OU Depth Chart: Specialist Newcomers Could be Electric for Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s special teams unit will be revamped across the board in 2025.

The Sooners signed two punters, two kickers and a returner from the transfer portal, adding reinforcements to a specialist group that graduated much of its 2024 talent.

Transfer kickers Tate Sandell and Austin Welch will compete for the starting role.

Sandell broke out for UTSA in 2024, connecting on 19 of 23 field-goal attempts to earn honorable mention All-AAC honors. Three of his four misses came on kicks longer than 50 yards, and he set a single-season program record with 62 touchbacks on kickoffs.

Welch is a transfer from Kennesaw State, which played its first FBS season in 2024. Welch went 14-of-18 on field goals for the Owls a year ago, and one of his makes was a career-best 49-yard kick.

Last year, Zach Schmit and Tyler Keltner split OU’s kicking duties. That duo combined for an 80% clip and went 7-for-10 on attempts longer than 40 yards.

With two new legs, it’s possible that the Sooners could try the dual-kicker system. But based on numbers from last year alone, Sandell will likely get the most reps.

Oklahoma also reinforced its punting room through the portal.

Jacob Ulrich, also from Kennesaw State, will likely start at the position.

A redshirt freshman in 2024, Ulrich punted 45 times for an average of 45.4 yards, which 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. He broke Kennesaw State’s record for single-game punt average in Week 1 against UTSA last year, averaging 54.6 yards on five punts.

Oklahoma also added Grayson Miller from Central Oklahoma as part of its portal class. He averaged 43.3 yards on 52 punts in 2024.

Luke Elzinga served as OU’s starting punter each of the last two seasons after transferring from Central Michigan. In 24 games at Oklahoma, Elzinga punted 87 times, averaging 44.9 yards. Of those, Elzinga placed 36 inside of the 20-yard line.

Arkansas transfer Isaiah Sategna is a candidate to serve as both OU’s starting punt and kick returner.

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Sategna, a wide receiver, played three seasons for the Razorbacks. In 2023, he returned 15 punts for 180 yards and a touchdown and returned 23 kickoffs for 500 yards.

His numbers went down in 2024, though, as Sategna returned just 10 punts for 68 yards. He fielded just three kickoffs for a combined 52 yards.

Safety Peyton Bowen could also get reps on punt returns. Now a junior, Bowen returned 25 punts for 209 yards as a sophomore in 2024, and his longest return went for 24 yards.

Sophomore defensive back Devon Jordan is also in the mix. As a true freshman in 2024, Jordan returned two punts for 16 yards and returned a kickoff.

Though unlikely, Jaydn Ott — a transfer running back from Cal — could field kickoffs. Ott returned three kickoffs in 2023, one of which he returned for 100 yards and a touchdown. He only fielded three kicks in 2024.

While it’s a possibility, it’s possible that running backs coach DeMarco Murray wouldn’t allow that.

Murray, a former Sooner great at running back, tore his left hamstring tendon on the opening kickoff of the 2008 Big 12 Championship Game against Missouri, forcing him to miss the National Championship Game against Florida.

Murray played one more stellar season at OU after that and later segued that into a strong NFL career, but that injury on a kick return prevented him from playing for a national title.