The Notre Dame incoming freshman jersey number discussion is always a fun topic for the offseason. Well, fun for those of us that still believe gin binges and dollar dances are our divine birthright. Usually I include my predictions for each freshman's jersey number in the Recruiting Spectacular, but due to time constraints, the divine gin binge, and a sluggish economy, I left it out. How will those strippers every afford their tuition?
So, let us dive into this with bloodshot eyes and a broken heart, and see what freshman is taking what jersey number…
Cleanup Is Job #1
Before we start handing out the jersey numbers to the freshman, we need to see if there have been or will be any changes on the current roster.
- Louis Nix will switch from #9 to #1 per his Twitter.
- Justin Ferguson will switch from #82 back to #15. He made the initial change after a special teams gaffe, and Danny McCarthy is gone.
- Chris Badger will switch from #16 back to #24. Chris was unable to reclaim #24 last year after his return to Notre Dame from his mission because Chris Salvi had already laid claim to it.
- EDIT: CJ Procise will switch from #34 to #20 per his Twitter handle.
The Freshman Lineup
Some of these are well known and some are my predictions. If there are any incorrect listings,or if you want to throw your dollar down (strippers don't accept pennies), please let us know.
| Jaylon Smith #9 | Eddie Vanderdoes #3 |
| Greg Bryant #6 | Max Redfield #17 |
| Steve Elmer #79 | John Montelus #76 |
| Isaac Rochell #98 | Tarean Folston #26 |
| Doug Randolph #34 | Corey Robinson #88 |
| Mike Heuerman #9 | Torii Hunter Jr. #81 |
| Hunter Bivin #73 | James Onwualu #17 |
| William Fuller #80 | Mike McGlinchey #71 |
| Colin McGovern #52 | Jacob Matuska #92 |
| Rashad Kinlaw #5 | Michael Deeb #42 |
| Durham Smythe #83 | Devin Butler #25 |
| Malik Zaire #8 | Cole Luke #12 |
The Double Number Conundrum
If you would have asked me a few years ago if I thought allowing two different players to have the same jersey number was a good idea or not, I probably would have said that it was no big deal. My opinion is swaying on this topic and now I am leaning towards the thought that this is wildly ridiculous.
One quick look at the roster will show that every single digit jersey number is spoken for by two players with the exception being #8, which could very likely be swallowed up by a second player this summer. 99 numbers and 85 scholarships… c'mon ND Math!
Seriously. We saw a penalty when both Justin Ferguson and Danny McCarthy (co-owners of #15) were on the same special teams unit, and then we got a divine "no-call" when both Chris Brown and Bennett Jackson (co-owners of #2) were on the field when Pitt missed the potential game winning field goal in overtime.
Look, I'm a pretty vain guy and I understand the importance of having a sexy number- something smooth and distinct. There's one problem though; how sexy is sharing something as personal as your number, I mean… that's your girl and how is that remotely cool to share her with a buddy or teammate?
I know this problem is probably not going away anytime soon, and I know that it may not even be on the first couple pages of the "to do list," but dear mother of gawd this needs to stop. One more penalty or one more season saving close no call and I will make it my life's work (on this site) to put this practice to an end.
Pimp hand is raised STRONG.
