Jersey Retirement Criteria

Cougar Football
1

From the press release about the retirement of #7 for Klinger & Keenum:

The two are eligible for jersey retirement having met at least two of the Houston Football retired jersey stipulations listed below.

Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
Major National Award Winner
Consensus All-American
Conference Most Valuable Player/Player of the Year
Three-time All-Conference First Team member
Hold at least 5 NCAA Records for at least 10 years

What do you think of the criteria? Since we are also an educational institution, should graduation be one of the criteria?

2

They’re retiring a jersey number related to accomplishments on the field. Has nothing to do with accomplishments (if any) in the classroom. I understand your question but in my opinion… no.

3

Haven’t both graduated?

4

I know Case did and assume Klinger did. However, I was asking more in general as opposed to these candidates.

5

No.
Let’s create an example. Let’s say Oliver becomes even more of a monster the second half of this season and beyond and becomes a consensus three-time All-American and Three Time Bednarik Award winner. After his Jr. season he would go #1 in the draft and not graduate. Such play and award collection would be worthy of jersey retirement.
Now I would say you have to be in good academic standing… but you have to be to play in the first place so having that requirement is unnecessary.

6

I think you need to graduate. Big Ed is the type of guy who’ll come back and finish, like Andre did. Ed may be playing in the League longer but that’s okay. He wants to be an example.

7

The NCAA has programs for athletes to come back and finish degrees. Also I think most schools would do what they can to accommodate these guys if they want to finish.

8

So…looking over this criteria…shouldn’t Jason Phillips have his jersey retired? He was a Consensus All-American in 1988 and was the SWC Offensive POY in 1987.

Criteria also hurts a guy like Elmo Wright who played when the Coogs weren’t in a conference. Wright made an All-American list all 3 years of his career and was a Consensus All-American in 1970. Good chance he would have been 1st team All-Conference for 3 straight years or Conference Offensive POY if Coogs weren’t independent.