Jaylin Lucas Says He Wants 8-10 Return Touchdowns this Year

Indiana's All-American return specialist Jaylin Lucas said on Thursday at Big Ten Media Days that he has a major statistical goal for 2023, and that teams like Ohio State should think again about kicking him the ball.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Jaylin Lucas broke out as a first-team All-American kick returner as a freshman in 2022, but he has even bigger goals in 2023. 

The 5-foot-9 speedster from Houma, La., said on Thursday that he wants to have a record-breaking sophomore season as a kick returner. 

"My goal is to have 8-10 return touchdowns," Lucas said. "I'm trying to be like Devin Hester. I'm trying to break a record this year." 

If Lucas were to hit his goal of 10 return touchdowns in 2023, he'd break the record for career return touchdowns at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level in just a single year. 

Most consider Hester to be the greatest returner of all time because of his 20 combined kickoff and punt return touchdowns, an NFL career record. Hester, however, does not hold the FBS single-season or career record for kickoff or punt return touchdowns.

The all-time record for combined kickoff and punt return touchdowns in an FBS career is nine. That record belongs to both Avery Williams, who played at Boise State from 2017-20, and Marcus Jones, who played at both Troy and Houston from 2017-21. 

However, if anyone can do it, it's the reigning Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year. Lucas returned 21 kickoffs last season for 591 total yards and two touchdowns. He did not, however, field any punt returns. Indiana plans to have Lucas return punts in 2023.

Opposing teams will have to decide whether they're comfortable kicking the ball to Lucas in 2023. In particular, Lucas had a message for Ohio State, the team the Hoosiers play in their season opener on Sept. 2. 

"They might want to think [again] about kicking me the ball," Lucas said. "If they kick me the ball, I'm going to take it to the house, straight up. 

It's a bold statement to say in regards to the Buckeyes, a perennial playoff contender and a historical bully of Indiana. But Lucas is a bold guy, confident that he's one of, if not the, fastest players in the nation. He also said at Media Days that he runs a 4.29 in the 40-yard dash. 

Lucas will get chance to back up his talk in just over a month, when Ohio State travels to Bloomington to kick off the 2023 season. 

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