As Ohio State heads into preseason camp, the biggest need on special teams isn’t some flashy trick-play touchdown or a highlight-reel return. It’s much simpler than that: the Buckeyes have to stop beating themselves.
That’s the real issue with this unit. Over the last several seasons, Ohio State has stacked up elite results everywhere else.
The Buckeyes finished the last two seasons ranked No. 1 in total defense, landed in the top 25 in total offense, and won the National Championship in 2024. But special teams never matched the standard of the rest of the roster.
In 2024, Ohio State’s special teams ranked around 82th in the nation in efficiency. The unit was average at best, with no dynamic return game, a finish of 62nd in the country in field goal percentage, and a 91st ranking in average punt yardage.
The following season didn’t bring much relief. Ohio State finished 84th in total special teams efficiency in 2025, and while the Buckeyes did crack the top 50 in field goal percentage, the misses still stood out. Jayden Fielding had several memorable failures, including a 27-yard attempt that would have tied the Big Ten Championship game against Indiana.
That’s why special teams feels like the one area that demands the most attention entering 2026. Ohio State doesn’t need this group to become the headline act.
The offense and defense are already built to carry plenty of weight. What the Buckeyes do need is a unit that can be trusted instead of one they have to survive.
The margin for error gets even smaller in the 12-team playoff era, where a championship push can swing on field position, hidden yards, or one bad snap under pressure. That kind of mistake can change everything, and Ohio State has already seen how costly that can be.
The 2026 schedule only raises the stakes. It’s being viewed as one of the toughest in the conference and one of the hardest in the nation, with road games against Texas, Indiana and USC, plus home games against Oregon and Michigan.
In games like that, special teams doesn’t have to be spectacular. It just has to be dependable.
That’s been the missing piece. The Buckeyes have had enough explosive football on offense and defense to cover for a lot, but not forever. They need the special teams unit to stop giving away possessions and yards through self-inflicted mistakes and sloppy errors.
Fielding’s misses were part of it, but not the whole story. Ohio State also muffed several punts, allowed damaging returns, and had breakdowns like Brandon Inniss’s fumble against Washington on a punt return, which came down to not securing the ball tightly enough.
Ryan Day also pointed to Inniss after the Week 1 game against Texas, saying he was responsible for 47 lost yards from not fielding punts. Ohio State escaped that game with a win, but repeating that kind of result on the road against the Longhorns this season will require clean execution everywhere.
Week after week, special teams was the unit that seemed to lag behind while the rest of the team graded out well. That can’t continue in 2026.
The Buckeyes need every yard and every point they can get, and they can’t afford to hand the ball back to opponents through mistakes. The addition of kicker Connor Hawkins, the Baylor transfer chosen for his success from long range and in high-pressure situations, should help stabilize the kicking game.
But Ohio State needs more than that. It needs better returns, better coverage on punts and kicks, and above all, consistency.
In Other News...
Ohio State Is Suddenly Building Something Big In The 2028 Class
Ohio States 2028 recruiting board is starting to take on a familiar shape, and it begins with wide receiver Jett Harrison already in the fold. The Buckeyes have not stopped there, either, as they continue to work on other highly regarded pass-catchers, including Carson LaCombe, who earned an offer after his visit to campus.
The bigger picture is just as intriguing because the staff is also pressing ahead on quarterback Christopher Vargas, another top 2028 name who has already been to Columbus. With Harrison committed and more elite skill talent still on the radar, Ohio State is laying early groundwork for a class that could become something substantial if the momentum keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Has A New QB Pipeline Question
Ohio States quarterback room has hardly ever been the issue under Ryan Day, but the recruiting pipeline is suddenly worth watching again. Brady Edmunds remains committed to the Buckeyes 2027 class for now, yet there is real movement around his future, and that has put a little extra pressure on Ohio State to keep the position stocked the way it usually does.
Day is already working on the next wave, and Christopher Vargas has emerged as the name to know in the 2028 class. The five-star has visited Columbus multiple times and seems to have a strong feel for the program, which is why Ohio State is in a promising spot, even if nothing is locked in yet. For a staff that likes to stay ahead of the curve at quarterback, this is one of those recruitments that could shape the depth chart well beyond the current era. [Read more 🡒]