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Ohio State adds former Buffalo punter Anthony Venneri as walk-on transfer

Ohio State has added a transfer to its punting competition.

Anthony Venneri, who was the starting punter in Buffalo the past two years, committed to Ohio State on Saturday as the preferred backup.

Venneri averaged 43.96 yards per punt for the Bulls in 2023, finishing 30th in the FBS in punting average – one spot ahead of former Ohio State punter Jesse Mirco, who transferred to Vanderbilt in January after averaging 43.69 yards per punt in 2023. his own single-season school record for a punt average of 43 yards per punt in 2022, when he earned Freshman All honors -American of the FWAA.

A 6-foot, 225-pound punter from Hamilton, Ontario, Venneri brings two years of eligibility to Ohio State.

He will participate in what is now becoming a three-way competition for the starting kicker job at Ohio State this season. Two Australian punters, redshirt freshman Joe McGuire and freshman Nick McLarty – the only scholarship punter on the roster – will also compete for the job at preseason camp. Venneri will have the advantage of experience in this competition since neither McLarty nor McGuire have punted in a college game.