How Oklahoma Freshman Kicker Trace Rudd Has Learned from Tate Sandell

NORMAN — Trace Rudd likely won’t be called upon any time soon.

Rudd is a kicker who signed with Oklahoma as part of its 2026 recruiting class. The true freshman will be the backup to Tate Sandell — who won the 2025 Lou Groza Award — during his first season at the collegiate level.

But even though the job is Sandell’s to lose, Rudd doesn’t plan to just sit around in 2026.

“Really just coming here to compete every day and learn and really develop,” Rudd said. “It’s truly surreal, to be honest.”

A native of Overland Park, KS, Rudd was rated as a 5-star kicking prospect by Kohl’s Kicking, while 247Sports and Rivals graded him as a 3-star recruit. 247Sports ranked him as the No. 7 kicker from the Class of 2026.

During his last two years kicking at Blue Valley Northwest High School, Rudd made 64 of his 69 extra-point attempts. He also made eight of his 15 field-goal attempts, with his longest made kick going for 48 yards.

Even as one of the best kickers in the previous recruiting cycle, Rudd knows that he can learn plenty from Sandell.

The kicker — who transferred to OU from UTSA ahead of the 2025 season — made 24 of his 27 attempts and went 8-for-9 on kicks longer than 50 yards during his first season with the Sooners.

More than anything, Sandell has taught Rudd about the mental side of kicking in the SEC.

“The atmosphere in the SEC and the world of college football, stadiums are crazy,” Rudd said. “He was like, ‘Obviously, you’re not going to be able to hear anything, so go on your cues.’ I got recruited on how to kick, mainly just the mental part of the game I need to really learn.”

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Sandell has taught Rudd about the mental aspect of kicking, and OU special teams coordinator Doug Deakin has given him more technical instruction.

Oklahoma hired Deakin prior to the 2024 season, and the Sooners’ special teams unit has dramatically improved since his arrival. Rudd said that Deakin was a key selling point throughout his recruitment and that he has already learned much from his new special teams coach.

“I could go on and on, he’s a very technical, very down to the small details kind of coach,” Rudd said. “That’s the reason why I picked here, because of his knowledge of the game.”

Rudd likely won’t get too many game opportunities in Year 1, as Sandell was voted the nation’s best kicker a year ago and consistently helped the Sooners win close games.

But the true freshman knows that his time will come, and after his first few weeks in Norman, he believes he’ll be ready whenever that is.

“The experience and everything has been great,” Rudd said. “It’s a new chapter and a great learning point for me.”

Oklahoma will open its 2026 season against UTEP on Sept. 5.