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 24 days until college football is back, is Neovia Greyer.
A Chicago native, Greyer was a defensive back for the Badgers from 1969-1971.
Wisconsin Badgers
Greyer made a name for himself forcing turnovers in the Badgers defensive backfield. He’s third all time at UW with 18 career interceptions. He trails only Jamar Fletcher and Jim Leonhard, who sit atop the list tied with 21 interceptions apiece.
Once Greyer secured the turnover, he continued making plays, as he is second in the UW record books with 285 career interception return yards, trailing only Fletcher’s impressive 459 return yards.
Greyer’s single-seaosn total of 9 interceptions in 1970 is the second-best single season a Badger has ever had, trailing only Leonard’s 11 in 2002. Greyer had a 3 interception game against Illinois that season, he’s one of 11 Badgers ever to have pulled off that hat trick in a single game.
In 1971 Greyer was the Badgers leading tackler among defensive backs, with 94 total tackles.
Greyer was a 16th round draft pick in the 1972 NFL Draft by the New York Giants.
Who wore No. 24 first?
• Halfback Harry Kyr was the first Badgers player to wear No. 24.
Who wears No. 24 now?
• Three Badgers are currently assigned the No. 24. On offense, true sophomore wide receiver Ricky Finco and true sophomore tight end John Damrow wear No. 24, while defensively redshirt sophomore inside linebacker Keelon Brookins wears the number.
Stay tuned to Badger of Honor as we continue our daily countdown in preparation of the season opener against Alabama.
Next: Wisconsin Football Experience