Almost every single-digit number OU has is duplicate...I actually answered this question earlier in the year.
Starting in 2020, the use of duplicate numbers is restricted to only 2 players on a team. I don't believe there was a restriction before.
With walk-ons and all, there are way more than 99 players per team.
Rulebook "recommends" the following numbering scheme, but go through our roster and count # of players per position and line them up with this recommendation on defense - no recommendation on offense:
Backs 1-49 - 1P, 1K, 11WR, 6RB, 1TE/HB, 40DBacks = 60#s - 10 conflicts due to defensive players
Center 50-59 - 2Snappers, 1OLB, 1LB, 6OL = 10#s - OK
Guard 60-69 - 6OL = 6#s - OK
Tackle 70-79 - 9OL = 9#s - OK
End 80-99 - 7WR, 1HB, 9DL/DE = 17#s - OK
We have so many defensive side players, that they chew up offensive numbering schemes forcing offensive players to take numbers outside of their standard, historical areas, because NCAA doesn't really allow duplicates anymore.
1971 was my junior year. So that's what I reported earlier. Then a year later, Jack Mildren had graduated and there were seven sophomore quarterbacks who'd been freshman the year before, in the last season without Freshman Eligibility for the varsity. I can think of about five of those guys. Steve Davis, Gary Vorpahl, Jeff Mabry, Larry McBroom and E.N. Simon. I looked on Soonerstats and found Glenn Gunter. There was a seventh quarterback, I think from Tulsa Memorial, who was the seventh, but I can't think of his name. He'd split time as the Boomer starter the year before. I believe his last name began with a B, but I can't remember his name. He wasn't on the varsity a year later. But those seven were all recruited in the search for Mildren's replacement. Four of those guys were 3, 4, 5 and 6.Prior to 1971, I don't recall OU ever having single digit numbers.
Then in 1971, OU listed six players with such numbers, notably PK Fulcher #8 and QB Stokely #9.
I saw Earl as a senior at John Tyler wearing number 20. He was still the best high school player I've ever seen. Truly a man playing with boys. But when he went to the Oilers, they put him in 34, even though they had a much shorter history to that point, than the Detroit Lions, who let Billy Sims keep number 20, that he kept for his whole, too brief, career.Thank you.
Would have been interesting to see what Switzer would have done with number "20" had he recruited Earl in 1974.....then Sims in 1975.
We've had occasional seasons where the official roster had three players with the same jersey number. But usually that included a walk-on who didn't see the field. In 2017, the official roster has three number 14's. I remember seeing others, but don't remember the specifics.Almost every single-digit number OU has is duplicate...
1 Eaton, McGowan
2 Howard, Ugwoegbu
3 Henderson, Morris
4 Davis, Morris
7 Perkins, Rattler
8 Bridges, Winfrey
9 Graham, Schaefer
10 Wease, Fields
11 Bonitto, Haselwood
14 Rambo, Grimes
15 Mordecai, Washington
I think that just means that 3 players can no longer share the same number.
I saw Earl play at the Texas HS All-Star game in the Dome. His team won 13-12 as I recall with the winning play a fake handoff to Earl which left a wide open receiver in the end zone.I saw Earl as a senior at John Tyler wearing number 20. He was still the best high school player I've ever seen. Truly a man playing with boys. But when he went to the Oilers, they put him in 34, even though they had a much shorter history to that point, than the Detroit Lions, who let Billy Sims keep number 20, that he kept for his whole, too brief, career.
Safety Woodi Washington wears #0.Pretty sure I saw someone on the field the other night with the number 0. Which is a thing now in college fb.
Yes, it does. But if the player wants it, he gets it on many occasions.That looked weird
Almost every single-digit number OU has is duplicate...
1 Eaton, McGowan
2 Howard, Ugwoegbu
3 Henderson, Morris
4 Davis, Morris
7 Perkins, Rattler
8 Bridges, Winfrey
9 Graham, Schaefer
10 Wease, Fields
11 Bonitto, Haselwood
14 Rambo, Grimes
15 Mordecai, Washington
I think that just means that 3 players can no longer share the same number.
Is "00" a legal number? It's been in basketball as long as i can remember (though rare), but I've never seen it in football. This year is the first I've seen any player in any sport with "0".