To honor Aaron Lowe and Ty Jordan, No. 22 will be the first retired number in Utah football history.
The University of Utah announced that the school will officially retire No. 22 — worn by both Lowe and Jordan, who both tragically died in the past 10 months — during the Utah vs. UCLA game on Saturday.
In the days after Lowe’s death on Sept. 26, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham expressed a desire to have the number retired.
“No. 22, you won’t see anyone wear No. 22 in this program again, at least as long as I’m the head coach,” Whittingham said. “We’d like to see that retired permanently. That’s our wish. We’d like to see it happen.”
Lowe and Jordan have been honored by the school on and off the field this season. At home games, during the break between the third and fourth quarters, a video honoring the lives of both has played, and will continue all season long with a “moment of loudness” at the end.
Utah has also established memorial scholarship funds in honor of each player.
Lowe and Jordan were high school teammates and friends in Texas, and their friendship continued while both continued their football careers at Utah. After Jordan’s death, Lowe switched his number to No. 22 to honor his friend and teammate.