Although not a long tradition, Northwestern University’s selection of an exceptionally dedicated and team-oriented player to wear uniform No. 1 has become a special honor since head coach Pat Fitzgerald introduced it in 2011. As he puts it, No. 1 in college football is usually worn by a flashy player, but at Northwestern it’s used to recognize “a young man who embodies the best of values we look for in a Wildcat.”
The first player so honored, 290-pound walk-on lineman Bo Cisek, played primarily on special teams, including as a punt protector. Now that Cisek has graduated, the No. 1 jersey has been awarded to junior running back Tim Hanrahan, a chemical engineering major who rushed for only 31 yards on eight carries last year as a reserve tailback, but was an enthusiastic special teams player.
Fitzgerald and his 10 full-time assistant coaches select who wears the No. 1.
