In recent months, college football has witnessed increasing professionalism with programs not only offering financial incentives to attract players but also extending offers for jersey numbers. At the University of Southern California (USC), the No. 11 jersey has been notably retired in honor of Matt Leinart, who won the Heisman Trophy while playing there. Leinart has repeatedly declined requests from the university to allow top recruits to wear his retired jersey, expressing strong feelings about the matter. He emphasized that his jersey is off-limits to anyone other than his sons. Leinart made it clear that he would not unretire the jersey merely for the sake of allowing a recruit to wear it, knowing they could potentially transfer schools after a short tenure. He explained that, unlike fellow Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer, who allowed his No. 3 jersey to be worn by another player, he has different standards. He stated that only his son Cole Leinart, currently a freshman quarterback at Southern Methodist University, would be allowed to wear the No. 11 if he decided to play at USC, along with his two other younger sons if they choose to join the program in the future. Furthermore, Leinart dismissed any notions that financial incentives could persuade him to change his stance on the jersey, asserting, 'It’s not for sale.' This decision highlights current discussions regarding athlete recruitment and program branding in college sports as the landscape continues to evolve in a more professional direction, often focused on retaining traditions while balancing commercial interests.