One of the biggest failures this season for the Ohio State football team was the Buckeyes keeping Jayden Fielding as the starting kicker for the entire season. Fielding only made 76.5 percent of his kicks last year, and missed two short kicks against Michigan to help lose that game.
This season, Fielding was only marginally better. Fielding made just 80 percent of his kicks and missed another kick in a big game against Miami. He missed a 28-yard field goal against Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game as well. Quite frankly, he never should have been kicking in those games.
Before the season started, the Ohio State Buckeyes added Jackson Courville from the Transfer Portal. While he was at Ball State, he made almost 85 percent of his kicks. Yet, he was never given a shot to win the starting job. Now, he has decided to leave the Buckeyes.
Ohio State kicker Jackson Courville enters the Transfer Portal
After just one season in Columbus, Courville has decided to enter the Transfer Portal. That means that Ohio State desperately needs to get a kicker from the portal. Without doing that, next year could be another special teams disaster. That's something Ryan Day cannot afford to have happen.
Getting a new kicker should be one of Ohio State's highest priorities in the portal. Without having a kicker they can trust, the offense plays differently. Play-calling becomes much tougher, especially between the 20 and 40-yard line. There's no reason the Buckeyes shouldn't have a competent kicker.
Courville was never given a fair shot at winning the job before the season started. He can't be blamed for leaving Ohio State after just one year. He should have been given a real shot to compete for the starting job, and another team will give him that opportunity.
Adding someone who can drill kicks on a regular basis is what great programs have. It's time Ohio State becomes serious about the special teams.