Oklahoma State Kicking Situation Could Have Much Different Look in 2025

Oklahoma State’s kicking situation will look a bit different going into next season.

On Monday, OSU kicker David Arriaga announced that he has entered the transfer portal. Arriaga joined the team before the 2024 season but never played for the Cowboys last year.

Arriaga came to OSU in 2024 as a walk-on from Midwest City and took a redshirt in his first season of college football. To play at this level might have been a long shot for Arriaga, at least at the beginning of his career, but it couldn’t have hurt OSU to have another kicker on the roster.

“I want to take a moment to sincerely thank Oklahoma State Football for everything it has done for me,” Arriaga said in his post. “From the incredible people who prepared our meals, to the janitorial staff, the strength and conditioning team, the athletic trainers, and especially Coach (Joseph Foteh) and Coach (Mike Gundy) — I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this program.”

While Arriaga’s departure might not mean much for OSU’s kicking game, it could signal something about where the team is headed on that front next season. Arriaga entered spring football as one of four kickers on the OSU roster, joining Logan Ward, Gabe Panikowski and Kason Shrum.

Shrum, the son of former OSU president Kayse Shrum has been with the program for multiple years but is unlikely to get any reps. That leaves Ward, who was OSU’s starting kicker last season, alongside Panikowski as the potential options for 2025. Panikowski hit the only field goal in OSU’s spring game on Saturday, which could say something about where OSU is leaning.

Panikowski joined the team after the 2024 season, where he was one of the best in the FCS for Idaho State. Panikowski made all 15 of his field goals and went 44-of-47 overall on place kicks.

Meanwhile, Ward went 12-of-17 on his field goals last season while missing only one of his 35 extra point tries. Assuming nothing changes over the next few months, OSU could enter 2025 with a couple of reliable options at kicker.