Kicker Connor Hawkins (96) kicks a field goal. The Buckeyes beat the Terrapins 45-16 on Oct. 10, 2026. Credit: Cassandra D'Angelo | Sports Photo Editor.
Through the first five weeks of Ohio State football, head coach Ryan Day emphasized the need for special teams improvement.
Leading up to Maryland was no different.?
“To say we have an identity on special teams right now, I can’t say that,” Day said Oct. 6. “We need to do a better job of the return game. Period.”?
On Saturday at Ohio Stadium, the unit showed some familiar weaknesses,? but also glimpses of hope, in the Buckeyes’ 45-16 win over Maryland.???
Ohio State entered the matchup ranked 116th nationally in punt return average, gaining 4.62 yards per return. The Buckeyes also missed two of seven attempts.?
Against the Terrapins, they averaged 10 yards on four punt returns, highlighted by Phillip Bell’s 31-yard run.?
“The return was really set up well,” Day said. “I thought we had a good plan on how we wanted to do that. I thought it was fairly executed pretty well, and it kind of got going early on, which we put a lot of work into it this week.”
The Buckeyes also found success elsewhere on the field, as Connor Hawkins made a 40-yard field goal with 5:55 left in the second quarter and all six extra points.
Maryland attempted a fake punt with under five minutes left in the second quarter, but the Buckeyes weren’t fooled and stopped the conversion. The drive led to a touchdown, giving Ohio State a 31-10 lead at halftime.
The mistakes, however, continued.?
Ohio State had a false start on an extra point attempt after the first of Jeremiah Smith’s two touchdowns.
Cornerback Jordan Thomas was penalized five yards for running into the Maryland kicker on a punt attempt, but the play did not result in a first down.?
Day said he prepared for a possible error before the play started but decided to go for it.
“With [Thomas] doing it for the first time as a freshman, I was concerned there would be running into the punter,” Day said. “There was, so it was a five-yard penalty, not a 15-yarder. If it was a 15-yarder, I probably would have had an aneurysm.”
Overall, Day said he saw improvement in the unit.?
“We’ll get on the film and see individually how it went, but I thought we took a step in the right direction in terms of our mentality and our approach, and our focus was better,” he said.
