"It's a biblical meaning, that's why I changed it. In the Bible, there are a lot of key things (the number eight) represents as being a new beginning. So for me, it's my senior year, my last year, and I wanted it to be a new beginning from last year. You know, we didn't make a bowl, and we want to step up to a new level, a new beginning." (HA)
About Bryant changing his number, Rich Miano said:
"Jeramy is a guy who deserves a single digit. He's waited his time, he's a senior. I didn't know it was a biblical reference, but that's even better. It's a great reason to want the number, and he would have gotten it anyways, but he would have gotten it faster if he told me that." (HA)
About how it is a "comfort factor" for some players to have certain numbers, Bryant said:
"Back in the day, Deion Sanders said, 'If you look good, you play good.' And I think that's what it is. Just feeling good and knowing you have everything you need out there with you." (HA)
About how the #8 reminds him to continually improve, Bryant said:
"A play I took off last year at practice, don't take that play off this year." (HA)
About how he wore #18 because that was the number his former pastor (Winston Phillips, of Spirit of Truth Baptist Church in LA) wore, Bryant said:
"That was his number in college. Before he died, I told him I would wear 18. It was hard for me to let that number go. He mentored me a lot back home and got me to be a man. Coming from that type of area and the things that go on around there, it's hard sometimes for the youth, but God guided me to him. The day I got out here was the day he passed away. It was hard, I lost a lot of weight at first. I believe I came out here at 177 and I went down to 165, because I was just stressing out. I regrouped, got my weight back, and now it's a fresh start." (HA)
About how facing USC in the opener is a motivating force for the team, Bryant said:
"Beat USC. Period. It's on everybody's mind, from our head coach to the trainers. You can tell. From the way we worked this offseason to the way we're communicating, the camaraderie in the locker room, a lot of things have changed, and I believe it's because of the preparation for that game." (HA)
About how Bryant is a leader for the DBs, Miano said:
"He's a leader. He's first in line, he's first out to practice, he's going to spend the most time watching videos, he's going to take videos home with him. He's a consummate professional. He's married (to Keshauna) , he has children (daughters Keyana and Kennedy), he's just mature. He's made that commitment to being a good football player, a family man, a good student, and a good leader for the defensive backs. You rarely come across a guy that you don't have to worry about in the classroom, off the field, on the field. He's going to work, work, work." (HA)
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