Penn State Hints at Intriguing New Role for Punter Gabe Nwosu

Rewind to Oct. 12, 2024. Penn State had the football at USC’s 43-yard line with 2 seconds remaining in a tie game. With kicker Ryan Barker’s career-long field goal at 40 yards, Nittany Lions coach James Franklin kept the offense on the field for a Hail Mary attempt.

A year later, Penn State could handle the situation differently. This season, Penn State might consider giving punter and kickoff specialist Gabe Nwosu a shot at that kind of long-range field goal — perhaps even from beyond 60 yards?

“You know, we certainly were not comfortable with Gabe doing that last year,” Lustig said in a bye-week media call. “This year could be a different decision where he potentially can make that field goal. That’s obviously not a high-percentage field goal, but he has the ability to make those long-range field goals. I mean close to 70 yards, honestly.”

Nwosu, a fifth-year senior specialist, has been among the top special teams stories for the second-ranked Nittany Lions. Nwosu is a 6-6, 297-pound kicker who made Bruce Feldman’s college football “Freaks List” for his unique size and athleticism for the position. This year, he has added a new responsibility.

Nwosu is Penn State’s starting punter and has averaged 48.6 yards in limited action so far. Notably, Nwosu has placed all five of his attempts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line with a season-long 67-yarder on his first attempt vs. FIU.

Punter Gabe Nwosu of @PennStateFball has a MONSTROUS leg 💥 pic.twitter.com/kJBwnZ0F8q
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 13, 2025

The Maryland native, who recently made the watch list for the Ray Guy Award given to the nation’s top punter, seems to do it all for the Nittany Lions. He’s the starting punter, kickoff specialist and now might contribute on long-range field goals. But taking on that much responsibility didn’t just happen, Lustig said.

“He has done a great job of just being patient,” Lustig said. “Consistently working hard to get where he’s at now. And he’s performing at a really high level, and I’ve been excited about it.”

What’s next for Gabe Nwosu?

Penn State Nittany Lions punter Gabriel Nwosu against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Lustig said that Nwosu, who has the biggest leg on the team, could become a factor in the waning moments of a half or fourth quarter. The Nittany Lions faced that scenario once this season, but went to Barker instead of Nwosu.

On the last play of the first half against FIU, Barker attempted a 53-yard field goal, which the Panthers blocked. In the future, it’s a real possibility that Penn State could turn to Nwosu in such a situation. Franklin said that Nwosu made a 62-yard field goal during training camp, and Lustig said Nwosu could strike “from close to 70 yards, honestly.”

It seems his limit is untapped, and Lustig and his staff have had lengthy discussions about when they could use Nwosu. Lustig even said that the coaches have asked Nwosu to do more than any Penn State kicker in the past few years.

“In terms of directional kickoffs, kick off from the right hash but we want you to kick left from the right hash; kick right from the right hash, kick left from the left hash," Lustig said. "And then you add being a first-time punter on his plate. I’m just really pleased with where he’s at and I think he’s got a ton of room to grow throughout the season. I think the experience with punting and doing both those things in the game, he's just going to get better.”

Penn State is using those directional kickoffs as part of its “super aggressive” approach to special teams this season. Lustig said he also doesn’t want opponents to be able to predict what the Nittany Lions are doing through film study. He wants to make it difficult for the opponent to block during kickoffs.

But the directional kicks haven’t been easy for Nwosu, who kicked two balls out of bounds vs. FIU and has a touchback rate of 54.55 percent. However, it’s something Penn State will continue working on with Nwosu.

“We certainly could put the ball on the hash and just hope for touchbacks and just kick it in one direction the entire time, which there may be some gameplans we do that,” Lustig said. “But we also want to keep people on their heels a bit, so that we can kick it opposite, we can kick it in these different directions. That changes the angles for the blockers. It changes the scheme for the coach, for the opponent when you know the ball can be kicked from multiple hashes and multiple directions.”

Penn State football special teams coordinator Justin Lustig answers a question during an interview in Holuba Hall. | Dan Rainville/USA Today Network - PA / USA TODAY NETWORK

What’s next for Gabe Nwosu?

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