Since December, the NCAA Transfer Portal has witnessed an extraordinary influx of more than 2,000 players hailing from across the nation. This unprecedented movement within the college sports landscape is creating new opportunities, including players switching divisions. The Oklahoma Sooners have been active in the transfer portal.
Last offseason, Florida State sought to bolster its roster by bringing in kicker Tyler Keltner from East Tennessee State, an FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) school. Keltner’s initial goal was to compete with Ryan Fitzgerald for the starting kicker position. However, during the 2023 season, he found himself as Fitzgerald’s backup. Last month, as a graduate transfer, Keltner decided to enter the transfer portal in pursuit of a fresh start.
After carefully exploring his options, Keltner has now made a significant decision. On a Thursday afternoon, Keltner took to social media to announce his transfer to the University of Oklahoma for his final collegiate season. At Oklahoma, he will vie for the starting kicker role against redshirt junior Zach Schmit and true freshman Liam Evans.
Schmit’s performance in the previous season left room for improvement, as he converted only 15 out of 21 field-goal attempts, marking one of the less impressive records in the Big 12 conference. Keltner’s arrival at Oklahoma coincides with the program’s transition to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 2024.
During his time with the Seminoles, the Florida native had limited game action, making a single appearance. In that game, he successfully kicked an extra point during Florida State’s victory against North Alabama in their home finale.
Prior to his stint at Florida State, Keltner had a fruitful three-season tenure at the FCS level with East Tennessee State. He received back-to-back All-Southern Conference accolades in 2021 and 2022. Over those three years, Keltner boasted impressive stats, converting 56 out of 76 field-goal attempts and a perfect 131 out of 131 extra-point attempts.
Notably, he holds program records for field goals and PATs made while ranking second in career points with 299. In 2021, Keltner broke single-season records with 105 points and 51 successful extra-point attempts, earning him First-Team All-SoCon honors from the media.
Looking ahead to the 2024 season, Florida State will retain starting kicker Ryan Fitzgerald and starting punter Alex Mastroamnno. Additionally, they will welcome three-star kicker Jake Weinberg to their ranks during the summer, adding depth to the special teams unit.
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