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Former Alouettes receiver Ben Cahoon waves to fans after being inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame during a half-time ceremony as the Montreal Alouettes take on the Calgary Stampeders in Montreal, Sunday, September 21, 2014. Alouettes receiving great Cahoon got his soon-to-be-retired No. 86 jersey by default. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

MONTREAL - Ben Cahoon wore his favourite jersey number — seven — for one day when he started out at Brigham Young University until it was "taken" from him to give to "some punk new recruit."

That's when the sure-handed little slotback started wearing No. 86, the number he made famous for 13 seasons as a standout receiver for the Montreal Alouettes and the one that will be retired by the Canadian Football League club.

"It was by default — it had no special meaning at the time," Cahoon said Thursday on a conference call. "I wore 32 the first year (in Montreal).

"I asked after the first year if I could change it (to 86)."

Going on six years after he retired as the CFL's all-time leader in pass receptions (his 1,017 has since been passed by Geroy Simon's 1,029), many Cahoon 86 jerseys can still be seen in the grandstands at Alouettes games.

They will likely be out in force on July 29, when Cahoon's jersey is to be retired at half time of a game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Cahoon, who played his entire CFL career with Montreal from 1998 to 2010, will be the 11th Alouette to have his number go up on the wall at Percival Molson Stadium and the first since his long-time teammate Anthony Calvillo's No. 13. Others are Mike Pringle (27), Peter Dalla Riva (74), George Dixon (28), Hal Patterson (75), Herb Trawick (56), Junior Ah You (77), Pierre Desjardins (63), Sam Etcheverry (92) and Virgil Wagner (78).

Calvillo and Cahoon were one of the great quarterback-receiver duos in CFL history, leading a powerhouse Montreal squad to Grey Cup wins in 2002, 2009 and 2010. Calvillo was the league's all-time passing leader when he retired. A large piece of that was on bullet passes up the middle to Cahoon, who remains sixth in career receiving yards with 13,301.

Asked to say what made him successful, Cahoon said: "Every day trying to compete with guys that were bigger, faster and stronger than I was. It was a daunting challenge that drove me.

"I tried to go to work every day and earn my paycheque. That was a big deal to me — to try to prove to (owner) Mr. Wetenhall and (general manager) Jim Popp that the investment they made in me was worth it."

Cahoon was born in Utah to Canadian parents and spent part of his childhood in Alberta, which made him a "non-import" in the CFL. Montreal picked him sixth overall in the 1998 draft.

He was named the league's top Canadian twice in the regular season and twice more in Grey Cup games. He holds career Grey Cup game records for catches (46) and receiving yards (658).

He returned to Utah upon retirement and was hired as receivers coach at Brigham Young, but was let go after one season, only to be brought back for the 2016 campaign.

If he is ever let go again, he does not rule out coaching in the CFL, particularly in Montreal where Calvillo is offensive co-ordinator.

"I think about it quite often," said Cahoon. "I've got a lot to learn as a coach.

"But I'd love to coach back in the CFL. Maybe some day I'll get that chance."

Popp said Cahoon would probably prefer to stay at Brigham Young the rest of his career but he would be welcome back with the Alouettes.

"If he stays there he would be happy I'm sure, but I think he knows that as long as I'm part of the organization or the Wetenhall family owns the team, there's always a job for him," said Popp.