The Ohio State football team has struggled with special teams in the last few years. The Buckeyes have had problems finding a kicker that they could rely on. Blake Haubeil was the last reliable kicker that the Ohio State Buckeyes had. Since he left, it has been a revolving door.
For the last couple of years, the Buckeyes have been using Jayden Fielding as the starting kicker. He finished his collegiate career by missing kicks in the two biggest games of the season. He missed two field goals in The Game in Columbus last year, as well.
After all of the frustration, the Buckeyes were set to have former Baylor kicker Connor Hawkins in for a visit on Thursday. He just entered the Transfer Portal and quickly set up a visit. Now, a visit is no longer needed, as Hawkins has decided to commit to the Buckeyes.
The Ohio State football team earns a commitment from Connor Hawkins
With Hawkins committing to the Buckeyes, they have a kicker that they can count on for the next two to three seasons. He made 82 percent of his kicks as a freshman this past year, including a perfect 10/10 from 20-40 yards. Fielding missed a 28-yard field goal in the Big Ten Championship.
Hawkins has a strong leg, as well. He was able to have a long of 54 yards this past season, something that Fielding struggled to do. Having a kicker that they can trust will change how the Buckeyes call plays, once they find a new offensive coordinator. This makes them much more confident in late-game situations.
It may have taken a couple of weeks, but Ohio State finally addressed its biggest need in the portal. They aren't done adding players yet, either. They still have some holes on the roster that need to be filled before the 2026 season starts.