Tate Sandell went from being the best kicker in all of college football to questions about whether he's even the best option on Oklahoma's roster.
The Sooners are beyond the halfway point of their 2026 season, and Sandell has been shaky and inconsistent the entire year after being a guaranteed three points last season as long as OU was across the 50-yard line. With Sandell struggling, OU head coach Brent Venables admitted on his weekly coach's show that Sandell will split field-goal opportunities at practice evenly ahead of the Sooners hosting South Carolina on Saturday.
Venables' comments confirm that Sandell is fighting for his starting job less than a year after a record-breaking season, but that pressure could also unlock the version of Sandell that OU fans grew desensitized to in 2025.
“He likes it. He’s a very competitive guy. He doesn’t want it any other way," Venables said.
Tate Sandell is out of time to turn the season around
Sandell became the first Sooner ever last year to win the Lou Groza Award as the best kicker in college football and was also named SEC Special Teams Player of the Year. He was 24-of-27 on field-goal attempts (89%), while making a program- and SEC-record 24 in a row. He was absolute money after transferring from UTSA.
Those accomplishments, though, don't put points on the board this season. Accolades aside, OU has to find someone who can produce right now.
After a 2025 that was more like a kiddie ride with nothing unexpected, 2026 has been an absolute rollercoaster for Sandell. He peaked with a game-winning 47-yard field goal as time expired to upset No. 1 Texas and go down as a Red River Rivalry hero. It's been a steep decline since, with a few more dips early on.
Sandell hit a low in his career last week against Mississippi State, missing half of his six field-goal attempts. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle was right to point out afterward that's way too many field-goal attempts that should have been PATs instead, but Arbuckle's offense not getting into the end zone is a different discussion and a problem OU also had to overcome last season. This is about Sandell doing his part, and he hasn't been lately.
Coming off that lackluster showing, Sandell is 10-for-16 this season and has missed at least one field-goal attempt in four of seven games. Venables, as he does with basically every struggling starter, has voiced his confidence in Sandell. The difference between Sandell and, say, quarterback John Mateer, though, is that Venables has mentioned OU has reliable options behind him.
“Tate will be fine. I know that’s perplexing, but he’ll be fine. I feel like we kicked 30 of them and missed all 30," Venables said Saturday. "But yeah, Tate’s got a great body of work. He’s one of the most talented kickers in college football. He’s been a dude, and he’s got a great resume both in-game and at practice. Sandell is a tough guy. He’s not a fragile-minded guy. So keep faith in him.
"And we’ve got other guys that can kick too, but Tate’s been our guy. He won the Groza last year, and for a kicker, it doesn’t take much to be off, I guess. But he’ll be alright.”
Behind Sandell is either Liam Evans or Trace Rudd. Evans, a junior, made a PAT in the lone appearance of his career. Rudd is still waiting for his collegiate debut as a five-star prospect, according to Kohl’s Kicking, in the 2026 class.
This isn't quarterback, though, where that lack of experience at a position can bring down the whole team. Coaches can also get a better idea of what a kicker is capable of during practice. Regardless, we don't know what either player can do in a game until they get the chance.
Sandell is no doubt proven, but not in 2026. If there's no turnaround as soon as this week and Sandell misses another attempt against South Carolina, then it's time to see what Evans or Rudd can do. The Sooners need every point they can get now, not last year.
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