Just ahead of its season-opening game against Ohio, the Nebraska football team announced the honoring of two traditions. One, the handing out of the Blackshirts dates back to when Charlie McBride was the defensive coordinator. The handing out of single digits is new to the Huskers but a long-time practice of head coach Matt Rhule.
What Nebraska players got their single digits is newsworthy on its own. That Rhule changed things up from his previous three years with the program is eyebrow-raising for another reason. This year, there are numerous single-digit numbers that went to two players, one on offense and one on defense. There's also apparently room to give one or two more players a single digit, as the No. 9 is not currently in use.
In previous years, the most single-digit jersey numbers handed out to Nebraska football players was 10, as they had a chance to wear numbers 0 through 10. This year, the Huskers will open the season with 13 players wearing the jerseys that Rhule uses to recognize the leaders of the team:
Nebraska football changes up how it hands out single digit jersey for 2026
- 0 - Owen Chambliss - LB
- 1 - Nyziah Hunter- WR
- 1 - Jahsear Whittington - DT
- 2 - Jacory Barney - WR
- 2 - Cameron Lenhardt - DE
- 3 - Kwazi Gilmer - WR
- 4 - Janiran Bonner - TE
- 4 - Jamir Conn - S
- 5 - Anthony Jones Jr. - DE
- 6 - Roman Mangini - WR
- 7 - Andrew Marshall - CB
- 8 - Luke Lindenmeyer - TE
- 8 - Donovan Jones- CB
The players who get the honor of leading the team and wearing single-digit jerseys are a mix of guys who are brand new to the Huskers and guys who have been in Lincoln for at least four years.
The newcomers are linebacker Owen Chambliss, who followed defensive coordinator Rob Aurich to Nebraska, defensive tackle Jahsear Whittington, who transferred to Lincoln after two years at Pitt, and wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer, who came over from UCLA.
As for the Blackshirts, Rob Aurich seemingly stuck with the time-honored tradition a bit more. The new defensive coordinator handed out just 11 Blackshirts ahead of the game against Ohio:
- DE Cameron Lenhardt
- DT Owen Stoudmire
- DE Jahsear Whittington
- DE Anthony Jones Jr.
- LB Dexter Foster
- LB Vincent Shavers
- CB Andrew Marshall
- CB Jeremiah Charles
- Nickel Donovon Jones
- Safety Jamir Conn
- Safety Rex Guthrie
Under Rhule's new tradition, the inaugural 2023 single-digit jersey numbers were awarded to Nash Hutmacher (No. 0), Billy Kemp IV (No. 1), Isaac Gifford (No. 2), Nick Henrich (No. 3), Luke Reimer (No. 4), John Bullock (No. 5), Quinton Newsome (No. 6), Jeff Sims (No. 7), DeShon Singleton (No. 8), and Ty Robinson (No. 9).
The Nebraska football players awarded honorary single-digit jerseys for the 2024 season were predominantly defensive standouts, with wide receiver Jahmal Banks (No. 4) representing the lone offensive selection. The defensive front was anchored by defensive linemen Nash Hutmacher (No. 0) and Ty Robinson (No. 9), alongside EDGE Jimari Butler (No. 1) and linebacker John Bullock (No. 5). The secondary was heavily represented, featuring defensive backs Isaac Gifford (No. 2), Marques Buford Jr. (No. 3), and Malcolm Hartzog (No. 7), corner Tommi Hill (No. 6), and safety DeShon Singleton (No. 8).
For the 2025 season, the Nebraska football team voted several key players into single-digit jerseys, including Ceyair Wright at No. 1, Marques Buford Jr. retaining No. 3, and Riley Van Poppel taking over No. 5. Wide receiver Dane Key wore No. 6, while Malcolm Hartzog Jr. and DeShon Singleton retained their respective No. 7 and No. 8 jerseys, and Vincent Shavers Jr. rounded out the group by switching to No. 9 later in the cycle.
The handing out of the single-digit jerseys this season also means it's the first time since 2023 that no repeat players are receiving the single-digit jersey honor.
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