'Buckeye For Life': Ohio State K Noah Ruggles Issues Heartfelt Statement in Instagram Post

The Buckeyes kicker regaled his Ohio State upbringing in addition to thanking his teammates, coaches, his family and to fans in an Instagram post Saturday.

Ohio State's season ended on a last-second kick attempt from Noah Ruggles that did not go through the uprights — a rare miss from the program's career field goal percentage record holder.

The Odessa, Florida, native issued his first public statement since Ohio State's 42-41 Peach Bowl loss, taking to Instagram Saturday to thank his coaches, teammates and the "true fans" who Ruggles said in a video were the "backbone of this great football program" as he will pursue an NFL career.

"The Lord makes no promises that our paths will be easy. However, I remember God has a plan, and I trust Him," Ruggles said in a statement under the post. "He has given me this ability. For this reason, I will be pursuing my next goal to make an NFL roster. To those of you who have given me unwavering support, I hope to make you proud. Thank you."

Ruggles' post featured a retelling of how his grandfather was the "biggest Buckeye of all," influencing him to buy a custom-made Ohio State hat at 6 years old.

In his first year playing high school football — his junior season — his grandfather passed away, as Ruggles wrote under the post it was "always his dream to see me kick for the Buckeyes."

After he graduated and entered the transfer portal from North Carolina, Ohio State came calling in the final days of his search for a new school, Ruggles said.

Since joining the program in 2021, he has etched his name into Buckeyes kicking record books, as his career 90.2 percent made field goals, single-season 95.2 percent and 134 points scored in 2021 are all program highs. His 37 career made field goals rank sixth all-time while his 259 points are ninth.

Ruggles has made at least three field goals in six different games in his career with no bigger kick coming than his 19-yard boot to beat Utah in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2022.

"I hoped for another storybook ending like in 2021," Ruggles said in a statement under the post. "I had the highest ever accuracy percentage in Ohio State history and in all of college football for 2021. My effort and desire is always the same for each game, but the same storybook ending was not to be in the 2022 season."

Ruggles said in the video that the one thing he has learned from his "journey" it is "no matter how dark life seems at times, moments of adversity have provided me an opportunity for unimagined growth, humility and appreciation."

"From my very first kick as a Buckeye to my very last, I have put my faith in God, praying to give him all the glory," Ruggles said in a video. "Though I may not see what he is going to do next, I have learned to trust Him with all of it. I'm a Buckeye for life."

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