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Nick Emmanwori explains why he decided to switch his jersey number this year

imageby:Jack Veltri•03/31/24•

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Nick Emmanwori (Photo by Steve Brule)

From an outsiders perspective, it might just seem like another number. But at South Carolina, it holds a lot of weight.

The No. 7 tends to be a popular one around Columbia. It’s not hard to find fans of all ages wearing a jersey with that number on their back.

Some of the best to ever do it for the Gamecocks have donned that number. Most recently, quarterback Spencer Rattler, who spent the past two seasons at South Carolina. And before him, the most recognizable name to wear that number was Jadeveon Clowney, who has his jersey retired at Williams-Brice Stadium.

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Now coming into this new season, Nick Emmanwori will be the next to wear the No. 7 after wearing No. 21 for the first two years of his college career.

“It’s just like the number I’ve always wanted since I came up here,” the junior defensive back said. “It’s just like a legendary number. You see guys like Jadeveon Clowney in it.”

Before last season began, Emmanwori’s plan was to wear the new number then. But it wasn’t as easy as just requesting that jersey he wanted. He had to earn it.

“Last year, I think Jordan Strachan had it,” Emmanwori said. “I had asked him for it. I was like, ‘Man, let me get that number off you. And he was like, ‘Nah, I can’t.’ That was his number too.”

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While Strachan might not be as recognizable as guys like Rattler and Clowney, he was still a veteran and had every right to keep the number he had been wearing since coming to South Carolina.

But with Strachan now gone, the No. 7 has been left for the taking. And now, Emmanwori will be the next to wear it. For him, it goes deeper than just a legacy at South Carolina.

“Back to high school, that was my number,” said Emmanwori, who wore No. 7 at Irmo High School. “My birthday is February 7th. So it’s just like a lot of things that connect to that seven that really wanted me to get back into it.”

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