It feels like Sean Nuernberger has been Ohio State’s kicker for a million years

With roster turnover a yearly event for Ohio State football, it seems like we’ve been hearing Sean Nuernberger‘s name for much longer than four years. But, as we were reminded during the spring game, he’s back again in 2018 for his fifth— and final— season with the Buckeyes.

After coming to Columbus in January 2014, the Buckeye kicker played his entire true-freshman season, going 100% on his 89 point-after attempts that year, but falling short in field goals, only making 13-of-20. He may not have been consistent for three-points, but his extra-point effort set 10 records (7 school, 3 Big Ten) as a true-freshman place kicker.

As with every position under Urban Meyer, nobody’s job is safe, and Nuernberger found himself competing for the kicking position with transfer Jack Willoughby ahead of the 2015 season. Nuernberger was out-kicked, and didn’t regain point-after kicking duties until the 10th game of the season. To finish the year, the Buckeye hit 3-of-4 field goal attempts, and extended his consecutive extra point streak to 106 -- breaking Drew Basil’s record (102) from 2012-13.

Things didn’t exactly get better for the Ohio State kicker following the 2015 season, with Nuernberger taking a red-shirt for his junior season in 2016. Finally back in the lineup in 2017, the Buckeye continued his streak, adding another 71 consecutive extra points to his resume.

Just to make this abundantly clear: Sean Nuernberger has never missed a point-after attempt in his entire collegiate career.

He finished his 2017 campaign with his best fieldgoal-made percentage yet (81.0%), missing on only four of 21 on the season. Nuernberger still has a year of eligibility left, and will try once again to extend his perfect record of point-afters in his last season with the Buckeyes.