Ohio State Buckeyes Add Buffalo Bulls Punter Transfer Tony Venneri

The Ohio State Buckeyes have just one scholarship punter on the roster, but there will be competition this offseason.

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The Ohio State Buckeyes have just one scholarship punter on the roster, but there will be competition this offseason.

On Saturday, punter transfer Tony Venneri - who most recently played for the Buffalo Bulls - announced his commitment to the Buckeyes.

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Venneri finished 30th in the FBS in punting average with 43.96 yards per kick. That's a school record at Buffalo and one spot better than last year's Ohio State punter Jesse Mirco, who averaged 43.67 yards per punt. Mirco has since transferred to Vanderbilt.

The 6-0, 225-pound Venneri has two seasons of eligibility remaining for the Buckeyes and will compete with a pair of Austrailians for the starting job.

Redshirt freshman Joe McGuire and incoming freshman Nick McLarty will both hail from Australia and will compete with Venneri for the punting job. Although McLarty is the only scholarship punter on the roster, neither he nor McGuire has ever kicked in a collegiate game, giving Venneri the edge of experience.

Venneri earned Freshman All-American honors from the Football Writers Association of America back in 2022 and hopes to continue his collegiate career in Columbus.

The Buckeyes are entering a season with lofty expectations. A re-tooled quarterback roster that includes Kansas State transfer Will Howard and a defense that one analyst refers to as "historic" could put Ohio State in prime position for another College Football Playoff appearance.