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2026 tOSU Special Teams Discussion

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ScriptOhio

ScriptOhio

Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.

Former Ohio State star sends Ryan Day some important transfer portal advice after Cotton Bowl loss to Miami​

The former Buckeyes star wants a major change made in how the team attacks the transfer portal this year.

Fresh off a frustrating Cotton Bowl loss to the Miami Hurricanes, the Ohio State Buckeyes staff has plenty to do this offseason. It was an impressive campaign for much of the regular season for them, but the ultimate goal was not achieved. They fell short, and clear holes on the roster made a massive difference in the end for OSU.

The transfer portal will play a key role in creating another dominant roster for the Buckeyes in 2026, but an underrated need is already getting pointed out as one that must be addressed in an impactful way by Ohio State’s staff and NIL plan.

Fresh off a frustrating Cotton Bowl loss to the Miami Hurricanes, the Ohio State Buckeyes staff has plenty to do this offseason. It was an impressive campaign for much of the regular season for them, but the ultimate goal was not achieved. They fell short, and clear holes on the roster made a massive difference in the end for OSU.

The transfer portal will play a key role in creating another dominant roster for the Buckeyes in 2026, but an underrated need is already getting pointed out as one that must be addressed in an impactful way by Ohio State’s staff and NIL plan.

Garrett Wilson pushes Ohio State to find top kicker after loss to Miami​

Former Buckeyes wide receiver and first-round pick of the New York Jets Garrett Wilson was understandably concerned with the inconsistency on special teams this season for Ohio State. He made that clear on social media, placing some pressure on head coach Ryan Day to go “big fish hunting” at kicker.



Just sayin': So far here are the kickers in the transfer portal....


Does anybody actually stand out as a "top kicker"?
 
Rant incoming -

For someone who is so vocal about "leave no doubt", Day has left and continues to leave plenty of doubt in this phase of the game. It is unbelievable that a Top 5 program like ours cannot field competent special teams every year. Not great, just competent. Feels like stubbornness and malpractice to continue to ignore 1/3rd of the game of football.

There will always be more than one game every season in this current format where talent matchups and execution errors will leave us in a tough battle for points and field position. We handicap ourselves in each of those matchups before we even kickoff because of our current approach to special teams.

Hire a competent ST coach and analysts. We have a massive fanbase - just crowdfund an NIL to help pay for a top kicker, punter and long snapper for crying out loud. "Hey dedicated Buckeye fan/alum, we know how much you bleed scarlet and gray! Now you can help the team win another championship for just $5 per month! Would you be generous enough to trade one latte a month for one clutch field goal in a close game?"

/end rant.
 
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I have to say. I’d think FG and Punter is about as important as it gets.

FG- if you have a guy that’s like Ole Miss’ kicker who’s like 9 of 10 from 50+ yards that’s tough for a defense to know that if they give up 2 first downs they’re giving up points.

P- with our defense could you imagine a team having to start inside the 10 every time? Teams can’t go 30 yards against our defenses let alone 90.

Special teams need to stop being treated like a throw away. An elite FG kicker allows more margins in games and an elite Punter makes it impossible for teams to catch up.
 
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Captain Buckeye said:
I have to say. I’d think FG and Punter is about as important as it gets.

FG- if you have a guy that’s like Ole Miss’ kicker who’s like 9 of 10 from 50+ yards that’s tough for a defense to know that if they give up 2 first downs they’re giving up points.

P- with our defense could you imagine a team having to start inside the 10 every time? Teams can’t go 30 yards against our defenses let alone 90.

Special teams need to stop being treated like a throw away. An elite FG kicker allows more margins in games and an elite Punter makes it impossible for teams to catch up.
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I agree, but it’s also much more difficult to maintain elite ST performance than people are letting on. Tressel started out with an all time duo in Nugent and Groom, then slightly downgraded Sanders and then Huston. He had good Ps and Ks players after that, but no All Americans.

Here are the last 24 years of kickers:

Nugent (01-04) 82% (7-9 40-49, 5-6 50+) only found 04 splits, but he did have 8 career 50 yard FGs
Huston (05) 79% (5-8 40-49, 0-2 50+)
Pretorius (06-08) 77% (6-9 40-49, 3-5 50+)
Pettrey (06-09) 74% (12-13 40-49, 6-10 50+)
Barclay (09-10) 79% (4-7 40-49, 0-1 50+)
Basil (10-13) 78% (7-10 40-49, 1-5 50+)
Willoughby (15) 63% (0-3 40-49, 0-0 50+)
Durbin (16) - 77% (2-5 40-49, 0-0 50+)
Nuerenberger (14-18) 72% (6-15 40-49, 0-0 50+)
Haubeil (18-20) 80% (7-9 40-49, 1-1 50+)
Ruggles (21-22) 90% (11-11 40-49, 0-2 50+)
Fielding (23-25) 79% (15-20 40-49, 0-3 50+)

I was shocked to see Ruggles hit 100% from 40-49 and Fielding have more 40 yard FGs than everyone but, I assume, Nugent.

They can and should do better, but OSU has had 3 kickers that were >50% from 50+ in the last 25 years. If they find someone who hits >80% total and >65% from 50, it’d be the first time since Nugent, and probably only the 2nd time in school history. It’s not that they shouldn’t try, but this isn’t something that OSU had until recently and then stopped caring.

Also, this is still college. Tate Sandell won the Groza making 23-24 kicks, 8-9 from 50+, and 4 from 55+. The poor sob then went 1-3 against Bama, missing a 36 yarder and his first 50 yard miss of the season. It’s going to be hard to find a college kicker that’s a machine.
 
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1926Buckeyes said:
I agree, but it’s also much more difficult to maintain elite ST performance than people are letting on. Tressel started out with an all time duo in Nugent and Groom, then slightly downgraded Sanders and then Huston. He had good Ps and Ks players after that, but no All Americans.

Here are the last 24 years of kickers:

Nugent (01-04) 82% (7-9 40-49, 5-6 50+) only found 04 splits, but he did have 8 career 50 yard FGs
Huston (05) 79% (5-8 40-49, 0-2 50+)
Pretorius (06-08) 77% (6-9 40-49, 3-5 50+)
Pettrey (06-09) 74% (12-13 40-49, 6-10 50+)
Barclay (09-10) 79% (4-7 40-49, 0-1 50+)
Basil (10-13) 78% (7-10 40-49, 1-5 50+)
Willoughby (15) 63% (0-3 40-49, 0-0 50+)
Durbin (16) - 77% (2-5 40-49, 0-0 50+)
Nuerenberger (14-18) 72% (6-15 40-49, 0-0 50+)
Haubeil (18-20) 80% (7-9 40-49, 1-1 50+)
Ruggles (21-22) 90% (11-11 40-49, 0-2 50+)
Fielding (23-25) 79% (15-20 40-49, 0-3 50+)

I was shocked to see Ruggles hit 100% from 40-49 and Fielding have more 40 yard FGs than everyone but, I assume, Nugent.

They can and should do better, but OSU has had 3 kickers that were >50% from 50+ in the last 25 years. If they find someone who hits >80% total and >65% from 50, it’d be the first time since Nugent, and probably only the 2nd time in school history. It’s not that they shouldn’t try, but this isn’t something that OSU had until recently and then stopped caring.

Also, this is still college. Tate Sandell won the Groza making 23-24 kicks, 8-9 from 50+, and 4 from 55+. The poor sob then went 1-3 against Bama, missing a 36 yarder and his first 50 yard miss of the season. It’s going to be hard to find a college kicker that’s a machine.
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Ruggles was fantastic minus one kick. He doesn’t deserve the reputation he has because of his last kick.

Sucks but his 90% hit rate went under the radar.

Btw this is a peak off season post.
 
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Would it, though? In 2025, he was:

6-7 from 20-29 (Fielding was 6-7, too)
7-8 from 30-39 (Fielding was 7-8, too)
7-8 from 40-49 (Fielding was 3-4 in 2025, but was 7-8 in 2024)
0-0 from 50+ (Fielding was 0-1)

He has a career-long of 50 made in 2024. Fielding has a career-long of 49 made in 2025z

He’s never missed a “very important kick” like Fielding has, but he’s also never had the opportunity to choke in a huge situation.

On paper, he’s basically the exact same player.
 
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Here’s a quick search:

Key Kickers in the 2026 Transfer Portal:
  • Mateen Bhaghani (UCLA) 80% FG%. 5-9 from 50+ with a long of 57
  • Max Gilbert (Tennessee): 74% FG% 5-9 from 50+ with a long of 53
  • Abram Murray (Cal): 67% FG% long of 49, 0-0 from 50+
 
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Fungo Squiggly said:
Would it, though? In 2025, he was:

6-7 from 20-29 (Fielding was 6-7, too)
7-8 from 30-39 (Fielding was 7-8, too)
7-8 from 40-49 (Fielding was 3-4 in 2025, but was 7-8 in 2024)
0-0 from 50+ (Fielding was 0-1)

He has a career-long of 50 made in 2024. Fielding has a career-long of 49 made in 2025z

He’s never missed a “very important kick” like Fielding has, but he’s also never had the opportunity to choke in a huge situation.

On paper, he’s basically the exact same player.
Click to expand...

Yeah, seems like a decent kicker, but only a slight upgrade.
 
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Fungo Squiggly said:
Would it, though? In 2025, he was:

6-7 from 20-29 (Fielding was 6-7, too)
7-8 from 30-39 (Fielding was 7-8, too)
7-8 from 40-49 (Fielding was 3-4 in 2025, but was 7-8 in 2024)
0-0 from 50+ (Fielding was 0-1)

He has a career-long of 50 made in 2024. Fielding has a career-long of 49 made in 2025z

He’s never missed a “very important kick” like Fielding has, but he’s also never had the opportunity to choke in a huge situation.

On paper, he’s basically the exact same player.
Click to expand...

Yeah, those stats are underwhelming relative to the accolades
 
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dragurd said:
I'd be throwing all I can at the UCLA kicker
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That’s the only one that jumped out at me as chasing The Tennessee kicker may have a bigger leg than Fielding, but was not reliable at all. He was 4-6 from 30-39 and the same from 40-49. Being able to hit a 50+ fg is nice, but I’d rather have more reliable with less range every single time.
 
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