The quarterback job wasn’t the only major competition decided within the Arizona football program this week. There was also the battle to see who would get to wear a much-coveted jersey number this season.
In the end, redshirt junior wide receiver Stanley Berryhill III came out on top, beating out eight teammates for the right to wear No. 1 during the 2021 season. The news was first reported by the Arizona Daily Star’s Michael Lev.
Berryhill, a Tucson native and former walk-on entering his fifth year at Arizona, wore No. 86 from 2017-20 and throughout spring ball and preseason training camp. It was in that number that he led the UA in receptions (23), yards (227) and touchdowns (three) during the 5-game 2020 season.
UA coach Jedd Fisch first announced at Pac-12 Media Day in Los Angeles late last month that a “meritocracy” would determine which of nine candidates would wear No. 1, basing the decision on overall performance in practice, in the weight room, in the community and in the classroom. Earlier this week, shortly after announcing Arizona would play both Gunner Cruz and Will Plummer at quarterback for the Sept. 4 opener against BYU in Las Vegas, Fisch said the competition was down to three players.
Berryhill won the No. 1 jersey on the same day he was named one of six captains for Arizona for this season.