The Ohio State community is mourning the loss of Bob Atha, a true OSU legend who passed away on March 31 at the age of 65 after a long, brave fight with cancer. It’s not often you see college football players take on two different positions on opposite sides of the field, let alone three, especially not in the late ’70s. However, Atha was exceptional and truly a rare case.

A Worthington native, who was a quarterback, a kicker, a punter, and even lined up as a wide receiver, Bob Atha was a total outlier: the ultimate Swiss Army knife was 1978-1981 for OSU. He originally joined the team as a “walk-on” under the legendary coach Woody Hayes, meaning he wasn’t even on a scholarship at first. He served as backup for both starting quarterback Art Schlichter and kicker Vlade Janakievski. Eventually, slowly, he earned the trust of Woody Hayes, transformed himself from an underdog into an indispensable legend that the fans and coaches absolutely adored.

However, his 1981 senior season was a masterpiece of versatility that you just don’t see in modern college football anymore. He managed to earn the starting kicker role. During a very important game against Indiana on October 24th, Atha put on a show to remember, successfully nailing five field goals to lead the Buckeyes to a 29–10 victory.

It set a school record for the most field goals in a single match, a milestone that remains unbeaten at OSU to this day. By the time the season wrapped up, Bob was the leading scorer in the entire Big Ten conference with 88 points. He achieved this through a wild mix of 13 field goals and 43 extra points. Not to mention, he also scored one rushing touchdown. As a sophomore, Atha kicked a 50-yard field goal against Northwestern, the second-longest field goal in OSU history at the time.

Beyond his kicking heroics, Bob Atha’s role as a backup quarterback is one for the books. He spent years playing behind some of the biggest names in Buckeyes history, like Art Schlichter and Mike Tomczak.

Even when he wasn’t the designated starter under center, his high football IQ made him a leader in the locker room. He was actually the “freshman kicker” that Woody Hayes called for in the final moments of the infamous 1978 Gator Bowl – otherwise known as the end of Woody Hayes’ era.

After going toe-to-toe with the Clemson Tigers in slow, gritty football, the Buckeyes trailed by just two points, 17–15, but they were in a pretty good position to get this dub and make it 18–17 with a field goal.

Art Schlichter had moved the ball to Clemson’s 25-yard line to set up the potential game-winning field goal for freshman kicker Bob Atha. Just as they were wrapping up the game, Schlichter decided to throw one more pass. Unfortunately, it got intercepted by Clemson defensive tackle Charlie Bauman with about two minutes left in the game.

This turnover ended Ohio State’s best chance to take the lead. Obviously, that didn’t sit well with the former head coach. Right after the interception, the most shocking moment of the game happened. As Bauman stepped out of bounds, OSU head coach Woody Hayes struck him on the sideline. Shortly afterward, Hayes was fired because of this clothesline incident. To this day, some OG Buckeyes believe Atha should’ve been given the chance to attempt that game-winning kick instead of risking another pass.

Life after college ball for the OSU legend

After hanging up his scarlet and gray jersey, Bob Atha’s talent caught the eye of professional scouts. He was selected in the 12th round (back in the day thing) of the 1982 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals and later spent time with the Miami Dolphins.

He also played a couple of snaps for the USFL’s Los Angeles Express in 1983. Once his playing days were over, Bob returned to his roots in Ohio and found out he was an entrepreneur and oil tycoon at heart. He became the owner of Houghton Investments, an oilfield production company. They run a couple of oil operations across several counties, including Athens, Morgan, and Vinton. The OSU legend remained the primary leader until his death.

To those who knew him best, Bob Atha was much more than a three-position skill player. His former teammates often speak about how he never complained about his role and was always the first person to cheer on his friends.

He leaves behind a beautiful legacy and a loving family, including his wife, Carol, and their three children, Lauren, Hunter, and Tanner. Bob Atha will forever be remembered as a guy who could do it all, a true Buckeye through and through, whose name will always have a special place in the OSU record books.