Mario Cristobal on no one wearing No. 1, No. 26: You have to earn those numbers

Ahead of his first season as head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, coach Mario Cristobal highlighted two jersey numbers that nobody is wearing. Cristobal explained on Friday that nobody is currently wearing the No. 1 or No. 26 jerseys on the Hurricanes roster because he has yet to see someone earn the role.

The No. 1 jersey on Cristobal’s team belongs to the “baddest son of a gun” on the team, a goal that he wants his team to strive for. The No. 26 jersey is the number of the late Miami legend, safety Sean Taylor. Cristobal said he doesn’t believe in retiring numbers permanently, but believes anybody who will wear Taylor’s former number has to prove they’ve earned it.

Mario Cristobal on honoring jersey numbers

“Number one [jersey], you’ve gotta earn it,” said Cristobal. “I think some guys have asked for it, and I do not disrespect anyone by not awarding a number — but if you’re gonna wear that you better be the baddest son of a gun on the planet. And I think we have guys that can work themselves there, and if someone gets to that point maybe it’s a consideration.

Last season, two players wore the No. 1 jersey for Miami — star quarterback D’Eriq King and defensive tackle Nesta Jade Silvera on defense.

Former Hurricanes star quarterback D’Eriq King wore No. 1 last season, with defensive tackle Nesta Jade Silvera donning the No. 1 on defense. Now, anybody who will wear the No. 1 going forward under Cristobal will have to earn his approval for the leadership position.

As for Taylor’s number, Cristobal knows as well as anybody the importance of the No. 26 jersey in the Miami program.

“[Number] 26, one person asked for it and just felt it wasn’t quite the level it needed to be to wear that number the way it should be worn,” explained Cristobal.

“I don’t know if numbers should be retired in general, they should be honored. I do believe that. Because if you start retiring numbers at the University of Miami, you could retire 40-plus numbers in a hurry. And then everybody’s wearing number 65 and you got everybody pissed off at me, you know? I think you have to honor every number and every jersey that you wear, I think we’ll start with that.”

Taylor was a standout for Miami before making the leap to the NFL as the fifth overall pick of the 2004 NFL Draft. Taylor helped the Hurricanes win a national title in 2001 as a true freshman, and was a unanimous first-team All-American in his senior season.

Taylor’s three years at Miami were the final three seasons in which Miami was in the Big East before moving to the ACC. The team went 35-3 from 2001-2003, and in addition to the Rose Bowl win that gave them the national title in 2001, the team won the 2003 Orange Bowl under head coach Larry Coker.

Taylor tragically lost his life in 2007, when he was shot during a robbery attempt at his home in Florida and later died from his injury. The Washington Commanders retired his NFL jersey number, No. 21, last season — and he continues to live on in the memory of Miami and NFL fans.