We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.
No. 87 Greg Lashutka
Anytime you can be named a captain for a Woody Hayes-coached team, chances are you are going to be one of the best in Ohio State history to wear your number.
TE Greg Lashutka
1963-65
b. March 28, 1944 (New York, NY)
- Three-year starter (1963-65)
- Team Captain (1965)
Greg Lashutka was a three-year letterman and starter for Ohio State from 1963-65 as a tight end. In 1963, he caught one of his two career touchdowns against Indiana, in what was just his second career game. The Buckeyes finished the 1963 season with a 5-3-1 record and a second-place finish in the Big Ten. OSU concluded the season with a 14-10 win over Michigan in Ann Arbor in front of just 36,424 fans, the least-attended game at the Big House in 20 years.
After catching just two passes in 1963, Lashutka hauled in 12 passes in 1964, accounting for 136 yards and another score against USC in Columbus, helping contribute to a 17-0 victory over the Trojans. The Buckeyes reached the No. 1 ranking in the country after defeating USC, but dropped two of their last three games, getting shutout by both Penn State and Michigan.
Lashutka had a career-best year in 1965, catching 22 passes for 226 yards as one of two team-captains for Ohio State (Ike Kelley). Ohio State went on to win its last five games of the 1965 season to finish with a 7-2 overall record, good for second in the Big Ten.
Lashutka went on to have a successful political career after football, serving two terms as the Columbus City Attorney before serving eight years as the 51st Mayor of Columbus from 1992-2000.
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Photo: Ohio State University Archives
