Northwestern University Athletics
Anthony Walker, Jr. Awarded Traditional No. 1 Jersey
8/7/2016 5:34:00 PM | Football
EVANSTON — Northwestern's football family came together Sunday afternoon on the eve of its first training camp practice and head coach Pat Fitzgerald had a special announcement to share with the Wildcats. Junior linebacker Anthony Walker, Jr. will wear jersey No. 1 for the 'Cats during the upcoming campaign.
"The No. 1 jersey, in our program, is used to recognize the young man who truly embodies the values and character of the Northwestern football family" said Fitzgerald. "It is worn by someone who consistently dedicates himself as a great teammate, an excellent student and an influential member of our community. It is more than a flashy number. Here it represents a way of life."
The tradition of the No. 1 jersey began in 2011 when Fitzgerald bestowed the honor upon defensive lineman and special teams standout Bo Cisek. Defensive lineman Max Chapman donned the uniform for 'Cats in 2015 when they matched a program record with 10 wins and appeared in the 2016 Outback Bowl.
NU coaches and players identified a strong group of candidates to wear the number in 2016. Fitzgerald presented the pool of worthy candidates to the player-elected Leadership Council, and that group decided it was Walker who should wear No. 1 for Chicago's Big Ten Team this fall.
"The No. 1 jersey embodies the program, on the field and off the field," Walker said. "You have to make sure you're doing everything to the standard of the Wildcat Way. To have the respect from my teammates and the coaching staff to wear the number is very humbling. I'm just excited to be able to represent the program in this way."
On the field, Walker was a consensus All-Big Ten selection and All-American honoree by the Associated Press and Sports Illustrated last season after leading the Wildcats with 122 tackles. He ranked second in FBS in the regular season with 20.5 tackles for loss, the second-best mark in program history. Nicknamed "The Franchise" by his teammates, Walker was named to the Walter Camp, Butkus, Bednarik and Nagurski Award watch lists in the preseason and was named a Big Ten Player to Watch.
The Wildcats open the 2016 regular season on Saturday, September 3 when the Western Michigan Broncos come to Evanston. Kickoff for the opener is set for 11 a.m. and tickets are still available by calling 888-GO-PURPLE (467-8775) or visiting the ticket page on NUsports.com.
"The No. 1 jersey, in our program, is used to recognize the young man who truly embodies the values and character of the Northwestern football family" said Fitzgerald. "It is worn by someone who consistently dedicates himself as a great teammate, an excellent student and an influential member of our community. It is more than a flashy number. Here it represents a way of life."
The tradition of the No. 1 jersey began in 2011 when Fitzgerald bestowed the honor upon defensive lineman and special teams standout Bo Cisek. Defensive lineman Max Chapman donned the uniform for 'Cats in 2015 when they matched a program record with 10 wins and appeared in the 2016 Outback Bowl.
NU coaches and players identified a strong group of candidates to wear the number in 2016. Fitzgerald presented the pool of worthy candidates to the player-elected Leadership Council, and that group decided it was Walker who should wear No. 1 for Chicago's Big Ten Team this fall.
"The No. 1 jersey embodies the program, on the field and off the field," Walker said. "You have to make sure you're doing everything to the standard of the Wildcat Way. To have the respect from my teammates and the coaching staff to wear the number is very humbling. I'm just excited to be able to represent the program in this way."
On the field, Walker was a consensus All-Big Ten selection and All-American honoree by the Associated Press and Sports Illustrated last season after leading the Wildcats with 122 tackles. He ranked second in FBS in the regular season with 20.5 tackles for loss, the second-best mark in program history. Nicknamed "The Franchise" by his teammates, Walker was named to the Walter Camp, Butkus, Bednarik and Nagurski Award watch lists in the preseason and was named a Big Ten Player to Watch.
The Wildcats open the 2016 regular season on Saturday, September 3 when the Western Michigan Broncos come to Evanston. Kickoff for the opener is set for 11 a.m. and tickets are still available by calling 888-GO-PURPLE (467-8775) or visiting the ticket page on NUsports.com.
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