Nick McLarty is a freshman at Ohio State and has already made a name for himself.
On Thursday, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day named the 6-foot-7, 255-pound freshman from Melbourne, Australia, the Buckeyes’ starter. That decision was made for a reason, and it has to do with his booming leg.
“As we head into the weekend, he is the starter,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said, “and the plan is for him to be the first punter to go out in the game.”
As Ohio State enters the 2024 season, Nick McLarty is looking to beat out Joe McGuire, Hadi Jawad, and Buffalo transfer Anthony Venneri for good in the competition. So far, he is off to a great start.
Nick McLarty is going incredibly viral on social media after footage surfaced of him kicking a football 90+ yards.
The ball was kicked so far that it went over the stadium and near some trees in the area.
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Social media couldn’t believe their eyes as they commented on the dynamic true freshman:
During his press conference, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day stated that Nick McLarty made a smooth transition to life in Columbus and the Ohio State football program.
He impressed all coaches with his strong leg and even showed his snap-to-kick quickness and hang time.
“He’s made a good transition into the country but also playing football, not Australian rules football, which is very, very different,” Day said, per Eleven Warriors. “The snap-to-kick has improved. He’s a taller guy, so the ball has to get off his foot faster. I think he’s done that. His hang time is good. He’s been more consistent.
“He’ll kick a few that go out of the stadium. He’s got a strong leg. But we’re looking for that consistency. He’s shown that here most recently, so he’s got the upper hand right now.”
If all goes well, Nick McLarty will replace Jesse Mirco, who had been the Buckeyes’ starting punter since 2021 before transferring to Vanderbilt this past January.
Much like Nick McLarty, Mirco had also been an Australian rules football player before he converted to being a punter.
Nick McLarty Joins A Growing List of Australian Punters For The Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are all in when it comes to punting.
The program seems to want all of their punters from down under.
Having recently named true freshman Nick McLarty as the starter for their Akron game, he joins a growing list of players from Australia who have played at the position.
He will now be the fourth Australian punter for the Buckeyes, joining Cam Johnston (2013-16), Jesse Mirco (2021-23), and Joe McGuire (2023), per Ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
