Most important jersey number at each SEC school

Keene-Flint

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I just watched the Thaddeus Bullard special on SEC Network this morning and it briefly covered how he wore SOS’s number 11 for a time. It got me thinking how special that number was during HBC’s run here and how he took it out of retirement (if my memory serves me correctly) to give it to Ben Hanks.
I know of the number 38 being a special thing at Ole Piss because of Chucky Mullins and the number 12 being special at aTm but are there others at the other schools that are a cool tradition?
 

JDW

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LSU has a special number it’s 18...but I can’t recall the significance
 

BruceWayne

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Here it's #'s 1, 7, 8, 11, 15, 55, 74 & 88 for obvious reasons. You can't really retire numbers because we gotta be able to offer kids numbers if they want them and they deserve it at the same time. But the kids wearing those numbers should understand the honor of getting it.
 

AlexDaGator

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Only 2 numbers retired were Spurrier's 11 and Scot Brantley's 55.

Spurrier called Brantley and I believe the original "unretired" deal was that 11 would only be worn by defensive players and 55 by offensive players. Spurrier never had an offensive player wear 11 and I think he hand-picked the players who could wear it while he was HBC. I don't remember the first time I saw an offensive player wear 11...maybe OJ Small? It seems 55 wasn't given the same respect. It's was a popular linebacker number back then and I remember seeing it on defense during our mid 90's championship run but I can't remember who wore it. More recently, one of the Pounceys wore 55.


For me, the iconic Gator number is 22. People weren't thrilled when Willie Jackson, Jr. got it after Emmitt left. However, before it was Emmitt's number, it was Willie Jackson, Sr.'s number. Willie Jr. wore that number with distinction, as did his brother Terry Jackson.

Before them, John L. Williams was a beast FB in the mid 80's wearing 22 and waaay back in the day it was the great DB Steve Tannen's number.

I guess the Emmitt thing didn't connect with me so much when Willie got the number because you always see Emmitt in orange and the Jackson brothers in blue.

Seeing Adam Lane playing RB in an orange 22 jersey for the first time was a bit of a jolt. Let's see if Perine brings honor to that number this season.

(sorry 'bout the autocorrect to Willie, no offense to our beloved #22)

Alex.
 

BruceWayne

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Perine is wearing #2 this year. And yeah I remember that. Ben Hanks was one of my favorite players when I was a kid and he sported the #11.
 

Okeechobee Joe

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The speed limit posted on the Ole Miss campus is 18 mph in honor of number 18 Archie Manning. For LSU the number 20 carries special significance because it was Heisman Trophy winner's Billy Cannon number. Hershel Walker wore number 34 at Georgia.

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gardnerwebbgator

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One of only two SECC games to not sell out, that's how I got in the door on the top row of the upper deck and have been there since.....saw this develop and Hanks read it, a thing of beauty.....

 

Gatorphan

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Some guy made the number 15 significant at an SEC school

He15man
 

ThreatMatrix

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Spurrier was before my time. But 22, 7 and 15 are the numbers that my mind automatically goes to one player and one player only.
 

Swamp Donkey

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I really wish we'd return to having only defense wear 11 and 15. Offense only for 55. And not just anyone, they have to earn it, the same as #1.
 

Keene-Flint

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I’m really fascinated by the stories of the “special” jersey numbers like number 1 here, 12 at aTm, and 38 at missippuh. The honorary numbers really are a part of the fantastic tradition of the SEC. I know we could name a ton of great players to wear a given jersey number that is really significant to any fan base but I really love the stories of why the number 1 is something to ascend to or why the above numbers are something to be held in esteem by teammates and coaches of their respective schools.
 

Okeechobee Joe

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Number 44 is the only number retired at Texas A & M. John David Crow was the only Heisman Trophy winner coached by Bear Bryant.
 

gardnerwebbgator

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I remember going to the UK game at BHG a couple of weeks after Mullins got hurt, the first Gator home game after it, they had coeds at the gates with KFC buckets taking up money, not really advertised. People dropping tens and twenties in there.
 

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