Weber State football players share personal meaning of taking over single-digit numbers
'Usually we give it out to guys who work their butts off and who excel'
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- Weber State’s Damon Bankston (1) runs the football as quarterback Kylan Weisser (11) follows the play Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Salt Lake City.
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- A Weber State receiver, left, attempts a catch as safety BJ Carey (3) reaches to defend on the first day of fall camp Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State cornerback Jalon Rock (0) runs a drill as teammates watch on the first day of fall camp Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State receiver Jayleen Record (4) tries to secure a reception as Logan Mackey defends on the first day of fall camp Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State linebacker Alema Tupuola (6) leads a run during the first day of fall camp Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State quarterback Richie Muñoz throws a pass during a scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
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- Weber State’s Adrian Cormier (35) rushes the football against Northern Arizona on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.
Several playmakers will be wearing new numbers for Weber State football this season.
Much of the movement revolves around highly desired single-digit uniform numbers and several up-and-coming players taking over those numerals for outgoing seniors.
“On our team, you’ve got to earn the single digits on the field and off the field. So usually we give it out to guys who work their butts off and who excel,” junior linebacker Alema Tupuola said. “So I wanted to make it a goal for myself and prove to myself that I can be one of those guys for this team and prove it to myself.”
Those numbers are not just generally desired, but many have personal significance to the Weber State players who inherited them. Players who changed to those numbers spoke about what they mean.
0: JALON ROCK
Rock changed from No. 2 23 to No. 0, becoming the third player at Weber State to wear it (Desmond Williams, Hayden Meacham).
“I wore 23 because of Michael Jordan and that’s what they gave me my freshman year, but zero is just cool, something different, and I want to bring it to the corners room and make my mark with it,” Rock said.
1: DAMON BANKSTON
Bankston changed from No. 26 to No. 1 in 2023.
“When I started playing football, my first number ever was No. 1 when I was like 4 years old. So it was fun to get that back,” Bankston said. “(Ty MacPherson) was in it and coaches were like, ‘No. 1 is open, do you want to get in it?’ And I was like ‘yeah, for sure.’
“No. 1’s a little different because I feel like everybody on the other team looks at No. 1 as like, you’ve got to keep track of him. So there’s no more hiding now. But I embrace that.”
2: ADRIAN CORMIER
Cormier changed from No. 35 to No. 2.
“No. 2 is a number I’ve had since high school and it’s my family’s number. Every football player that’s been in my family has worn No. 2 at some point,” Cormier said. “Just for my family and everyone who’s been associated with me, it’s been No. 2 and I was just happy to be able to get that number again to represent my family.”
3: BJ CAREY
Carey changed from No. 28 to No. 3.
“I started off with No. 1 (as a kid) but my aunt had breast cancer and she told me ‘I always loved No. 3, it looks good on you.’ So in Pop Warner, I changed to 33 and then my whole life I’ve had No. 3. I’m blessed to get it my sophomore year.”
4: JAYLEEN RECORD
Record changed from No. 84 to No. 4.
“My mother has four kids and I’m doing it for my siblings,” Record said. “And my father, he passed away, and his birthday is in April, which is the fourth month.”
6: ALEMA TUPUOLA
Tupuola was No. 36, then No. 33, and is now No. 6.
“I didn’t really care which one, I would’ve been happy with any of them but No. 6 is great,” Tupuola said. “It’s fun because, going from Winston (Reid) down to me, I’ve got big shoes to fill for sure but I also love it because it helps push me.
“Winston was such a great example to me and this university, just being an outstanding guy and a one heck of a player, so I was excited when it ended up being No. 6.”
7: TRE PARKS-VINSON
Parks-Vinson changed from No. 29 to No. 7.
“It’s a spiritual number. No. 7 means the season of completion and for this year, I’ve got a lot to show the world. Got a chip on my shoulder,” he said.
Editor’s note: Parks-Vinson interviewed for this story before a medical diagnosis that will hold him out of action.
9: TREVIAN TRIBBLE
Tribble changed from No. 24 to No. 9.
“My grandparents gave me blessed numbers, and it was 3, 7 and 9,” Tribble said. “This year, No. 9 was available so I went with that one.”
10: RICHIE MUNOZ
“I was just given No. 10. I’ve always been No. 12 or No. 2, I’ve always been an Aaron Rodgers fan. But No. 2 was taken with Marque (Collins) so they gave me No. 10,” Muñoz said.
“But then I saw that No. 10 is retired (Jamie Martin) and I’m like, ‘I’ve got to live up to this’ … It meant a lot more to me knowing that, OK, this is a Hall of Fame number here.”
99: EASTON PAYNE
Payne changed from No. 53 to No. 99, which is like the No. 1 of the defensive line.
“I had a good example here in No. 99 with Doug Schiess. He kind of big-brothered me, brought me up into what I wanted to become, so I wear that in honor of him,” Payne said. “Just being around and earning my way up, I asked for the number and I got it.”
