Taylor’s No. 26 ‘should be honored’

CORAL GABLES — No one on the Hurricanes roster this season is wearing No. 26, which the late Miami legend Sean Taylor wore.

The former UM star had his number retired by the Washington Commanders last year, but first-year Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said he did not think that will be the correct approach for UM.

“I don’t know if numbers should be retired, in general,” Cristobal said. “They should be honored. I do believe that. Because if you start retiring numbers at the University of Miami, you can retire 40-plus numbers in a hurry.”

Cristobal said one player did ask to wear No. 26, but he elected not to give it to anyone. The last Hurricane to wear No. 26 was Gurvan Hall Jr. in 2021.

“I just felt it wasn’t quite the level it needed to be to wear that number the way it should be worn,” Cristobal said.

There is also nobody on the roster wearing No. 1. Many teams award that number to distinctive playmakers or team leaders. D’Eriq King and Nesta Jade Silvera wore No. 1 last season.

“No. 1, you’ve got to earn it,” Cristobal said. “I think some guys have asked for it, and I do not disrespect anyone in not awarding them a number, but if you’re going to wear that, you’ve got to be the baddest son of a gun on the planet.”

JIM RASSOL/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL The late Sean Taylor had his number retired by the Commanders last year.