Wisconsin Football Countdown: No. 31, David Greenwood
By Jim Oxley
As the countdown to the first Wisconsin football game of the season continues, Badger of Honor is taking a look at Badgers by the numbers, checking in on a different Badger or Badgers players who wore the number corresponding with the remaining days until the Badgers head to Texas to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday, Sept. 5.
Next up in our countdown, signifying 31 days until college football is back, is David Greenwood.
Greenwood played both punter and safety for the Badgers from 1979-1982 after heading to UW out of his hometown of Park Falls, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Badgers
A three-sport star in high school, Greenwood continued his dominance in track and field at UW, winning an outdoor Big Ten title in the high jump.
On the football field, Greenwood made his name as a two-way player.
In his career Greenwood totaled 10 interceptions, which still ranks seventh all time at UW. He led the Badgers in total tackles for four straight seasons, totaling 253 in his career. He was a first team All-Big Ten defensive back in both 1981 and 1982.
As accomplished as he was on defense from his safety position, Greenwood was just as good on special teams.
He ranks seventh all time at UW with 7,208 career punt yards, and is also seventh in school history with 191 career punts.
He had an 82-yard punt in 1979, which is still the fifth longest punt in school history.
Greenwood went to the USFL after college and played two years for the Michigan Panthers before spending three years in the NFL, a season each with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Green Bay Packers, and the Los Angeles Raiders.
Who wore No. 31 first?
• Fullback Richard Clement first wore No. 31 in 1927.
Who wears No. 31 now?
• True sophomore safety Lubern Figaro currently wears No. 31 for the Badgers. Figaro is fighting for a starting job he held a season ago, as quarterback-turned-safety Tanner McEvoy will likely challenge for the starting spot.
Stay tuned to Badger of Honor as we continue our daily countdown in preparation of the season opener against Alabama.
Next: Wisconsin Football Experience