Cincinnati DB Bryant honors late NBA star with number switch

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cincinnati cornerback Coby Bryant, winner of the Jim Thorpe Award that goes to the nation’s best defensive back, changed his number for the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl against No. 1 Alabama on Friday.

Yes, Bryant is named after the late NBA great, even with the different spelling of the first name.

For the playoff game, Bryant switched from the No. 7 he had worn throughout his Cincinnati career to No. 8, one of the two numbers the basketball Hall of Fame player wore during his 20 seasons with the Los Angels Lakers.

“My parents loved Kobe Bryant and my brother does too,” the Bearcats cornerback said. “So I was named for Kobe Bryant. It’s just spelled differently”

Bryant said during the week that the wanted to go “vintage Kobe” and bring that playoff mentality of the five-time NBA champion .

AT NO. 1

The Cotton Bowl marked the 94th time that Alabama enters a game as the No. 1-ranked team in the AP Top 25 under coach Nick Saban.

They’re 84-9 in those games so far.

“Most of the time, when players have something to prove or something’s important to them, that sort of brings out the best in them,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “But when you play competitive sports, you not only have to prepare for what you’re supposed to do, you have to prepare for how are you going to react when the other guy does something different.”

HONORING THE UTES

Pac-12 champion Utah is playing in the Rose Bowl on Saturday — and will be honored at the Orange Bowl on Friday night, where No. 2 Michigan faces No. 3 Georgia.

The Orange Bowl and the Football Writers Association of America combine to present an annual Courage Award, which this year went to the Utes in tribute to how the team fought through the deaths of Utah players Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe.

The award, now in its 20th season, has been presented to teams twice previously: Tulane in 2005 and UConn in 2009.

“We always tell our guys that adversity will hit at some point, but what matters most is how we respond to it,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “This team has been faced with more adversity than we ever thought possible, and watching our players overcome it and respond to it the way they have has been incredible. The level of unity and love this team has for one another is something special. They define courage and we are proud to coach them.”

Jordan led all freshmen in rushing yards per game last season before his death on Dec. 26, 2020 in what police have concluded was an accidental shooting. He wore No. 22 for Utah; Lowe, as a tribute to his friend, changed his number from 2 to 22.

He died on Sept. 26, the victim of a shooting at a house party. Utah retired the No. 22 jersey on Oct. 30 in their honors.

“The entire Utah football program has embodied what the Courage Award is all about,” Orange Bowl Committee President and Chair Jack Seiler said. “Through their tributes to their fallen brothers, and through their remarkable play on the field, the Utes have simply been inspiring to so many around college football. They have represented the very best of this great game.”

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