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With a limited pool to choose from, I really wanted to go with the first two-way player I remember playing in the Scarlet and Gray, Tom Tupa. Tupa was a punter by trade (and a pretty good one at that) but took snaps under center as well. He would be the top QB for the Buckeyes in 1987.
Although Tupa went on to have an exceptional career punting the ball in the NFL, he just didn’t quite have the stats for me to give him the best ever to wear No. 18 for Ohio State.
Instead, I had to do some digging and found a player by the name of Merle Wendt who played for the Buckeyes from 1934-1936. Well before most of us can remember, Wendt had a stellar time in Columbus.
We're Merle Wendt (left) days away from Buckeye football! 3x all-American end ('34-'36), was 3-0 vs. Michigan while outscoring U of M 93-0. pic.twitter.com/atQd2LhRBK
— David Kinder II (@davidkinderii) August 13, 2017
Wendt played on both sides of the ball at the ends, one catching, one tackling. And he was pretty good at both. Wendt was named a three-time All-American as well as three-time All-Conference selection and was named captain for his senior year.
Maybe Merle Wendt’s most impressive stat… beating Michigan all three years by a combined score of 93-0!