Oregon's Newest Transfer Commit Bailey Ettridge Fills Key Need

The Oregon Ducks still have their main focus on finishing out the 2025 season, but that hasn’t stopped Dan Lanning from securing commitments during the January transfer portal window. Former Nevada Wolfpack punter Bailey Ettridge announced his committed to Oregon on Sunday.

Punting was a big need that the program needed to fill in the offseason. Current starter James Ferguson-Reynolds will use up his remaining eligibility at the end of the season, as well as punter Ross James.

Oregon Ducks Finds Their Next Punter

oregon ducks dan lanning ross james punter bailey ettridge james ferguson-reynolds college football playoff nevada wolfpack — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field during an open practice ahead of the Orange Bowl at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon on Dec. 27, 2025. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Nevada transfer will have three years of eligibility remaining. During his freshman season with the Wolfpack, Ettridge punted the ball 47 times for an average of 44.7 yards and a long of 62.

Ettridge also downed 18 of his 20 punts inside the opposing 20-yard line and had 14 punts of 50 -plus yards as a freshman.

“Ducks are in good hands,” Ferguson-Reynolds said in the comments of Ettridge’s commitment post.

Let’s get to work! Sco Ducks 🦆 #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/HyD609faNg
— Bailey Ettridge (@Baz_Ettridge) January 4, 2026

Ferguson-Reynolds joined the team this season after playing three years at Boise State. He had just 33 punts this season for Oregon, but averaged 41.6 yards and recorded a long of 58 yards. Ferguson-Reynolds also rushed for 21 yards and threw an 11-yard pass this season.

The Ducks starter’s lone pass this season came in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal against Texas Tech. He threw the ball for a first down to extend the drive.

While Ettridge has yet to throw the ball in his college career, he’s notched two carries for 26 yards at Nevada. He was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List earlier in the season, which goes to the nation’s top punter. Ettridge also received an All-Mountain West Honorable Mention.

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Breaking Down the Unique Australian Punting Style

Ettridge coincidentally happens to come from the same town in Australia as Ferguson-Reynolds. The Australian punting style is something that fans are growing more accustomed to seeing in college football – and at Oregon – with Rugby-like skills typically causing unpredictable movements.

Ferguson-Reynolds started playing football with the Australian program Prokick before committing to Boise State. Australian rules football (AFL) has an emphasis on kicking, although very similar to rugby.

AFL typically uses a drop-ball technique that leads to an end-over-end spin rather than a tight spiral that’s typically seen in college football. Many punters, like Ferguson-Reynolds, with AFL backgrounds take a few steps before they punt, which make it difficult to predict the direction of the kick.

Both Ferguson-Reynolds and Ettridge are examples of players who have found success playing collegiate football after playing AFL. Ettridge played for the Lara Football Club in Victoria before heading to Nevada at 27 years old.

With Ferguson-Reynolds and James set to exit the program at the end of the postseason, Ettridge is currently the only punter on Oregon’s roster for the 2026 season.

Ettridge could see a similar dip in his punting total with the Ducks like Ferguson-Reynolds saw this season due to the efficiency of the offense. Ferguson-Reynolds punted between 40 and 60 times each of his three years at Boise State, but hasn’t even punted 35 times through 14 games this season.

“I just try to put my team in the best position possible and if that means not punting and I’m just sitting there on the sidelines and enjoying a free game watching them on the bench, it’s fun for me,” Ferguson-Reynolds said earlier in the season.