Transfer Talk: What Oklahoma is Getting in Punter Jacob Ulrich

Despite playing on a struggling squad in 2024, Jacob Ulrich excelled at Kennesaw State, averaging 45.4 yards on punts.
Kennesaw State punter Jacob Ulrich
Kennesaw State punter Jacob Ulrich / Kennesaw State Athletics
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For a team that struggled in 2024, Jacob Ulrich was a bright spot.

Ulrich, a punter who played at Kennesaw State, transferred to Oklahoma in December. He is one of two specialists that the Sooners picked up from the Owls, along with kicker Austin Welch.

Kennesaw State played its first season at the NCAA Division I FBS level in 2024, and the adjustment wasn’t an easy one.

The Owls finished the year 2-10, beating Liberty and Florida International for their only two wins.

Still, Ulrich was a star for them.

A redshirt freshman, Ulrich punted 45 times in 2024 for an average of 45.4 yards. That average was first in Conference USA and 12th nationally.

Ulrich also pinned opponents inside of the 20-yard line 27 times and had 23 punts longer than 50 yards. The redshirt freshman broke Kennesaw State’s record for single-game punt average in Week 1 against UTSA in 2024, averaging 54.6 yards on five punts. 

Ulrich also completed a 32-yard pass on a fake punt in the Owls’ loss to Tennessee-Martin.


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“Jacob was arguably the most talented player at his own position on the team and almost singlehandedly kept (KSU) in a few games by flipping the field,” said Kai Millette, sports editor of The Sentinel, Kennesaw State’s student newspaper.

In November, Ulrich was named to the final watch list for the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s best punter.

His breakout season came after playing in only two games as a true freshman. Ulrich started one of those games at punter and the other at kicker. Though he was the Owls’ starting punter once in 2023, he didn’t attempt any punts in that game.

Out of high school, in Hoschton, GA, Ulrich was unranked by 247 Sports but visited a handful of FBS programs, including Clemson and East Carolina. He ultimately chose KSU, the closest of those programs to his hometown.

247 Sports rated Ulrich as the No. 2 punter in the 2025 transfer portal class. Ulrich stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 205 pounds.

Kennesaw State played its first season of college football in 2015, originally competing in the Big South conference at the FCS level. The Owls began their transition to FBS in 2022 and completed it before the 2024 season, joining the C-USA.

John Bednarowski, sports editor at the Marietta Daily Journal, said that Ulrich and Welch made up the best special teams unit in the program’s history.

“Jacob set the tone early this season with a huge game against UTSA in the season opener and never let up,” Bednarowski said. “Austin Made his first 14 or 15 kicks and was nearly automatic from inside 45 yards, something KSU has always struggled with.”

Ulrich replaces a punter that was reliable for the Sooners. 

Luke Elzinga, a senior in 2024, played his final two years of eligibility at OU after spending four years at Central Michigan. 


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In 24 games at Oklahoma, Elzinga attempted 87 punts, averaging 44.9 yards. Of those 87 attempts, Elzinga placed 36 inside of the 20-yard line. Elzinga also threw — and completed — three passes for 66 yards on fake punts in 2024.

The tradition and facilities in Norman will be so much different than they were for Ulrich at Kennesaw State. But aside from some extra crowd noise at SEC road games, things don't really change for punters when they move schools.

“I'm sure they will greatly enjoy all of the extra luxuries at an SEC school,” Millette said. “On the field, the level of competition is no comparison, but luckily, that really doesn't matter for special teamers too much.”

In addition to Ulrich and Welch, the Sooners grabbed tight end Carson Kent from the Owls in the transfer portal.

Ulrich and the other two players come to Norman after playing for a struggling squad that didn’t immediately adjust to its new level of competition. But Bednarowski believes that will allow the trio of former Owls to be leaders for the Sooners.

“All three were the best players at their position, and led with their work ethic,” Bednarowski said. “They would have been key components to help KSU take big steps in CUSA over the next couple of years.”

The winter transfer portal window, which ran from Dec. 9 to Dec. 28, was eventful for OU.

The Sooners lost 29 players to the transfer portal, the fourth-most of any program behind only Washington State, Purdue and Arkansas. Notable players to leave OU include quarterback Jackson Arnold, wide receivers Nic Anderson and Andrel Anthony, linebacker Dasan McCullough and defensive back Makari Vickers. Backup punter Ashton Logan also transferred to Middle Tennessee.

In addition to the three players headed to Norman from KSU, the Sooners picked up 11 others from the transfer portal. Some of the most notable pieces include quarterback John Mateer (Washington State), wide receivers Isaiah Sategna (Arkansas) and Javonnie Gibson (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) and linebacker Kendal Daniels (Oklahoma State).

Per 247 Sports, Oklahoma currently has the No. 17 transfer portal class in the nation and the No. 10 class in the SEC.

Even with so many additions — on offense, defense and special teams — to OU’s roster through the portal, Millette believes that Ulrich will be a difference maker while playing in the SEC.

“I'm not exaggerating when I say he has Ray Guy Award-level potential,” Millette said. “Ulrich was good as a freshman and elite as a sophomore. If he puts the work in, he could punt on Sundays.”


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Carson Field
CARSON FIELD

Carson Field has worked full-time in the sports media industry since 2020 in Colorado, Texas and Wyoming as well as nationally, and he has earned degrees from Arizona State University and Texas A&M University. When he isn’t covering the Sooners, he’s likely golfing, fishing or doing something else outdoors. Twitter: https://x.com/carsondfield