Tom Tupa – Ohio State Buckeyes

This fall, the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame inducted 15 new members, including football alum Tom Tupa.

Tupa was a two-way player for the football Buckeyes while lettering four years between 1984 and 1987. He held six Ohio State punting records at the conclusion of his career, including single season and career average with 47.1 in 1984 and 44.7 for his career. He still holds the two best single season marks, including 47.0 in 1987. His 9,564 career yards still rank second all-time and his 2,963 yards in 1987 rank third. Tupa was a 1987 consensus All-American as a punter.

Tupa was 6-4-1 as Ohio State’s starting quarterback in 1987 with his most important win coming in Earle Bruce’s last game as coach, 23-20, at Michigan. He threw for 2,252 passing yards and still ranks 23rd on Ohio State’s career yardage list.

Tupa had an 18-year NFL career as a punter, playing for seven teams between 1988 and 2005. He was First Team All-Pro in 1999, was named to the New England Patriots All-1990s decade team and he won a Super Bowl in 2002 with Tampa Bay.