Kent State To Retire Joshua Cribbs’ Number “9”

KENT, Ohio — Long before Joshua Cribbs was a two-time Pro Bowl selection for the Cleveland Browns, he was rewriting the Kent State record books. In recognition of his outstanding career with the Golden Flashes, the Athletic Department will retire the number "9" at a halftime ceremony of the Oct. 30 game against Ball State.

"I would just like to say that it's a great honor to be part of a legacy," says Cribbs. "Getting your jersey retired is something that people dream of. It means I'm doing the right thing to get to where I am today. It's great for me, it puts me at great peace. Kent State has been playing football for a long time and for me to be remembered as a great there — I'll remember for years to come."

Cribbs will join Jim Corrigall (#79, 1967-69), Jack Lambert (#99, 1971-73) and Eric Wilkerson (#40, 1985-88) as the only players in the 88-year history of the program to have their number retired. Lambert is one of only five former Mid-American Conference players in the NFL Hall of Fame, Corrigall is a member of the CFL Hall of Fame and Wilkerson finished his career as all-time leading rusher in Kent State history by more than 1,200 yards (he currently stands second).

"This is a well-deserved honor for a player who brought great recognition to Kent State University when he competed here and continues to do so on an almost daily basis in the National Football League," says Kent State Director of Athletics Joel Nielsen. "Joshua exemplifies our commitment to excellence both on and off the field and we're proud to announce today that we will be permanently enshrining him among our all-time greats."

During his standout four-year career with the Golden Flashes (2001-04), Cribbs redefined the quarterback position, becoming just the second player in NCAA history with two "double-1,000 seasons" (1,000 yards passing and rushing). He set the school career passing mark with 7,169 yards, while his career rushing total of 3,670 yards ranks third.

In addition, Cribbs still holds the career records for rushing touchdowns (38), completions (616), attempts (1,123), total plays (1,755), total yards (10,839), points (246) and total touchdowns (41). The first three-time captain in school history, he was an honorable mention All-American as a senior in 2004.

"Josh exemplified what a competitor truly is," says Kent State seventh-year head coach Doug Martin. "You watched Josh every day, and it didn't matter whether it was a practice, scrimmage or game; he always competed at the highest level. That permeated throughout the team.

"It's great for Josh and for our whole football team," continued Martin. "He's very proud to have played here and of what the people here have done for him. A lot of guys leave and don't keep their roots and don't come back, but Josh is always around."

Cribbs graduated from Kent State in the spring of 2010 with a bachelor's degree in communication studies with a concentration in public communication. He is a native of Upper Marlboro, Md. and attended Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C.

The Oct. 30 game with Ball State will air on WJW Fox 8 in Cleveland with the kickoff time moving from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. to accommodate the broadcast. Tom Linder will handle the play-by-play duties with former Browns standout Hanford Dixon serving as the color analyst. Tickets are available by calling (330) 672-2244.