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Gamecocks play the numbers game

Too many roster spots and not enough numbers could lead to a little confusion come this fall

Written by SETH EMERSON

semerson@thestate.com
Posted on 09.02.09
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When he was 7 years old, Stephon Gilmore joined a youth football league and started wearing No. 5.

This year, Gilmore got the number again when he arrived at USC following the departure of cornerback Carlos Thomas. Starting quarterback Stephen Garcia also wears No. 5, but the rules say duplicates are fine as long as they play on different sides of the ball.

So no problems, right? Hold on.

The Gamecocks decided they might try some spot plays with Gilmore at quarterback. Doing so could confuse opposing defenses, and show how liberal college football’s rules on uniforms are.

Gilmore could sub in for Garcia at any time, meaning the Gamecocks are going from the regular offense to the so-called “Wildcock” formation. And the defense will know to watch closely because it is a different No. 5.

“They’ll try to sneak me in the game,” Gilmore said. “Hopefully they’ll see No. 5, so we’ll catch them off guard.”

The hitch is the Gamecocks will be prohibited from sneaking Gilmore in without taking Garcia out — unless one switches numbers and notifies the referees, who are supposed to then tell the defense.

NCAA bylaws state numbers cannot be switched during the game “to deceive opponents.” But it is allowed if a jersey is torn or cannot be worn anymore.

College football is forced to be loose in its jersey rules, thanks to the limit of 85 scholarship players and walk-ons. The only limitation is offensive linemen — those who will be ineligible to receive a pass — must wear between 50-79.

Still, the other positions tend to gravitate towards conventional numbers. For instance, you seldom see a defensive back wearing a number higher than 49. And quarterbacks almost always are 0-19.

Occasionally, there is a dose of good-natured peer pressure, as USC freshman Chaun Gresham found out.

Gresham joined the team as a linebacker and started out with number 50. Then he was moved to the secondary, where he initially kept his number — and heard about it from his teammates.

“I was getting criticized and ridiculed by the other spurs and DBs for having 50. They didn’t like that,” Gresham said, smiling. “So they told me I had to get rid of 50 if I wanted to stay over there.”

So Gresham was granted a request to switch to No. 29. Does it make him feel more like a defensive back?

“Not really,” he said. “I feel like I’m still the same person.”

Switching during the season can be quite common. Last year offensive tackle Quintin Richardson kept alternating between 72 and 93. Now a starter, the sophomore is sticking with 72.

The number issue became a brief controversy around National Signing Day when Sterling Sharpe protested having his No. 2 un-retired for USC recruit Alshon Jeffery. Now Jeffery wears No. 1.

Senior Moe Brown also wanted to wear No. 2, since it was his high school number. But he never asked, knowing it was retired. His only request was to have a single-digit number.

“When I was in high school they used to tell me all the fast people were single-digit numbers,” Brown said.

Brown has worn No. 9 throughout his Gamecock career.

Center Garrett Anderson wore 78 in high school, but it was taken by Justin Sorensen at USC. Anderson took No. 70 and has grown attached to it.

“I wouldn’t change my number for anything,” Anderson said. “If God puts me in the league, I’ll take whatever number they give me. But it’s a number I’ve grown to like, grown to love.”

As for Gilmore, he ascribed no sentimental value to his No. 5.

“I just picked the number and went with it,” he said.

Reach Emerson at (803) 771-8676.

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