Syracuse, NY (NCC News) – Syracuse University football fans have something to be very excited about this year. That thing? One guy. Sean Tucker.
The starting running back and star player is putting up a phenomenal season. The freshman is getting looks at the Heisman and a ton of national attention.
Tucker is also on his way to breaking a ton of single season Syracuse rushing records. With breaking these records, fans believe that Tucker is well deserved of some serious recognition from the University and athletic department.
There are a lot of ways that the University can do this, but fans are really in agreement that the best way to honor him would be to change his number.
Tucker currently wears #34, but fans want him to be #44. #44, as all Syracuse fans know, is the most important number in the program.
The three best running backs in the history of the program have worn the number. Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, and Floyd Little. The three of them show the whole legacy of the program.
Fans are not happy however with how the University has handled the situation up to this point. 2018 SU grad and longtime Orange fan Elizabeth Young has been an advocate for Tucker to dawn the number. She posted a twitter thread sharing her feelings and trying to get Jim Brown to give his blessing to Tucker to wear the number.
“To do that to one of your players who has earned that kind of recognition and if he’s not going to get it from the national media you at the very least as the school that recruited him should want to be that advocate for him and give him that recognition,” said Young.
Another longtime fan, Chuck Fiorello, or better known by his Twitter handle, OrangeChuck, shared that the number is something that means so much to Syracuse fans.
“Honestly, 44 is the reason why I’m a Syracuse fan. I got interested because I thought it was really cool to watch Syracuse games as a kid to see if anybody got the 44 and who was gonna have it this year,” Fiorello said.
The University has made it clear that the number will not go to Tucker this year. Athletic Director John Wildhack has said however that if they were to retire the number, Tucker has made a good case to do so.
