Newcomer Profile: Oklahoma K Tyler Keltner Looking to Add Consistency, Stability to the Special Teams Unit

Oklahoma brought in two new kickers to add competition to the unit ahead of the transition to the SEC.

Oklahoma's Tyler Keltner reacts after a kick during the University of Oklahoma (OU) spring football / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

For Tyler Keltner, the dream was always to play at Florida State. But dreams have a funny way of developing sometimes. 

The former East Tennessee State kicker grew up in Tallahassee going to Seminole games and transferred to FSU after four very successful seasons with the Bucs to fulfill a lifelong dream of donning the Garnet and Gold. Ryan Fitzgerald, a three-year starter, won the job in 2023 however and emerged as one of the top kickers in the nation. And for Keltner, a new door opened.

It’s not often you get the chance to play for two historic blue blood programs like Florida State and Oklahoma back-to-back, but that’s exactly the opportunity that presented itself to Keltner. 

Of course, playing for the Seminoles was the original dream, but at some point you just want to get back on the field. And with Oklahoma’s kicking struggles a season ago, he saw a clear opportunity.

“The goal for me is to play the best that I can,” Keltner said at Oklahoma’s newcomer media day. “Hopefully, the cards will fall from there. I would love to contribute for this team on the field, it will certainly be a pleasure to rep the Sooners on the front of my jersey and make some kicks this year.”

It’s hard to go from one of the best kickers in the conference to a second-string, and Keltner found out first hand. He was second-team All-SoCon as a sophomore and first-team as a junior and senior. He drew looks from a handful of elite programs and he was one of the top available kickers when he decided to make the move. His stats back up the accolades, too.

In four years as East Tennessee State’s starting kicker, Keltner was 56-of-74 on field goals (75.7 percent) and 131-of-131 on PATs (both school records) for 299 points, which ranks second in program history. He also own a Buccaneer record 54-yard field goal. He was only on the field for one extra point with the Seminoles last year, but nailed it to put him over the 300-point milestone in his career.

In 2022, Keltner was 17-of-23 on field goals. Before that, he was 18-of-23 in 2021, 7-of-10 in in 2020, and 14-of-18 in 2019. Compared to what Oklahoma has had at kicker over the last two years, Keltner certainly seems like an upgrade on paper. Zach Schmit is 0-for-3 from beyond 50, 10-of-14 from 40-49 (69 percent) and 18-of-23 from inside 40 (78 percent) in his two years as the starting kicker for the Sooners. In total, Schmit has made 27-of-39 field goals (69.2 percent) across his two seasons.

Special teams was a sore spot for Oklahoma last season and it started with the kicking game. In Oklahoma’s two losses last season, Schmit didn’t attempt a field goal against Kansas and missed a chip shot against Oklahoma State. In a narrow victory against UCF at home, he went 1-of-3 on field goals.

Brent Venables brought Keltner in to battle for the starting spot, and is leaving it up to his practice and preparation throughout the spring and summer to determine his standing in the kicking room. The early returns are positive, as Keltner has looked comfortable and confident banging the ball through the uprights during the portions of practice open to the media.

“The competition will help bring out the best in everybody is my expectation,” Venables said. “So Tyler Keltner and Liam Evans will have a chance to come in here and make us better that way.”

Evans is a local 5-star freshman who will add serious competition to the room, too. Between Schmit, Evans and Keltner, it’s no longer a unit that’s struggling for talent. The best man could be a serious asset for the team this fall.

As far as Keltner’s goals, getting back on the field is step one. He was one of East Tennessee State’s most consistent players and one of the top kickers in the conference. If he can replicate that success for Oklahoma, he can jumpstart his professional career while also giving the Sooners a hand at a position of need. It feels like a match made in heaven if the cards unfold how Keltner envisions it.

“I’ve been lucky to be around some great teams in my previous five years,” Keltner said. “I can already see the writing on the wall that this is gonna be another great year. We have a great team here and in the specialists room we all get along very well. We’re all hard workers and we’re all excited for what this year is going to bring.”

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