garcia and Gilmore at the quarterback position, confusing the Clemson defense (and many fans). Because Garcia and Gilmore were never on the field at the same time, it was perfectly legal.
Individual schools often have superstitions or traditions involving certain numbers. It may be a great honor to be given the number 1 uniform, for example, such as at the
University of Michigan. The top performing walk-on at
Texas A&M Universitywill often be issued number 12, in reference to their
12th Man tradition.
Syracuse University historically reserved number 44 for its best running backs, including
Jim Brown,
Ernie Davis, and
Floyd Little,
[7] finally retiring the number permanently in 2005.
[8] The number 12 is also prestigious at the
University of Alabama. It is usually reserved for top quarterbacks, although it was worn by 1930s lineman
Bear Bryant, who became a coaching legend at Alabama. Since Bryant's era, it has been worn by
Kenny Stabler,
Joe Namath,
Brodie Croyle, and
Greg McElroy. At
Ole Miss, the #38 worn by defensive back
Chucky Mullins, who suffered a paralyzing injury in a 1989 game that ultimately led to his death in 1991, was given each season as an award to a defensive player who was seen as epitomizing Mullins' spirit. The number was retired in Mullins' memory in 2006, but it was an unpopular move, and the number as award was restored in 2010 with both offensive and defensive players eligible to win the award now.
Another notable exception was, during the 1963 season at
West Virginia University, the college was able to successfully lobby the NCAA to allow a player, namely kicker Chuck Kinder, to wear the jersey Number 100 for the state's
100th anniversary. Kinder continued to wear this jersey until the 1966 season, when he was asked to stop wearing it by the new coaching staff due to all the questions they were receiving about the odd number. Similarly, University of Kansas kicker, Bill Bell, wore jersey number 100 in 1969 as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of college football.
[9]
In 2013,
Michigan quarterback
Devin Gardner was given jersey number 98 to wear as part of the
Michigan Football Legendsprogram. Before 2011, the number had been retired in honor of
Tom Harmon, a Michigan legend and father of actor
Mark Harmon. Unusual for a quarterback to wear a number higher than the 20s even at the collegiate level, Gardner, a
redshirtjunior at Michigan, will wear the number for the remainder of his career at Michigan. He wore number 12 (a more standard number for a quarterback) before being honored.
[10]