Legends Numbers
Two legends numbers worn last season have opened up, as Jeremy Gallon (21) and Courtney Avery (11) graduated. Any speculation as to who might be assigned these numbers during this season? And any thoughts on whether any new legends numbers will be created?
As random speculation, I see James Ross, Raymon Taylor, Matt Wile, Brennen Beyer, and Jarrod Wilson as the most likely candidates for #11 or #21. I could also see the athletic department creating a new #77 legends number for Jansen/Long so that one of the numbers is available to a lineman (currently they're all eligible receiver numbers, so an offensive lineman can't wear any of them).
Also, I know that Blake Countess has switched to 2 this year - is that a legends jersey for Woodson, or just a random switch?
August 27th, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
Hoke has said that number 2 will go to the best DB. I figure it will soon be a Legends Jersey but we have to wait for Sir Charles' playing career to come to a conclusion first.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:05 PM ^
I hope they don't do anything with the numbers. Anyone who wants to wear 21 or 11 can do so when they come in as freshmen and make their own legacy with it. Players shouldn't be encouraged to switch just so that we can have them on the field. At the end of the day the numbers don't matter. Its who wears it that makes all the difference.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^
Fully agree. No reason a freshman can't get a "Lagacy Jersey." Don't force it on upperclassman. If they want to switch go ahead. They don't need to be given out every year. It shouldn't even be an honor to wear it. The only reason for the Legacy jersey should be to honor to player whom they retired that number for. The guy doesn't matter who is wearing it. The sole reason for them is so that when [insert player here] catches a pass, or is sitting on sidelines and a camera catches a glance, so that camera can stop on the number for a second and remember the great who once wore it.
If the reason for unretiring the numbers is so we don't forget the greats in our past, stop overshadowing the importance of those players by fretting over who should wear it, or who deserves it. If anyone deserves the winged helmet and maize pants, they sure as hell deserve the number.
Just don't give out 98 again.
August 27th, 2014 at 7:07 PM ^
August 27th, 2014 at 8:32 PM ^
August 27th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
77 becoming a legends number. My guess is that Ross ends up with 11 though.
August 27th, 2014 at 5:36 PM ^
I foresee Mason Cole wearing 77 in the not so distant future
August 27th, 2014 at 7:03 PM ^
Please.
August 27th, 2014 at 5:44 PM ^
I'd prefer they have a legacy tribal tattoo for the best LT.
August 28th, 2014 at 8:06 AM ^
Lol. I agree because Taylor and Jake had a similar thing going.
August 27th, 2014 at 2:57 PM ^
August 27th, 2014 at 3:49 PM ^
Funchess should go back to 19.
August 27th, 2014 at 2:58 PM ^
August 27th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
August 27th, 2014 at 6:33 PM ^
This kind of thing is great. Appreciate the factoids.
August 27th, 2014 at 2:58 PM ^
Do players have the right to turn down a legacy jersey? What if they want to make their own legacy?
August 27th, 2014 at 3:50 PM ^
Of course they have the right, but I'm sure no one will decline.
August 27th, 2014 at 2:58 PM ^
If I had to pick a 21, it'd probably be Chesson. Team player, possible/probable break-out year for him.
James Ross getting 11 would be kind of cool since all our LBs will be wearing legends numbers.
August 27th, 2014 at 2:59 PM ^
until someone has earned it on the field. Let a lineman completely blow up this year -- please -- and perhaps get it toward the end of the year. Lots of guys in the running for #21; let's see someone separate (pun intended) and earn the right to wear that number.
August 27th, 2014 at 2:59 PM ^
I'm so freaking confused by these Legends numbers and how they are given out I've given up trying to understand it. What I don't get is if a player from the past is great enough to have their jersey retired then leave the damn thing retired and don't play this random player de jour allottment of legend numbers every year. I have no clue what number players are or were and if we should be honoring the current player, the past player or the future player when they dole them out again.
As stupid as it seemed at the time - Service & Freedom on the back of the Air Force jersey's were easier to figure out than this nonsense. I think there's a reason we are the ONLY school fucking with our retired numbers in the manner we do. It's stupid.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:06 PM ^
i never understood why they didnt just honor the jersey for a game, and then let that choosen player go back to their own number with the legend patch number on their jersey for the rest of the year. who knows that player night make their own legend.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:13 PM ^
This is an excellent idea. Let these new players make their own legacies in their own numbers if they have the ability. You can honor the past with this "once a year" thing.
August 27th, 2014 at 10:13 PM ^
I couldn't agree more. The Legend numbers make no sense. The number 2 meant nothing until Woodson made it legendary. If I am Peppers, even though I respect Woodson, I want to make 5 Peppers forever in Michigan memories.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:41 PM ^
This is such a better way to honor the "legends".
August 27th, 2014 at 8:45 PM ^
It creates logistical issues. If we keep making legend numbers, we'll run out of numbers to hand out to kids if we did your idea. I mean, if we did that, the legend numbers would have to be basically retired except for those honorary games (which would negate the entire purpose of the legends jerseys to begin with).
August 27th, 2014 at 3:38 PM ^
I don't see any harm in it. I think it's kind of fun to see unusual numbers being dished out, as strange as that sounds.
August 27th, 2014 at 4:39 PM ^
Clemson just gave out a number with a legends patch.
August 27th, 2014 at 6:59 PM ^
Let me just clarify that the Clemson patch is UGLY. That thing looks like shit...
August 27th, 2014 at 4:40 PM ^
A freshman QB at Clemson (Deshaun Watson) will wear Steve Fuller's retired #4 jersey with a special patch with Fuller's name and playing years on it.
Link
August 27th, 2014 at 5:54 PM ^
is that this is a clever end-around to the idea of selling jerseys without the players profiting from it: you can always claim the jersey for sale isn't the jersey of Devin Gardner, current player, but of Tom Harmon, Legend. Thus, you can argue that Gardner doesn't necessarily deserve a cut of the jersey sale profits and/or that he isn't being exploited personally when the #98 jersey just happens to be the one they're selling a lot of while he's wearing it. If this cynical view has truth to it, then expect legends jerseys to to whichever players the AD thinks will sell the most jerseys in a given year.
What argues against cynicism here is that Courtney Avery was never going to sell a lot of #11 jerseys, but he did deserve to be honored by his coach and teammates for his leadership and his willingness to do whatever the team needed from him.
But I agree with you mGrow; in general I'm confused too. Seems like a great idea if you hand out one or two. When there's 10 of them and 2-4 of them might change hands each year, it becomes more confusing than clever.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:03 PM ^
I'd prefer not to fill those jerseys this year.
I could see Canteen as the next #21. And I think we'd all agree who we want to see wear #2 after Countess.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:04 PM ^
August 27th, 2014 at 3:12 PM ^
to retire Cazzie's number. Believe he had to graduate. It wasn't like it took athletic dept that long for them to determine he was good enough to have number retired.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:12 PM ^
Whichever jersey numbers leads to more wins I hope Hoke chooses. Other than that, zzzz...
August 27th, 2014 at 3:18 PM ^
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August 27th, 2014 at 3:19 PM ^
Legends numbers make me schizo. My Smeagol thinks they're cool to honor past studs and reinforce the tradition that really separates UM from 98% of the rest, but then my Golem thinks they're lame by depriving new players the ability to make their mark with their own numbers.
We eats it whole.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:20 PM ^
Yes, I think we need to reevaluate how the numbers are given out. For one, they DO NOT need to be given out every damn season! That's ridiculous.
I think we shouldn't give the 21 or 11 out until next year..Let's wait out this season and see if anyone deserves to wear it.
There just needs to be some kind of process to the whole thing.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:39 PM ^
August 27th, 2014 at 3:39 PM ^
August 27th, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^
Legends jerseys should be worn once per season, during the homecoming game. Just that one game. The players should wear their normal numbers for the rest of the season.
I fucking hate these legends jerseys. I was looking forward to Gallon establishing the number 10 along with Gardner's #12 & Funchess' #19.
August 27th, 2014 at 7:06 PM ^
I was actually looking forward to Gardner being the next great Michigan QB to wear #7. Still have no idea why he switched to #12 when Roundtree took the #21, considering #7 was his high school number...
August 27th, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^
The easiest thing DB could do would be to let the "legends" numbering begin to disappear. He doesn't have to make an announcement; he doesn't have to do anything and his jersey-cluttering stunt can be forgotten in time. Who knows, maybe a current player will become a legend in his own number.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:43 PM ^
August 27th, 2014 at 3:44 PM ^
Of Legends "patches" to be worn by existing players. I alos like the idea of that player honoring the former legend by wearing their number for ONE GAME. That would allow the best of both worlds to come through imo. I think they should let Peppers run with #5 his whole career.
August 27th, 2014 at 3:51 PM ^
I'm so anti legend patch it's not even funny. Let these kids create their own legend.
Example: Jabrill Peppers #5 instead of #2. We will remember Jabrill for Jabrill and Charles for Charles.
August 27th, 2014 at 4:03 PM ^
Personally I'd rather do away with legends jerseys, as I'd rather let our current players forge their own legacies with their own numbers. Plus, there will never be another Woodson, Harmon, Howard, Oosterbann, etc. But if we're going to do legends jerseys, don't feel the need to hand them all out each year. If no one has earned the right to wear ol' 98 next year, then don't give it out. Same goes for each other legends number.
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August 27th, 2014 at 4:20 PM ^
Give it to freshmen if they want it. I don't think they should be 'earned', otherwise we'd have a lot of players switching numbers toward the end of their careers.