What's Your Number?
OXFORD, Ohio - What's in a number? Well, when it comes to jersey numbers, new student-athletes definitely have their preferences and Miami University's Director of Equipment Services DARRELL HALLBERG is a veteran in this area.
Take the RedHawk football squad, for instance. Twenty-four recruited freshmen and two preferred walk-ons are currently on campus, training and taking classes. To them, getting just the right number is important. Of course, Hallberg isn't able to make everybody's wish come true.
Of course, there are three numbers that Miami football has permanently retired-Ben's Roethlisberger's No. 7, Bob Hitchens' No. 40 and Johnny Pont's No. 42-so you won't ever see those numbers worn in game action by Miamians.
Miami's freshmen don't realize it, but many of them have been assigned some especially historic numbers. For example, J'TERIUS BROWN (Milledgeville, GA) has inherited Houston Texan draftee Brandon Brooks' No. 56.
WESLEY SCOTT (Ridgeland, SC) will wear the same jersey number-No. 60-that was worn by Bob Babich, Miami's only consensus first-team All-American.
SAM SHISSO (Charlotte, NC) will don jersey number 10, previously worn in Miami history by all-time greats Sherman Smith, Bruce Matte and Kent McCullough.
Ron Zook, former head coach at Florida and Illinois, wore No. 17 when he was a football player at Miami. Freshman ORLANDO DAVID (Miami, FL) will wear number 17 in 2012.
Quarterback AUSTIN GEARING (Franklin, OH) will put on jersey number 11 at Miami, the same numeral worn by MU QB greats Ernie Kellerman and Neil Dougherty.
Like Babe Ruth's famous No. 3 in baseball, Michael Jordan's No. 23 in basketball and Peyton Manning's No. 18 in football, each and every jersey number has a story. Miami's incoming class of freshmen intends to establish its own historic identity.
The jersey numbers of Miami's 2012 freshmen class:
5 - Jamire Westbrook, RB
10 - Sam Shisso, WR
11 - Austin Gearing, QB
13 - Kaleb Patterson, K
14 - Jay Mastin, S
17 - Orlando David, TE
18 - Fred McRae, WR
20 - Spencer McInnis, RB
21 - Marshall Taylor, CB and Garrett Becker, RB
22 - Joey McCafferty, DB
24 - Jack Snowball, RB
43 - Kent Kern, LB
47 - Nate Gerbus, LB
50 - David DeLeon, DL
51 - Josh Dooley, LB
53 - Terry Davis, OL
55 - Bryson Albright, DL
56 - J'Terius Brown, DL
60 - Wesley Scott, DL
70 - Ryan Callen, OL
73 - Brandyn Cook, OL
77 - Nick Custer, OL
81 - Rokeem Williams, WR
98 - Jimmy Rousher, TE
99 - Mitch Winters, DL
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