Former USC Kicker Parker Lewis Transferring To Ohio State

The Buckeyes have pulled a kicker out of the transfer portal for the second straight offseason.

Author:
Andrew Lind
Apr 29, 2022 3:24 PM EDT

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USC Trojans

Former USC kicker Parker Lewis announced on Friday afternoon he is transferring to Ohio State, where he’ll have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

This marks the second straight year the Buckeyes have pulled a kicker out of the portal, as Lewis joins sixth-year senior Noah Ruggles, who was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award last season after converting 20-of-21 field goals and all 74 of his extra point attempts following his transfer from North Carolina.

Although he did not participate in spring practice while taking the semester off, Ruggles is expected to return to Ohio State for fall camp, which means Lewis will likely be limited to kickoff duties for the Buckeyes as a result. It's an area where he excels, though, as he recorded touchbacks on 27-of-34 kickoffs for the Trojans last fall.

Competing for the starting role isn't completely out of the question, either, as Lewis made 17-of-22 field goals – including a 52-yarder – to earn honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors last season. He could also choose to redshirt this fall and battle redshirt sophomore Jake Seibert for the job in 2023.

A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., and former high school teammate of sophomore cornerback Denzel Burke, Lewis was considered the seventh-best kicker in the class of 2020. He recently attended Ohio State’s spring game, which gave him a chance to meet with special teams coordinator Parker Fleming and ultimately led to his commitment.

Lewis is now the third player to join the Buckeyes through the transfer portal this offseason, joining former Arizona State linebacker turned running back DeaMonte “Chip” Trayanum and former Oklahoma State safety Tanner McCalister. He is also the second USC player to transfer to Ohio State in the last year, as fifth-year senior linebacker Palaie Gaoteote arrived in Columbus just before the start of last season.

With Lewis now in the fold, the Buckeyes are back at the 85-man scholarship limit after briefly dropped to 84 following several transfers over the last week, including defensive lineman Noah Potter and safeties Andre Turrentine and Marcus Hooker.

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