FAQ's on retiring jerseys

What are the criteria for having a jersey retired?

The only real criteria Texas has is that the player must have won a national player of the year award, but even that rule is not set in stone. In 2008, the athletic department amended that rule to include several players from years past in football and baseball.

Regarding this decision, DeLoss Dodds said in 2008: ‘We have basically tried to have criteria in the past but it's hard to do because certain awards weren't even there when Burt Hooton was pitching or Slater Martin was playing. I think ... that we are going to try to put some criteria together that will move us into the future on these kinds of things. Being the best in their sport in that year is the criteria, and I think that they pretty much all meet that criteria.'

What is the process for deciding what jerseys get retired and who makes the decisions?

It is unclear if there is an official selection process, but judging from past retirees there seems to be a mix of coaches and athletic department influence.

Is there a timeframe for choosing to retire a player's jersey?

No, but most retirements are within one to three years of a player leaving Texas. Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams were both two years out of school, Vince Young was three years and T.J. Ford, Kevin Durant and now Colt McCoy are one year out. Roger Clemens waited 10 years for his jersey to be retired, but that's not nearly as long as some of the older players whose jerseys weren't retired until 2008.

What sports at Texas have retired jerseys and are there any women's jerseys retired?

Basketball has three players retired: No. 35 Kevin Durant, No. 11 T.J. Ford and No. 15 Slater Martin. Baseball has five players retired: No. 21 Roger Clemens, No. 25 Scott Bryant, No. 20 Burt Hooten, No. 23 Brooks Kieschnick and No. 21 Greg Swindell. There are currently no women players with retired jerseys at Texas and the criteria for choosing women's jerseys to retire is unknown.

How many jerseys do the football programs at the other Big 12 schools have and what are their criteria?

Texas A&M: Has honored players and jerseys in many sports but none has been retired.

Oklahoma: Has not retired any jerseys and said that there have been so many outstanding players the school would not know where to begin.

Baylor: Has not retired any jerseys.

Texas Tech: Has two retired jerseys and no specific criteria.

Oklahoma State: Has four jersey numbers that are not active but not officially retired. They are researching potential processes for retiring jerseys.

Kansas: Has three jerseys retired. There are no set criteria for selection.

Kansas State: Has one number (No. 11) retired that was worn by two great players, Steve Grogan and Lynn Dickey.

Colorado: Has three retired jersey numbers but no longer retires jerseys as they want to keep numbers in circulation. They do honor jerseys and recognize them in their athletic center. Several criteria apply, most notably All-America honors (first-team preferred), multiple all-conference honors, special awards (i.e., Heisman), etc.

Iowa State: Has one number retired, No. 30 Mike Cox. Then-ISU head coach Clay Stapleton retired Cox's number because he was the epitome of a student-athlete. Since Troy Davis (Heisman runner-up, 1996) and his brother Darren (1996-99), no Cyclone has worn No. 28 but it has not been officially retired.

Nebraska: Has 17 jerseys retired, but those numbers are still active. Only two numbers are permanently retired. All major national award winners have their jerseys retired.

Missouri: Has seven jerseys retired.