Buckeyes Still Undecided On Starting Kicker

The Buckeyes must decide if Jayden Fielding or Parker Lewis is the best kicking option for them entering the 2023 season.

It's a battle to the finish line for the starting job. Two prospects have proven their worth in practice, going toe-to-toe while raising the level of competition, thus bettering the depth of the process. 

It's been a familiar song around Ohio State for the past several months, but most fans often link the notion to the quarterback showdown between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown. 

Maybe it is, but it's also about the kicking competition that Ryan Day will have to decide on before the season opener against Indiana. Jayden Fielding and Parker Lewis have been raising the stakes each practice and making the choice difficult among the staff.

The good news? They'll be competing a little longer — at least through the weekend and perhaps into the early stages of game week.

“You got two guys that can get it done,” special teams coordinator Parker Fleming said. “We’re just trying to make sure we finalize it the right way and have the best guy going when it’s time to kick the ball.”

Fielding, a sophomore out of League City, Texas, was expected to replace Noah Ruggles after filling in on kickoff duties last season. Ruggles, who made 85 percent of his field goals in 2022, also recorded every point after attempt. 

Lewis, however, might have the edge due to experience. Prior to joining the Buckeyes, the senior spent two years at USC, where he played in 16 games. 

All-time, Lewis was 26-of-35 on field goals with the Trojans, and 46 of 47 on extra points. In 2021, Lewis made a career-best 77.3 percent of his field goals, including a long of 53 against Arizona State. 

"The good news is we have two capable kickers there," Day said Monday. "But we probably need to decide who that’s going to be here by the end of the week.”

Fleming did not specify when a decision would be made but did say it was a choice he's been mulling over for weeks. 

The Buckeyes kickoff at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind., on Sept. 2 at 2:30 p.m. 

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