Wysong Earns First Pick at Initial Number Ceremony
It was a first of its kind type of ceremony for Lobo Football. Also, that’s OK, because doing things in a new way is sort of the new norm around the Tow Diehm facility. As coach Mendenhall is fond of saying, the old way wasn’t all that successful, so change is the new norm.
However, this wasn’t a new concept to Mendenhall, or many of the staff that were a part of jersey ceremonies at his previous stop at Virginia. And make no mistake, it was a ceremony. Replete with walk-up music, intros, stories and jersey number selections for the 2024 season. It had everything that Lobo Football is about … there was pride, there was honor, there was some drama as names were called, and in the end, every number was earned. Nothing was given.
Voted on by the leadership council, 26 players earned numbers for the 2024 season, and the coveted first pick went to Luke Wysong. The Cleveland High graduate who in many ways has been the heart and soul of Lobos since his arrival in 2021 has certainly led by example. Owner of a coveted black shirt for workouts, Wysong had his pick of any number he wanted, and he opted to stay with his tried and true 15. “Gotta stay with the one five,” he quipped on Tuesday.
One-by-one, 25 other players had their names called by the leadership council or coaches. With walkup music balring and their photos on the video board, the players walked to the end zone wall where every available jersey was hanging. Each player took a jersey, claiming it and that number for the year.
So players stayed with numbers they have had. Andrew Henry remains at No. 2, Bryson Taylor at 13 and Aaron Rodriguez at No. 10. Nic Trujillo opted for 81 again and Kyler Drake stayed in 45. Some players opted for new digits. Trace Bruckler went from 85 to 5, and immediately earned the new nickname “Big Cinco”. Christian Ellis went from 22 to 8, which opened 22 for Dimitri Johnson, who was 16 last year. Mihalis Santorineos went from 21 to 11 and Dereck Moore moved to No. 20.
Several newcomers earned numbers including Baraka Beckett, Okiki Olorunfunmi and Josh Perry. And lest you think there was favoritism in the voting among the leadership council … several members of that council didn’t earn a number this go-round.
Of note, two defensive linemen now are in single digits, with Tyler Kiehne picking 7 and Gabe Lopez at 9. Starting quarterback Devon Dampier, who was 13 last year, was able to snag 4, his high school number and a number special to him. Noah Avinger, who was 14 at San Diego State, will don the No. 1, becoming the first Lobo since 2013 to wear that number. Bobby Arnold III will be the second Lobo to wear 0.
Overall, here are the 26 numbers that were selected in the first Jersey Number Ceremony.
0 Bobby Arnold III
1 Noah Avinger
2 Andrew Henry
3 David Murphy
4 Devon Dampier
5 Trace Bruckler
6 Eli Sanders
7 Tyler Kiehne
8 Christian Ellis
9 Gabriel Lopez
10 Aaron Rodriguez
11 Mihalis Santorineos
13 Bryson Taylor
15 Luke Wysong (1st pick)
17 Okiki Olorunfunmi
19 Magnus Geers
20 Dereck Moore
21 Javen Jacobs
22 Dimitri Johnson
23 Josh Perry
45 Kyler Drake
56 Baraka Beckett
66 McKenzie Agnello
81 Nic Trujillo
89 Mosoipala Tuitele
