Two Oklahoma Transfer Specialists Named to Preseason Watch Lists

Jacob Ulrich and Tate Sandell have yet to play a snap for the Sooners but are already receiving preseason praise.

Oklahoma punter Jacob Ulrich | Jacob Welch via Twitter/X

Oklahoma’s special teams unit will look much different in 2025, as the Sooners signed several players from the transfer portal.

Two transfer additions are already receiving preseason praise.

Kicker Tate Sandell was named to the Lou Groza Award Watch List on Friday, while punter Jacob Ulrich was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List.

Sandell came to Oklahoma during the offseason after thriving at UTSA.

The kicker broke out for the Roadrunners in 2024, making 19 of his 23 field-goal attempts to earn honorable mention All-AAC honors. Three of his four misses came on attempts longer than 50 yards, and he logged 62 touchbacks on kickoffs.

Sandell is one of two kickers that Oklahoma added from the transfer portal, along with Austin Welch (Kennesaw State). Sandell is expected to start as OU’s placekicker in 2025.

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The Sooners have three other kickers on their roster: redshirt junior Grayson Miller, redshirt freshman Liam Evans and true freshman Preston Tarpley.

Last year, Zach Schmit and Tyler Keltner split the Sooners’ placekicking duties. Those two combined for an 80% clip and went 7-of-10 on attempts longer than 40 yards.

Ulrich is expected to be OU’s starting punter after standing out at Kennesaw State.

In his final season with the Owls, Ulrich averaged 45.4 yards on 45 punts — that average was No. 12 nationally and No. 1 in Conference USA. Ulrich registered 23 punts longer than 50 yards and pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 27 times.

Ulrich is one of two punters on the roster, along with Miller, who serves as both a punter and a kicker.

Ulrich replaces Luke Elzinga, who served as OU’s starting punter during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. In 24 career games with the Sooners, Elzinga averaged 44.9 yards.

Sandell and Ulrich join several other Sooners who have also been named to preseason watch lists: linebacker Kip Lewis (Nagurski Trophy, Butkus Award), quarterback John Mateer (Maxwell Award), linebacker Sammy Omosigho (Butkus Award), safety Robert Spears-Jennings (Wuerffel Trophy) and running back Jaydn Ott (Maxwell Award).

Zero players from Oklahoma have won the Groza or Guy Awards.

OU begins the 2025 season against Illinois State on Saturday, Aug. 30.