Ohio State Lands FCS Punter to Compete for Starting Role

Special teams have been an issue for the Buckeyes since the start of the 2020s, with kicker Jayden Fielding being the most notable player in the unit’s struggles.

Ohio State landed standout Baylor transfer Connor Hawkins, a redshirt freshman kicker, to replace Fielding, who ran out of eligibility at the end of the 2025 season.

The Buckeyes’ quest for more reliability in special teams play continues, as the program added competition to the punting room.

It was announced Wednesday afternoon that former Houston Christian punter Brady Young committed to Ohio State and will battle with Joe McGuire for the starting punter position in 2026. Although the two punters have similar statistics, the presence of a positional competition should force either McGuire or Young to elevate their play.

Back home. Philippians 4:13. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/1H38RIFGJC
— Brady Young (@bradyyoung35) January 21, 2026

The Perrysburg, Ohio Native Returns

Young, who will be entering his sixth season in 2026, began his career as a Cincinnati Bearcat. Over the four years Young spent in the Queen City, however, he never appeared in a game. Still wanting to compete, the Ohio native transferred to the FCS level to play for Houston Christian, where he earned the starting role.

In his first and only season as a Husky, Young averaged 42.3 yards per punt over 68 attempts. His career long is 66 yards, with 12 punts traveling 50 yards or more and 17 punts landing within the 20-yard line.

Young will be competing with McGuire for the first-string punting role, as the rising redshirt junior has shown inconsistency for the Buckeyes.

Over the past two seasons, McGuire has posted strikingly similar numbers to Young. The Australian Buckeye booted 76 punts for an average of 42.3 yards, 26 of which landed within the 20-yard line. McGuire’s career long is five yards short of Young’s, at 61 yards.

While Young may not necessarily be an upgrade on paper, Ohio State’s punting is expected to improve. The addition of the senior transfer will likely result in either McGuire improving his play or Young taking the starting role, proving he can compete at the highest level.

The commitment of the former Houston Christian punter isn’t the only movement the punting unit has seen this offseason, as former Buckeye Nick McLarty entered the transfer portal Jan. 2 and eventually committed to Arizona State.

Hailing from Australia just like McGuire, McLarty was an intriguing option as for Ohio State. The 6-foot-7, 255-pound former Buckeye caught the eye of many after a social media post of him punting a ball 90 yards over a stadium went viral.

90+yards over stadium!?@nflaussie pic.twitter.com/FmHefMhDub
— Nick McLarty (@nick_mclarty) November 6, 2023

A rising redshirt sophomore, McLarty only recorded three punts for an average of 36.7 yards during his time at Ohio State and will bring three years of eligibility to the Sun Devils.