GAINESVILLE, Fla. – It’s been a question ever since Dan Mullen arrived back in Gainesville. Who is going to wear the coveted number one jersey? No one did last season, but there was a bit of talk about that changing in year two. However, if you want it don’t ask the head coach.
“Here is what was explained to the team,” Dan Mullen said. “I am not addressing any jersey numbers until after spring and anybody that asks me about jersey numbers is certainly is going to be withheld from the jersey number discussion.”
Right now the last thing Mullen is concerned about is what number his players are wearing. He is concerned about installing his offense, developing his players and preparing for a season in the fall.
One guy was able to swindle his way into a number change though. Lamical Perine entered this spring sporting number two and not the 22 he has worn in his first three seasons, but Mullen says it was just good timing.
“I mean, everybody just wants this jersey number or that jersey number,” Mullen said. “I think Perine changed in the spring, he had to hit me up at the right day, at the right time.
“And being a senior and has done everything right, he was like, ‘hey can I get No.2?’ ‘I’m like you’re twice as good as No. 2 last year, you were 22.’ He was like, ‘I just like 2.’ He just hit me at the right time so I just said yes.
“But everybody else if they come to me, I just say after spring. When I’m not worried about spring ball or not worried about signing day or other things like that, I’ll consider jersey numbers.”
When it comes to the number one jersey though it’s a bit of a different conversation. One has a special place at Florida. There is a tradition that comes in wearing it because of what past players who wore it were able to do on the field.
The last Gator to don the jersey was cornerback Vernon Hargreaves in 2015. Before him guys like Janoris Jenkins, Percey Harvin and Reggie Nelson in recent years and Keiwan Ratliff, Tony George and Jack Jackson all wore it back in the day. And all of them played to a certain level.
Not just anybody can wear one. You have to earn the right to put it on and Mullen realizes how big the jersey has become.
“It’s kind of a big deal,” Mullen said. “Usually you got to be a good player to be No. 1.”
The head coach isn’t the only one though that realizes the magnitude of what number one entails. His players know just as well as he does and they all want a shot to show they deserve to wear it.
“I can’t tell you who asked me to be No. 1, you guys can do your survey,” Mullen said. “If they ask it goes in one ear and out the other. I’m like I’m not dealing with this right now.
“I probably had 30 guys ask to be it so that’s why I leave it. If you give it to one, you make everybody else mad. One guy gets it and somebody else goes I wanted that number.”
Somebody may earn the right to wear number one by the end of spring, but that won’t solve all of the jersey number issues though.
“The issues come, because it’s such like a trinkle down effect. I’ll pick somebody to be one… so Toney or CJ Henderson that’s 4 and 5 so then there is another hold, so there is going to be a line outside my office for 4 and 5. Right? That’s how it always is, it’s such a nightmare.”
