Vanderbilt players compete for the number 37

You know it's the dog days of summer when you're studying duplicate jersey numbers on the Vanderbilt roster. The little star next to a number on the roster means that the player listed next to it is a walk-on who will never, ever play.

For example, Jameson Sackey is 49*, while starter John Stokes is the real 49. Will Parker Roe gets the duplicate of Archibald Barnes' No. 15. Rich Tompkins gets Wesley Tate's 24. Reece Lovell gets Brandon Bryant's 35. Dan Sutton gets Tim Fugger's 41, Chris DeGeorge gets Rob Lohr's 84.

But what's going on with No. 37?

Elvio Tropeano gets the duplicate No. 37 belonging to... Eric Samuels and Al Owens.

Huh?

Sometimes an offensive player and a defensive player will share numbers, but Samuels and Owens are both expected to play in the secondary, both are scholarship players, and both are freshmen (Samuels true and Owens redshirt).

So is Samuels going to play offense? He was a higher rated running back than Norman, Stacy or Tate. Is Owens in the doghouse and is sharing a number with a celebrated true freshman for motivational purposes? Or do they both just love the No. 37 and are competing for it in summer camp?

Probably none of the above. Who knows?