The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Special Teams Grades — Future Kicker Plans & How Good Should Buckeyes' Special Teams Be?

Date: December 14, 2025
Hosts: Doug Lesmerises & Bill Landis
Podcast Network: Blue Wire

Episode Overview

Theme:
Doug and Bill kick off a 10-part Ohio State position group rating series by diving deep into the Buckeyes’ special teams. The focus: how critical special teams can be, especially placekicking, what’s gone wrong lately, portal/planning strategies for future kickers and punters, and realistic standards for the defending national champs.

The episode brings an honest, analytical, and often humorous critique to the “most frustrating, least interesting, and yet sneakily most important” aspect of Ohio State football. The hosts dissect recent failures, compare OSU with peers, and advocate for an aggressive transfer portal approach — “You’re with me, kicker!” — to solve the team’s specialist woes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Start with Special Teams? (02:00-03:00)

• The series will rate all 10 Ohio State position groups before the Playoff, giving each a 1-100 score, incorporating subscriber votes, hosts’ ratings, and analysis.
• Special teams, although less glamorous, has been decisive in major losses for OSU in recent years.
• Quote, Doug: "Simultaneously, it's the most frustrating and also maybe the least interesting to talk about...because it's special teams." (02:40)
• Quote, Bill: "Name a position that has lost Ohio State a playoff semifinal, a Michigan game, and a Big Ten championship all in the last four years... Field goal kicker would be the number one answer." (03:10)

2. The Kicker Problem & Big-Game Failures (03:00–06:26)

• Recap of several high-leverage misses in the 2022, 2024, and 2025 seasons — most from short range, not “bombs.”
• Doug produced statistics: In Power 4, kickers made 94% of 20-to-29 yarders in 2025; OSU’s misses in this range are big outliers.
• Quote, Doug: “Only one of them was a bomb. The rest were should-be-makeable for most college kickers.” (03:59)
• Quote, Bill: "332 for 354 on field goals in the 20s. That’s why Ryan Day called it a chip shot. That’s why they probably should have gone for it — but once you’re in the situation, you gotta make the kick." (05:09)

3. Why Is It So Hard to Solve? (06:26–10:41)

• Kicker volatility: Even in the NFL, kickers can go from great to cut and replaced quickly. In college, you can’t just swap veterans.
• Scholarship/opportunity constraints: Top programs use their kicker/punter less, which may make those jobs less attractive.
• Anecdotes: Transfer portal targets, Lou Groza Award-winners, and the long odds that a great FBS specialist lands at a place like OSU.
• The “Mike Nugent nostalgia” effect: People remember a time when OSU absolutely relied on a star kicker, but the program now rarely needs one if the offense is clicking.
• Quote, Doug: “If you’re really good [as a program], you probably do want to go to a place where you’re gonna get some action — which might mean your offense isn’t good.” (09:08)
• **Quote, Bill:" "The design of the program is kind of set up for their worst position group to be special teams, especially when it comes to the specialists.” (13:25)

4. Should OSU Become a 'You're With Me Kicker' Program? (15:21–20:54)

• Bill presents a survey of top 10 playoff teams — 5 of 10 have kickers acquired via transfer (proven small-school kickers) instead of developing their own.
• The “You’re with me leather”/“You’re with me kicker” philosophy: Just go get a proven leg via the portal every year; loyalty and sentimentality are out.
• Quote, Bill: “I think Ohio State should be a ‘you’re with me kicker’ program for the rest of eternity. Who’s the best kicker at a small school Ohio State can go steal?” (19:14)
• Quote, Doug: “You’re paying a million dollars for a backup right guard. You can pay for a kicker.” (21:15)
• Discussion about price, portal plan, and the practicalities of ‘renting’ reliable specialists. Comic moment: They discover Bowling Green’s first team-all MAC kicker, Jackson Cleather, as a hypothetical candidate.
• Quote, Bill, joking: “No, you're with me Cleather… sometimes the podcast gods smile on you. You're with me Cleather… future Buckeye Jackson Cleather, we invite you on the pod!” (19:59–20:35)

5. OSU’s Current Specialist Situation (21:19–27:06)

• Jaden Fielding missed critical kicks vs. Michigan and may be gone; transfer Jackson Kerrville (Ball State) was brought in but didn’t see action.
• At punter, Australian product Joe McGuire has an underwhelming leg; they have another Pro Kick Australia punter (Nick McLarty) but haven’t trialed him.
• OSU’s approach: adequate coverage, but insufficient “flip the field” power or consistency in the kicking game.
• Quote, Doug: “McGuire just doesn’t have a strong leg. He can’t flip the field… He’s serviceable, but if you’re punting from your own 21 and really need to flip the field, he’s not the guy.” (26:27)

6. Return and Coverage Game (29:21–32:20)

• Kick and punt coverage uses promising freshmen and sophomores; overall, they’ve been fundamentally sound, if unremarkable.
• Kick and punt returns: Minimal impact in the modern game. The hosts emphasize secure hands over explosive returnability.
• Quote, Doug: “I’m sort of of the mind, like, as long as they’re catching it, then like, I’m okay because it’s just not really part of the game anymore.” (32:07)
• Note: True freshmen like Jalen McLean often start as “maniacs” on special teams and eventually become starters.

7. What Should OSU Special Teams Be…Really? (14:10, 32:20–34:49)

• Bill and Doug agree the “100” standard OSU can set for other position groups isn’t reasonable for specialists. Not programmatically designed for it.
• For returners/coverage units, adequate is fine; for specialists, there should be zero loyalty. Every year, find a better option via the portal if one exists.
• Quote, Bill: “Every year, have zero loyalty to the existing punter or kicker. I would work the portal like a maniac.” (33:14)
• Quote, Doug: “Jaden Fielding is out of eligibility. They need a new kicker, unless Jackson Kerrville can do it. Joe McGuire has eligibility, but I think they could upgrade.” (33:14)

8. Numeric Grades for Special Teams & Closing Thoughts (33:26–36:16)

• Subscriber average (hundreds of votes): 40/100
• Bill’s grade: 45/100
  “If you’re in a situation to kick a field goal you really need, nobody believes in it… That’s a net negative.”
• Doug’s grade: 63/100
  “Mostly average, slightly above average in some areas.” Only grading <50 if ‘net negative.’ Most areas are ‘fine’, field goal unit is the concern.
• Consensus average: 49/100
• Special teams are “just a tick under half — right under the middle.”

Notable Quotes & Moments (with timestamps)

• On special teams as game-deciders:
  “Field goal kicker would be the number one answer.” — Bill Landis (03:10)
• On Ohio State’s rare misses from chip-shot range:
  “Should be makeable for most college kickers.” — Doug Lesmerises (03:59)
• On letting failed kickers go:
  “Once Jaden Fielding missed two makeable field goals against Michigan last year, Ohio State’s attitude should have been ‘he’s not our kicker anymore for next year’ — because it’s big boy school.” — Bill Landis (21:23)
• On transfer approach:
  “Why should we not think of it that way? And more importantly, why should Ohio State not think of it that way?” — Bill Landis (20:54)
• On coverage/returns:
  “I think the kick coverage team is good... as long as they’re catching it, then like, I’m okay because it’s just not really part of the game anymore.” — Doug Lesmerises (32:07)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Intro to ranking and show theme: 02:00–02:54
• Kicker failures and context: 03:10–05:51
• Statistical realities (short FGs): 04:05–05:09
• Transfer portal & future kicker philosophy: 15:21–20:54
• Current personnel review: 21:19–27:06
• Coverage, returns, and special teams identity: 29:21–32:20
• Philosophy, future approach, and grades: 32:20–36:16

Overall Tone & Takeaway

Candid, statistical, slightly irreverent and practical, Doug and Bill insist that OSU’s only path to elite special teams is an aggressive, portal-based solution for specialists, paired with a sober acceptance that kick/punt returning matters little in today’s game. While OSU can (and should) aim for excellence everywhere else, simply not letting special teams become a liability is the reasonable goal.

Bottom line:

• “You’re with me, kicker.” Find a proven transfer every year.
• Don’t expect OSU to ever be “Special Teams U.”
• Coverage units & returns: functional, not spectacular.
• Grading: Net neutral at best, negative when the game’s on the line.

End of Summary