Puthoff Presented with 54 Jersey
8/25/2017 9:45:00 AM | Football
Kent State senior center Nathan Puthoff (Columbus, Ohio) will don the No. 54 jersey this season in honor of his late teammate Jason Bitsko. The jersey was presented to Puthoff at a team meeting Sunday night inside Dix Stadium, exactly three years after Bitsko's tragic and sudden passing.
"Nathan's work ethic and leadership really stood out through camp practices and summer workouts," Head Coach Paul Haynes said. "He's a great teammate. And those are the things Jason stood for. As our starting center, it's kind of fitting. And he'll represent the jersey well. What makes this really special for Nathan is that Jason was the first person he met on his recruiting visit here."
This summer, Puthoff was named to the 2017 Rimington Trophy Watch List, an award presented annually to the most outstanding center at the FBS level. He has played in 25 career games with 21 starts.
"It was a huge honor," Puthoff said. "Jason taught me what it was like to be a Kent State football player. He was a great guy. To be able to keep his legacy going throughout the year is a big privilege for me."
Bitsko had become a mentor and friend to many both on and off the field, before his death in August of 2014, during the Golden Flashes' preseason camp. When the number 54 came off the sides of Kent State helmets following that season, players missed having it displayed and wanted to continue to honor him.
After discussion among coaches, players and Bitsko's family, it was decided that the number should be worn again on a jersey, following its one-year absence. But the jersey couldn't be worn by just anyone. It needed to be an offensive lineman who would wear the jersey with the same pride, passion and devotion Jason displayed throughout his life. The bearer of the jersey would hold himself to highest standards and take responsibility for the growth and continuity of teammates.
Recipients of the honor are displayed in the offensive line's meeting room. Reno Reda was the first recipient of the jersey in 2015, while current junior Stefano Millin (Massillon, Ohio) wore the jersey last season.
