Say hello to KU's new No. 5

If you’re looking for defensive end Dean Miller on the field this year, make sure you check the single-digit jerseys first.

Unlike his first three seasons, when he wore No. 45 as an up-and-coming prospect on the D-Line, Miller will wear No. 5 in his final season. And there are a couple of reasons behind the number change.

“Five’s just been my dream number growing up. It kind of goes back to my brother,” Miller told R1S1 Sports this spring. “It was his number growing up playing football, so I was just kind of trying to be like my older brother.”

Here’s the funny thing about that story. Hunter Miller, who is four years older than Dean, wore No. 5 for just one season, his last in 9th grade.

After that it was off to riding dirt bikes for the older Miller brother. But, given that Dean was still just in fifth grade that year, it’s clear how much of an impact Hunter had on his little brother’s view of the world.

“Of course, my dad raised that boy,” Hunter told R1S1 Sports during a recent phone interview. “But I was his older brother and I raised him, too. Tried my best to make him as tough as nails.”

Communication was not one of the focal points of that early education. So, it was news to Hunter when R1S1 Sports reached out to him to ask about Dean honoring him by wearing No. 5 this season. Immediately after receiving a text message requesting an interview, Hunter took a screenshot and sent it to Dean, inquiring what was going on?

Dean’s response was short and sweet, with an ‘Oh yeah. I kind of forgot about that,’ message being the gist of it.

That being said, Hunter was honored all the same.

“It makes me feel really good, of course,” he said. “Because Dean’s not the most open person with his feelings or emotions, which is probably why you told me instead of him.”

One thing that neither of them had to be told was how proud Hunter is of his younger brother’s football career.

He rarely missed a game during Dean’s days as a high school player. He attended all of them during Dean’s one season at College of the Canyons in their hometown of Santa Clarita, California. And he’s been to a few during Dean’s time at KU, with plans to go to as many as possible this season, complete with his 8-month-old son, Reed, in tow.

“I’m gonna get to as many as I can,” Hunter said. “We already got a bunch of KU onesies and a KU hat, so we’re ready to go. I’m just really proud of Dean and everything he’s done. His hard work and dedication just shows more than anything. And it’s all paid off.”

Back to the new number real quick, Dean was kept from wearing No. 5 during the past few seasons because it belonged to veteran KU safety O.J. Burroughs.

“I talked to him my first two years here, like, ‘Hey, lemme get that 5,’” Dean said with a laugh. “But he was firm about it. I mean, I made some offers, but he wasn’t budging.”

So, in keeping with the tradition of at least having the digit in his number somewhere, he switched to No. 45 and stuck with it. Growing up, he wore No. 25 because his best friend wore No. 5.

As soon as Burroughs left, though, Dean made it known that he wanted to make the switch.

There’s much more to it than just honoring his brother, who is mentioned twice in a three-part Q&A on Dean’s bio on the official KU football roster.

Years ago, when Miller came to KU on his initial recruiting visit after spending his first season at College of the Canyons, he wore No. 5 in all of his recruiting photo shoots.

Beyond that, he — like other Jayhawks in the past — said there’s something slick about wearing a single digit.

While the talk about what number one is wearing might seem silly to some, for several players it’s part of that whole look-good-feel-good-play-good theory, which makes it important in many cases.

“It definitely is a different feeling,” Dean said. “Especially in the beginning. You look down and you’re used to seeing a certain number and a certain feel even, but when you put that single digit on, it’s business.”

You actually feel it?

“Yeah, you do,” he added. “I think by now I feel like I’ve embraced it. Now, I’m 5. People who are newer to the team, they call me “five,” and that’s different. It’s pretty cool, too.”

In five days, Dean will open his final season of college football in a brand-new number at a brand-new stadium with, in many ways, a brand-new team.

While he was appreciative of the second-team all-Big 12 honors he received last year, he’s setting his sights even higher this year and he feels as good as he’s ever felt entering a season.

“The reality is I am in a bit of a different position this year,” he explained. “Last year, I was really trying to find my place in that defense and show everyone around me that I can do it and I’m meant to be on this field. This year, being one of the only returners coming back on defense, I’m really just stepping into that role of (a veteran) and someone who can just lead by example — a guy that people can look at and go, ‘That dude does it right.’ With this group, initially, it was definitely a different feeling. You know, unfamiliar faces. But the way we operate this program, you get familiar with them real quick.”

Saturday’s kickoff against Fresno State is slated for 5:30 p.m. at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

The game will be televised on FOX and the Jayhawks opened the week as 12.5-point favorites.

— For tickets to all KU athletic events, visit kuathletics.com