Ranking all 18 Big Ten special teams units from worst to first

USA Today

3 days ago

Flashy offenses and stout defenses tend to dominate the college football-related headlines. That is an understandable reality, as most household names play quarterback, wide receiver, running back, defensive line, linebacker, safety, or cornerback.
However, Big Ten fans should know better than anybody the importance of football's third facet: Special teams.
Excellence with the punt and kick units on the field has defined Iowa's streak of 12 straight winning seasons, as well as its 17 seasons at .500 or better in the last 18 years. Some of the program's recent stars made their name in that third facet, including all-world punt returner Cooper Dejean (2021-23), All-American punter Tory Taylor (2020-23) and rising senior Kaden Wetjen (2023-present).
On the other hand, while Ohio State got over the hump and won the national title last season, the program had been less-than-stellar on special teams for the better part of the last decade.
While special teams don't always decide games, and therefore championships, it tends to be a great equalizer when David goes up against Goliath, or when two evenly-matched teams are playing a classic, old-school Big Ten game of field position. See any Big Ten West battle between Wisconsin and Iowa, or Iowa and Nebraska for a direct example.
Position Previews: Defense -- Offense -- Quarterbacks -- Running Backs -- Wide Receivers -- Tight Ends -- Offensive Line -- Defensive Line -- Pass-Rushers -- Inside Linebackers -- Cornerbacks -- Safeties -- Secondaries
So, as we approach the 2025 Big Ten football season, it's time to begin the finishing touches on our position preview series. Up next, the conference's 18 special teams units.
18. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Punter: Archie Wilson
Kicker: Tristan Alvano
Punt Return: Jacory Barney Jr.
Kick Return: Jacory Barney Jr.
Nebraska welcomes an Australian punter in Wilson after it finished second-to-last in the Big Ten in punt average (41 yards) last season. Alvano is back as the starting placekicker after missing the final 10 games of 2024 due to injury. He's 12-of-19 (63%) over his career, including a five-of-seven mark from 30-39 yards, two-of-seven from 40-49, and a 55-yard make. He also hasn't missed an extra point. Barney Jr. is back to handle the return duties after totaling 20.4 yards per kick return and just 4.3 yards per punt return last season.
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17. Washington Huskies
Punter: Luke Dunne (transfer)
Kicker: Grady Gross
Punt Return: Denzel Boston
Kick Return: Jordan Washington
Dunne transfers in from Oregon after totaling just 12 punts over the last two seasons. His 42.7 average on nine punts in 2024 would be just a minor improvement from the Huskies' bottom-tier 42-yards-per-punt average. Importantly, the former Duck will need to help a Washington punt coverage unit that ranked dead last in net yards (34.1) last season. Regardless of the measure, Washington's overall punt unit was a major weakness.
Gross is set to handle the kicking duties for the third consecutive year. He made just 69.2% (18-of-26) of his field-goal attempts last season, including four-of-six from 30-39 yards, six-of-nine from 40-49 and 0-of-two from 50-plus. He'll look to return to his terrific 2023 form: 18-of-22 (81.8%), with marks of four-of-seven from 30-39 and seven-of-eight from 40-49.
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16. Purdue Boilermakers
Punter: Jack McCallister (transfer)
Kicker: Spencer Porath
Punt Return: Charles Ross (transfer)
Kick Return: Malachi Thomas (transfer)
Purdue landed McCallister after several years starting at Washington. He was part of that poor Washington punt unit from a season ago. Porath is back as the Boilermakers' starting placekicker after appearing in nine games as a freshman in 2024. He went seven-of-11 on field goal attempts, with a six-of-seven mark from inside of 30 yards, 0-of-three from 30-39 and one-of-one from 40-plus. Purdue's overall nine-of-15 (60%) field goal rate ranked dead-last in the Big Ten last season. Improvement will be necessary for the team to improve its win total.
15. Northwestern Wildcats
Punter: Niki Dugandzic
Kicker: Jack Olsen
Punt Return: Drew Wagner
Kick Return: Joseph Himon
Dugandzic joins the Wildcats as 247Sports' No. 1 punter in the class of 2025. He'll look to help a Northwestern punt coverage unit that finished 16th in the Big Ten in net yards (35.1) last season. Olsen, meanwhile, returns with extensive experience as Northwestern's starting placekicker. He went 21-of-29 (72.4%) over the last two seasons, including a 21-of-27 (78%) mark from inside of 50 yards. Wagner is an intriguing punt return option. As the backup to A.J. Henning last season, he took one of just two return chances to the house.
14. Maryland Terrapins
Punter: Bryce McFerson
Kicker: Gavin Marshall
Punt Return: Ricardo Cooper Jr.
Kick Return: Josiah McLaurin
McFerson returns for his second year as Maryland's starting punter after delivering a 45.1 yards-per-punt average in 2024. That rate and the team's overall 40.8 net yards per punt both finished top four in the Big Ten. Marshall, meanwhile, is a question mark entering his first year as the starter. Maryland made just 68.8% of its kicks in 2024, good for 14th in the conference. Cooper and McLaurin will look for breakthrough seasons as the punt and kick returner, respectively. Each handled a share of those duties last year. The team finished the season ranked 16th in the conference in kick return average (13.8 yards) and ninth in punt return average (8.9 yards).
13. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Punter: Brody Richter (transfer)
Kicker: Brady Denaburg (transfer)
Punt Return: Koi Perich
Kick Return: Koi Perich
Richter transferred in from UCLA after averaging 42.8 yards per punt in 2024, finishing in the middle of the pack of the Big Ten. Denaburg (Syracuse) would do well to replicate Minnesota's 71.4% field goal rate from last season. He made just three of six kicks in 2024, after going 10-of-16 as the Orange's starter in 2023. Perich's status as an elite athlete boosts this unit's ranking. He averaged 19.6 yards per kick return and 9.4 yards per punt return in 2024. While both of those marks fell in the middle of the pack in the conference, he should improve on both this season.
12. Wisconsin Badgers
Punter: Atticus Bertrams
Kicker: Nathanial Vakos
Punt Return: Trech Kekahuna
Kick Return: Vinny Anthony
Bertrams emerged as one of the Big Ten's better punters in 2024, averaging 45.3 yards per punt (third in the Big Ten). The unit's question is Vakos, who will need a resurgent season after struggling through much of 2024. After making 78.9% of his kicks in 2023, Vakos went just 12-of-19 (63.2%) last season, including a six-of-13 mark from 30-49 yards. Wisconsin's return units will be a fun watch this season. Anthony averaged 27.9 yards per kick return in 2024, second-best in the conference. Kekahuna, meanwhile, is an electric athlete who profiles as a strong punt returner. Wisconsin's biggest special teams question is whether Vakos can return to his 2023 form.
11. Ohio State Buckeyes
Punter: Joe McGuire
Kicker: Jayden Fielding
Punt Return: Brandon Inniss
Kick Return: Mylan Graham
While a perennial national title contender, Ohio State always seems to struggle on special teams. McGuire returns as the starting punter after averaging just 42.1 yards per punt last season. The overall team closed the year with a net punting average of 35.9 yards, good for 14th in the conference. Luckily for Buckeyes fans, the team tends to score more than it punts. Fielding, meanwhile, is back to handle the kicking duties after a strong 2024 season. He went 13-of-17 (76.5%) overall, including an impressive seven-of-eight mark from 40-49 yards. The multi-year starter enters 2024 as one of the better kickers in the conference.
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10. USC Trojans
Punter: Sam Johnson (transfer)
Kicker: Caden Chittenden (transfer)
Punt Return: Makai Lemon
Kick Return: Makai Lemon
USC has significant turnover in its special teams room after it led the Big Ten in net punt average (45.4) and finished 16th in placekicking (63.2%). Johnson transfers in from Valparaiso after averaging 47.1 yards on 63 punts in 2024. Chittenden, meanwhile, made 78.8% of his field-goal attempts at UNLV last season. That included a terrific 25-of-29 mark from inside of 50 yards. Lemon is also back as the Trojans' kick returner after turning 19 returns into 514 yards (27.1 yards per return) last season. Chittenden will need to reverse the Trojans' recent kicking woes for this group to improve its standing.
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9. Penn State Nittany Lions
Punter: Riley Thompson
Kicker: Ryan Barker
Punt Return: Devonte Ross (transfer)
Kick Return: Nicholas Singleton
Thompson is back for his third season as the Nittany Lions' starting punter. He averaged 42.8 yards per punt in 2024, good for a top-half finish in the Big Ten. Barker is also back after a strong 2024 season. He went 15-of-18 on field-goal attempts, including a perfect nine-of-nine from inside 40 yards. Troy transfer Ross will look to improve a punt return unit that averaged just 5.9 yards per return in 2024. He averaged 14 yards per return in 2024, including a 77-yard return touchdown.
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8. UCLA Bruins
Punter: Will Karoll (transfer)
Kicker: Mateen Bhaghani
Punt Return: Mikey Matthews (transfer)
Kick Return: Mikey Matthews (transfer)
The Bruins added a multi-year starter in Karoll (Tulane) this offseason. He averaged 42.8 yards per punt in 2024, a total that would've been good for 10th in the Big Ten. Bhaghani is back as the starting placekicker after a terrific 2024 campaign. He went 20-of-24 on field-goal attempts, including a perfect 14-of-14 from inside 40 yards and six-of-10 from 40-plus.
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7. Michigan State Spartans
Punter: Ryan Eckley
Kicker: Tarik Ahmetbasic/Martin Connington
Punt Return: Omari Kelly (transfer)
Kick Return: Chrishon McCray (transfer)
Michigan State's special teams were a strength in 2024. Eckley, who is back for 2025, delivered a Big Ten-best 47.9 yards per punt. He should again be one of the conference's best this season. Meanwhile, Ahmetbasic will compete with Connington for the team's starting placekicker job. The new starter will have a tough time matching the production of 2024 starter Jonathan Kim, who made 19 of his 21 (90.5%) field goal attempts, including a near-perfect 16-of-17 from inside 50 yards. Transfers Kelly (Middle Tennessee State) and McCray (Kent State) will each look to bring their strong production as returners to the Big Ten level.
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6. Illinois Fighting Illini
Punter: Keelan Crimmins (transfer)
Kicker: David Olano
Punt Return: Hank Beatty
Kick Return: Hank Beatty
Crimmins transfers in from Purdue, looking to help an Illinois punt unit that finished 2024 ranked last in the Big Ten in punt average (40.8 yards). He averaged 44.9 yards per punt with the Boilermakers, helping them to a middle-of-the-pack finish. Illinois' strong ranking is helped by the excellence of starting placekicker Olano, who made 17 of 20 field goal attempts in 2024, including a perfect 12-of-12 from inside 40 yards. Finally, Beatty returns as the team's return ace after leading the Big Ten in punt return average (14.1 yards) last season.
5. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Punter: Jakob Anderson
Kicker: Jai Patel
Punt Return: D.T. Sheffield (transfer)
Kick Return: D.T. Sheffield (transfer)
Anderson enters his second year as Rutgers' punter after a solid 2024 campaign. He finished tied for 10th in the conference with 42.6 yards per punt. The team as a whole did well in covering those punts, finishing ninth with a 39.1 net-yards-per-punt average. Patel, a multi-year starter, enters 2025 as one of the Big Ten's better kickers. He's made 81% of his attempts over the past two years, including a 90% mark from inside of 50 yards. The unit's question entering 2025 is North Texas transfer Sheffield. He averaged more than 12 yards per punt return and more than 21 per kick return. He's taking over a return unit that finished last in the Big Ten in kick return average and first in punt return average last season. If Sheffield excels, Rutgers could have some of the Big Ten's better special teams units.
4. Indiana Hoosiers
Punter: Mitch McCarthy (transfer)
Kicker: Nico Radicic
Punt Return: Makai Jackson (transfer)
Kick Return: Solomon Vanhorse
McCarthy transfers in after three years as UCF's starting punter. His 44.1 yards-per-punt average from last season would have ranked seventh in the Big Ten. Radicic, meanwhile, is back after a fantastic 2024 campaign as the Hoosiers' starting kicker. He made 10 of 11 field goal attempts, including eight of eight from inside 40 yards and a perfect 69-of-69 on extra point attempts. While the team lost standout punt returner Myles Price to the NFL after last season, Appalachian State transfer Jackson should be a fine replacement. The Hoosiers' efficiency on punt and kick units leads to their strong ranking.
3. Michigan Wolverines
Punter: Luke Bauer (transfer)
Kicker: Dominic Zvada
Punt Return: Semaj Morgan
Kick Return: Anthony Simpson (transfer)
Bauer joins the Wolverines after starting for Missouri last season. He averaged just 41.8 yards per punt, which would've ranked in the Big Ten's bottom tier. A best-in-the-nation kicking game bolsters Michigan's ranking. Zvada made a Big Ten-best 21-of-22 field goals in 2024, including 10-of-10 from 30 to 50 yards and seven-of-seven from 50-plus. He should be the top kicker selected in next year's NFL draft. On the return units, Morgan returns after a solid season on the punt unit, while the team's kick return is a bit of a question. Overall, having one of the nation's best kickers typically leads a special teams unit to a high ranking.
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2. Oregon Ducks
Punter: James Ross
Kicker: Atticus Sappington
Punt Return: Gary Bryant Jr.
Kick Return: Noah Whittington
While the 2024 Oregon Ducks rarely punted, Ross helped the team to a top-five finish in punt average (44.9 yards). 2025 will be about turning that distance into worse field position for the opponent, as the 2024 Ducks ranked just 12th in net punt average (37.3). Sappington returns as the full-time placekicker after an impressive 14 makes on 16 field goal attempts in 2024, including a perfect 11-of-11 from inside 40 yards. The team will likely turn to Bryant to replace star punt returner Tez Johnson, while Whittington is set for another key role after helping the Ducks to a top-three finish in kick return average. Overall, special teams are a clear strength for the Ducks.
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1. Iowa Hawkeyes
Punter: Rhys Dakin
Kicker: Drew Stevens
Punt Return: Kaden Wetjen
Kick Return: Kaden Wetjen
LeVar Woods' special-teams factory continues to make a winning difference for the Hawkeyes. Dakin should again be one of the Big Ten's best punters this season. He averaged 44.1 yards on a Big Ten-high 64 punts in 2024. By no surprise, the Hawkeyes were fantastic in coverage, holding opponents to only 40.2 net yards per punt. At kicker, Stevens returns after a stellar 20-of-23 (87%) conversion rate last season, including 16-of-16 from inside of 50 yards. Finally, return specialist Wetjen headlines the Hawkeyes' special teams unit. The rising senior led the Big Ten in kickoff return yards (727), average yards per kick return (28), kickoff return touchdowns (one), punt return yards (328) and punt return touchdowns (one) in 2024. He's arguably the best return threat in the nation entering the 2025 season.
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