Mike Lantry

A native of Oxford, Michigan, Lantry enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduating from high school.

Lantry's experiences in Vietnam and Michigan were the subject of Michael Rosenberg's 2008 book, War As They Knew It: Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and America in a Time of Unrest.

Unlike most college athletes, Lantry was a 23-year-old freshman who was married, had a young child, and had seen combat action in Vietnam.

Lantry earned a spot on the team in 1971 and was Michigan's first-string place-kicker for all 33 games of the 1972, 1973 and 1974 seasons.

In addition to football, Lantry was also a shot putter who earned three varsity letters at Michigan.

[3] In September 1973, Lantry broke the Michigan record for longest field goal twice in the same quarter of a single football game.

[6] Both teams finished the 1973 season with identical 10–0–1 records, and the Big Ten Conference athletic directors voted to send Ohio State to the 1974 Rose Bowl.

[7][8] In his senior season in 1974, Lantry broke the Michigan school record for most field goals and point after touchdown kicks.

One newspaper described the scene as follows: There were 16 seconds to play when Mike Lantry's left leg boomed the ball.

[12] The Chicago Tribune opened its coverage of the game with the line, "Mike Lantry served in the Viet Nam War and he had reason to believe the worst was over—until Saturday.

"[13] After consecutive years with disappointments on last-minute field goal attempts, one sports writer joked that "perhaps the state of Michigan was going to form a lynch mob for Mike Lantry.

"[10] Instead, Lantry received thousands of letters from fans expressing compassion, sympathy and encouragement.

"[14] Lantry told reporters at the time, "I guess the biggest surprise is the way people have acted.