Zombo said:

Well, yes. Once upon a time teams used to run the Robust....or Fullhouse Backfield where there were 3 RBs in the backfield. So you would have Crowe/West/and Duke Johnson all behind the QB. But of course such a thing is not in vogue. (Maybe the Seahawks should have lined up that way instead of the way they did on that last play of the SB.) All that has happened over the years is that teams began putting 1, 2 or all 3 of those backfield personell out on the wings to be receivers.

The most famous of these were the Ohio State Robust backfields:

QB Cornelius Greene, HBs Brian Baschnagel and Archie Griffin, FB Pete Johnson. Half the time Baschnagel would line up behind the QB....the other half he would split out right.

Of course a variation on this was the Wishbone.

But, like I said....even in college nothing like this is run anymore....except maybe at Army.

@mark-o said:

I'd actually see the NFL use the college style...guys can wear whatever number they want. I like seeing linebackers wearing number 5 and shit. Makes it different.

Absolutely.

Didn't Michigans QB wear 98?

I'd love to see WR's and RB's wear like #2 and #9

Let the LB's and Safeties do it too.

@mdmusch said:

Almost had to- teams started running out of enough numbers to use. Same reason you're now seeing WRS with numbers below 20.

@mdmusch said:

I'd actually see the NFL use the college style...guys can wear whatever number they want. I like seeing linebackers wearing number 5 and shit. Makes it different.

@mdmusch said:

Not a fan of the NFL allowing LB's to be in the 40's

But lots of "exceptions" to traditional numbering back then ... 00 Jim Otto C, 21 Cliff Branch WR, 00 Kenny Burroughs WR, Biletnekoff 25 Warfield 42 ... WRs were all over the place, maybe the flankers were considered "backs".

Z

But lots of "exceptions" to traditional mumbering back then ... 00 Jim Otto C, 21 Cliff Branch WR, 00 Kenny Burroughs WR, Biletnekoff 25 Warfield 42 ... WRs were all over the place, maybe the flankers were considered "backs".

Z

@tiamat63 said:

... I can't think of a single decent corner that has a number in the 40's other than Maxwell.

And Barnes was a corner...

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarnEr00.htm

@tour2ma said:

Barnes was a DB...FS I believe, not a LB.....though he tackled like a LB.

Maybe Gaines will get a new # if he makes the team?........

I also read that the league just passed a rule allowing LB's to have #'s in the 40's.....so maybe Orchard is the first

@tiamat63 said:

I'm well aware, but he was my candidate for safety and I can't think of a single decent corner that has a number in the 40's other than Maxwell.

Erich Barnes... #40 on the nose...

@walterwhite said:

Vince Mayle: 85

@tour2ma said:

I'm well aware, but he was my candidate for safety and I can't think of a single decent corner that has a number in the 40's other than Maxwell.

@tiamat63 said:

Hmm. Gaines might be transitioning to safety.

... and Orchard to FB...

Numbers don't mean what they used.

Mike