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Syracuse star tailback Sean Tucker has been an absolute joy to watch play this season. As the building block of the Orange’s offensive attack, the speedy, strong and shifty redshirt freshman from Owings Mills, Maryland, can break off a big run at any moment. Tucker has posted staggering numbers, rushing for over 1,300 rushing yards on 6.2 yards per carry to go along with 13 total touchdowns. He is having one of the greatest seasons in Syracuse history, 11 yards from breaking the single season rushing record for a member of the Orange, currently held by Joe Morris.

Tucker has already found himself in rarified air when it comes to the history of Syracuse football. Such rarified air, in fact, that the legends who have worn No. 44 before Tucker are even thinking about allowing the sacred number to be worn by Tucker. While a potential number switch this year has been shut down, the idea of him wearing it for next year’s football season has not been ruled out. The jersey was brought out of retirement in 2015, allowing for it to be worn by Syracuse players once again. Still, nobody has worn the number since fullback Rob Konrad from 1995-98.

Allowing Tucker to wear No. 44 would be no small gesture. The number has been donned by legends such as Jim Brown, Ernie Davis and Floyd Little. Brown is considered by many to be the greatest running back of all time, and Davis was the first Black player to win the Heisman Trophy.

Little was a driving force behind the restoration in 2015, and it is reported that university officials have already floated the idea of Tucker wearing the number to Brown in addition to the families of the late Davis and Little.

Tucker is already putting up a resume that makes him Syracuse’s most dynamic offensive player since Donovan McNabb. With three more seasons of eligibility left, and at least one more required before entry into the NFL draft, Tucker has a chance to build a legendary career for the Orange. It is time for the Athletic Department and football program to send a jolt into the team and fan base by allowing Tucker to wear No. 44 for the 2022 season and beyond.

Doing this could provide potential benefits to the program. For one, it would create a unique buzz around Tucker and the next football season that is unprecedented in recent memory. Additionally, the gravitas and history behind the number could be useful as a recruiting chip for potential talent. Being able to tell a top running back recruit that they too could wear the No. 44 is a unique recruiting pitch that not all schools can offer.

With Tucker wearing the No. 44, his subsequent success in the number could be a bridge between the generations of Syracuse football fans and honor the truly special players, especially running backs, that come through the program.

I implore Syracuse University Athletic Director John Wildhack and the rest of the Athletic Department to listen to the students, the fans and the legends of the past. Let star running back Sean Tucker wear No. 44 for The Orange next season.

Lucas Kaplan is a junior political science major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at lkaplan@syr.edu.

Published on November 18, 2021 at 1:40 am