Matt Rhule, Nebraska reveal first set of single-digit jersey numbers

At Matt Rhule’s previous stops, single-digit numbers were a rite of passage. He did it at Temple and Baylor, and he’s bringing that tradition along with him to Nebraska.

Wednesday, the Cornhuskers announced the first set of players to wear single digits.

Wide receiver Billy Kemp will wear No. 1, defensive back Isaac Gifford will be No. 2 and linebacker Luke Reimer will don No. 4. Quarterback Jeff Sims — who looks to be the starter after the departure of Casey Thompson — will wear No. 7.

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Single-digit numbers are important to Rhule, who gives the jerseys to the “toughest” players on the team. During spring practice, he explained how it started and said he actually got it from Al Golden, who was the head coach at Temple when Rhule was the offensive coordinator. When Rhule took over as head coach, he kept it going and brought it with him to Baylor.

Now, he’s doing the same thing at Nebraska.

“I got really tired of having a guy in my program who had spent three years as number 47 getting ready to play and wanted to wear No. 1 or No. 3 and he had earned it and then we would give it to a recruit,” Rhlue said. “So what we decided was 1 through 9, now 0 through 9, would go to the nine or now 10 toughest guys on the team.”

More on the first four players to wear single digits at Nebraska under Matt Rhule

Gifford and Reimer were both on the Nebraska roster last season under Scott Frost and Mickey Joseph. Reimer led the Cornhuskers with 86 tackles to go with 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack and an interception. Gifford wasn’t far behind him, finishing third on the team with 70 tackles and added 5.0 tackles for loss and a sack.

Kemp and Sims are both newcomers for Nebraska as Rhule used the transfer portal to help build out the roster ahead of his first season. Kemp played at Virginia the last five years and ended his time in Charlottesville fourth on the program’s all-time career receptions list. He appeared in seven games in 2022, totaling 16 receptions for 116 yards.

Sims was the quarterback at Georgia Tech the last three years and threw for 4,464 yards over that span. Last year, he had 1,115 yards and five touchdowns before entering the portal and making his way to Nebraska.