To think that all this time, Nick Palazzo just wasn’t comfortable.

Sure, he led last year’s Ivy title-winning squad in both rushing and scoring.

And sure, over the past four years he has become an emotional leader for the Crimson.

But Palazzo has accomplished all this despite one constant, disconcerting nuisance—the wrong uniform number.

“I always was No. 22, ever since I started playing football when I was 11 years old,” Palazzo says.

But when the short, stocky Ohio native first suited up at Harvard four years ago, his familiar No. 22 had become No. 44.

“Actually it was weird, because it was my best friend’s number when we were in high school,” Palazzo says.

While Palazzo was happy to honor his old teammate, it just wasn’t the same.

But now, in the last season of his up-and-down Harvard career as a top running back, he has finally been able to wear his numeral of choice.

“I just think it helps me to play my best,” he says.

However, while it is typical of Palazzo‘s attitude to work on his game from all possible angles, in this case he had an ulterior motive—the jersey itself.

“The person that wore [No. 44] before me was a linebacker and he was like 240 pounds. When I put it on it was just like a dress,” Palazzo says.

Whatever Palazzo’s reason for the costume change, opponents and teammates alike would be astonished by any claim of discomfort.

In the Crimson’s undefeated 2001 season, Palazzo garnered 564 yards rushing and seven touchdowns, even though he missed three games with an injury.

Palazzo began this season as the Crimson’s lone featured back after sharing time with Matt Leiszler ’03 and Josh Staph ’02 during the past two seasons.