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For some, it’s
a numbers game

SOMETIMES, the numbers tell the stories ...

» Hawaii LB Tyson Kafentzis, on wearing the famed No. 54 at UH:

"Brian Urlacher. ... He was originally from my hometown, but then he moved to New Mexico and I've been following him ever since."

Urlacher? Has anyone mentioned No. 54's history at UH?

"The only person I've known to have this before me was Chris Brown. He's a pretty big-time player. He was about 250 pounds, benched about 500 pounds."

Yeah, Brown was pretty good. Anyone else? Anyone ... ?

Al Noga?

"Yeah! Al Noga! ...

"You play like the people who wear the number. That's why I got it. The number pushes me."

Was it his high school number?

"No. 8. My brother's (UH safety Landon) number right now. ... That's like a family number. I had it in high school, my brother had it in high school. My dad had it in high school and college. And when my dad left, my uncles got it in college, so, 8.

"I might have to get it next year."

» OLB/DE Kila Kamakawiwo'ole on No. 1:

"I just wanted to go back to my old high school number. I always was No. 1, so ... I couldn't get it last year, so I figured I would get it my senior year, my last year."

How does a high school kid end up getting No. 1?

"I played pretty much like quarterback, receiver, running back, carry the ball. I needed a number that was eligible for doing all those different things. So I started out with 1 and I ended up my last year (at UH) as 1, too."

Has he been informed that the pressure is on after asking to switch to No. 1?

"No. There's nothing. Everybody was saying I look good in No. 1, but, nah.

"It's just a number."

» Defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville, who calls all his players by their jersey numbers, on his own "uniform":

"I always wore black off the field. It was always my favorite color. And we were playing the Rams. I was head coach of the Oilers. And I was trying to signal to a defensive end. And he said, 'Coach, I want you to walk out here to the center of the field and look back (to the sideline). I can't find you.' And so I went out and I looked back. And I never saw such a maze where everything was the same. And it was a defensive end, he said, 'Wear something I can find you.' And so then I said if I'm going to change I'm going to wear black. And that was the whole deal. People wanted to make more out of it than what it was."

Will he wear black this season?

"I don't know, that's up to Coach Jones. My son sent me a shirt he wants me to wear, but I don't think Coach Jones will let me wear it. It says on the shirt: 'I need more cowbell.' "

» Slotback Jason Ferguson on No. 2:

"I was No. 21 last year. Chad Owens took No. 2 a long way. And when he graduated, a couple guys were trying to get the number. And he came up to me and was basically talking to me about it: 'If anybody gets No. 2, I want it to be you.' And like at first I was iffy about it, you know? Everybody was going to be looking at me and thinking I was trying to be like Chad. And that's not even the case. I'm just trying to be Jason Ferguson. The truth of the matter is if I could do half the stuff Chad could do, you know, I'd have a decent career. Shoot -- more than a decent career!

"So at the same time, he basically just handed it down to me, he gave me the number, so, I accepted it. I accepted the responsibility that comes with it."

What has the response been to his wearing Owens' number?

"Oh, they're crackin' major jokes. I've got Samson Satele, Mel Purcell, one more guy -- Jordan Slye -- nonstop: 'How you doing, Chad? You look good out there, Chad.' ... Nonstop. Nonstop."

Was he hoping to get the number before Owens made sure he'd be the next No. 2?

"No, not really. In high school I was 22, and when I came here I got 21. I took it as a pat on the back, I mean he asked me, you know? So once he asked me I was like, Wow. You know, like, Wow. Sure. I was kind of shocked, like: Yeah."