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. 89 John Frank
Thirty-five years removed from the end of his Ohio State career, John Frank remains the Buckeyes' all-time leader in both receptions and receiving yards for a tight end.
TE John Frank
1980-1983
b. April 17, 1962 (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- First-Team All-Big Ten (1982, '83)
- Team MVP (1983)
- Academic All-American (1981, '82, '83)
- Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame (1998)
- National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (2006)
A three-year starter and four-year letterwinner, Frank played in 47 games for the Buckeyes from 1980-83 and finished his career with 121 total receptions for 1,481 yards and nine receiving touchdowns. He's still tied for 11th among all Ohio State players in receptions and ranks 19th in Buckeye history in receiving yards.
Frank earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in both 1982 and 1983 and was also voted team MVP in 1983, when he caught a team-high 45 passes for 641 yards and four touchdowns.
Frank was selected in the second round of the 1984 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers and went on to play five seasons for the team, catching 65 passes for 662 yards and 10 touchdowns and winning two Super Bowl rings.
In addition to his excellence on the field, Frank also starred in the classroom at Ohio State. A three-time Academic All-American and National Football Foundation postgraduate scholarship recipient, Frank returned to Ohio State after retiring from the NFL to attend medical school, and received his M.D. from the university in 1992. Frank now operates hair restoration practices in both New York and Columbus.
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Photo: Ohio State Dept. of Athletics
