Five new Huskers earn honorary single-digit jersey numbers
Head coach Matt Rhule brought a new fall camp tradition to Nebraska last year. The team awarded single-digit jersey numbers to the players who embodied the “standard” he wanted the program to be about.
With NU’s 2024 preseason wrapping up, five new Huskers earned the honor this week. Those were defensive lineman Jimari Butler (1), defensive back Marques Buford (3), wide receiver Jahmal Banks (4), cornerback back Tommi Hill (6), and defensive back Malcolm Hartzog (7).
They joined incumbent single-digit recipients Nash Hutmacher (0), Isaac Gifford (2), John Bullock (5), DeShon Singleton (8), and Ty Robinson (9).
Single-digit numbers are important to Rhule, who gives the jerseys to the “toughest” players on the team.
He explained how the tradition started last spring and said he got the idea from Al Golden, the head coach at Temple when Rhule was the offensive coordinator. Rhule kept it going when he took over as the head coach at Baylor.
“I got really tired of having a guy in my program who had spent three years as No. 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.
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“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.”
Nebraska’s single digits are heavy on defense
When the single-digit tradition debuted last year, it only included two offensive players – quarterback Jeff Simms (7) and wide receiver Billy Kemp (1). Offensive lineman Ethan Piper was an honorary selection, though NCAA rules state the o-line must wear numbers 50-79.
The defense once again claimed the majority of the single digits this fall. Only Banks, who just transferred in from Wake Forest, earned the honor from the offense. The nine other numbers went to defensive players.
Even more, the nine players on defense represent the entire projected starting defensive line and secondary.
