Former USC Kicker Parker Lewis Intrigued by Ohio State As Potential Transfer Destination

Despite the fact that the Buckeyes have a returning Lou Groza Honor finalist in Noah Ruggles, they organized previous USC twist Parker Lewis for a go to on springtime video game weekend break. As a matter of fact, Ohio State was the initial college to connect to Lewis when he went into the transfer website in December.

That was prior to the Buckeyes recognized if Ruggles would certainly go back to Ohio State for his extra year of qualification. Lewis’ first call with Ohio State featured previous quality assurance train Joe Bolden, that was formerly an unique groups quality assurance train at USC when Lewis started his occupation there, as well as Bolden has actually because left the Buckeyes to end up being Nevada’s unique groups organizer as well as outdoors linebackers train. Yet also because Bolden left as well as Ruggles revealed his choice to play an additional period with the Buckeyes, Ohio State has actually remained to hire Lewis as a prospective enhancement to this year’s lineup.

Lewis, that had touchbacks on 27 of his 34 firsts for USC last period, might be a prompt upgrade for the Buckeyes as a first professional over Ruggles, that had just 21 touchbacks on 99 firsts in 2014. Yet Lewis wishes to kick basket any place he moves, also, as well as he claims Ohio State’s trains have actually informed him he’ll obtain the possibility to complete for that task if he selects the Buckeyes, also after Ruggles made 20 of his 21 basket efforts in 2021.

“What they claimed is, ‘This would not be Ohio State if we played faves,’” Lewis, that made 17 of his 22 basket tries last period, informed Eleven Warriors. “So they undoubtedly want me doing firsts, yet I’m extremely thinking about having the basket task too.

“If I wind up mosting likely to Ohio State, it’ll suggest I seem like I might win that task.”

“I think I’m one of the far better twists in the nation.”– Parker Lewis

While Lewis was USC’s beginning twist for the previous 2 periods, he claimed his years with the Trojans were challenging as a result of training team modifications that occurred. The unique groups organizer that hired Lewis, John Baxter, was terminated much less than 2 weeks prior to he signed up at USC. The unique groups organizer that changed him, Sean Snyder, anticipated twists to take much more representatives in method than Lewis was accustomed to, which Lewis claimed brought about injuries. He eventually made his choice to move after discovering brand-new USC head train Lincoln Riley would certainly not be working with a devoted unique groups organizer.

“Going into the backside of my university football occupation, I’m searching for a location where I’m truly mosting likely to have the ability to obtain established as well as offer me the very best possibility to head to the NFL,” Lewis claimed. “So I had a great deal of discussion with my moms and dads on what was the best point to do, as well as most of us concurred looking elsewhere would certainly be the very best alternative.”

Lewis was quickly interested by the opportunity of betting Ohio State as soon as he spoke with the Buckeyes, partially as a result of his connection with Bolden yet likewise as a result of his relationship with previous Ohio State twist Blake Haubeil, that he claims is “like an older bro.” Lewis has actually understood Haubeil because he remained in 7th quality, as well as he viewed the Buckeyes commonly throughout Haubeil’s Ohio State occupation, also going to Ohio State’s Feast Championship game versus Clemson in 2019 to sustain Haubeil.

“Prior to I was dedicated to USC, Ohio State was my group that I favored due to the fact that I was seeing every one of Blake’s video games,” Lewis claimed.

Based upon his discussions with Haubeil as well as Ohio State unique groups organizer Parker Fleming, Lewis thinks betting Ohio State would certainly be a far better suitable for him than USC was.

“Train Fleming is even more of like a family members feeling,” Lewis claimed. “They have it down rub for certain at Ohio State. I enjoy their system as well as exactly how they run as well as handle their professionals.”

Lewis was likewise a colleague of present Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke at Saguaro Secondary School (Scottsdale, Arizona), as well as he likes what he’s spoken with Burke concerning the Buckeyes, also.

“I’ve talked to him a lot on Ohio State, and one thing I like that he said is he said it’s ran just like Saguaro. If Saguaro were to be a college, he said it’s ran just like Saguaro,” Lewis said. “He’s said a lot of really, really, really great things.”

During his visit to Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Lewis was struck by the enthusiasm of Ohio State’s fan base.

“I was telling my dad, there were more fans in that stadium than there were any USC home game I played my freshman and sophomore year. And that was a spring game,” Lewis said. “So football is like a religion out here. I mean, people would just eat, sleep, breathe it. It was super cool to see how big of a deal it was out here.”

Lewis, who was ranked as the No. 7 kicker in the 2020 recruiting class and still has three years of collegiate eligibility, expects to select his transfer destination within the next two to three weeks, as he plans to enroll at his new college in May. He’s also considering Miami, Notre Dame, Florida and Ole Miss.

He’s looking for a school that has a rich football tradition and coaches he feels he can trust.

“The biggest thing I’m looking for is going to a place with obviously rich history and an established culture. That’s a really big deal to me. I didn’t really have that at USC,” Lewis said. “And also a good relationship with the special teams coordinator. Their system, with how they would handle my development and all that, those are two of my big points.”

Lewis’ claim to fame from his USC career came in the Trojans’ second game of last season against Stanford, when Lewis was ejected from the game for a targeting penalty on the opening kickoff. Lewis, who’s well-built for a kicker at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, says he still hears about that penalty all the time, and he doesn’t mind people knowing he can hit.

“Kickers don’t really get the most respect of their position and all that, but I absolutely love to lift,” Lewis said. “I’m in the weight room all the time. I try to put in extra work where I can in other areas. I definitely do take pride in how I look and how I act outside of being a kicker, for sure.”

Lewis wants to be best known for his ability to kick, however, and he’s confident he will be at his next destination.

“I believe I’m one of the better kickers in the country,” Lewis said. “I have actually been told if I have another really good year, because not many kickers can do both field goals as well as kickoffs, that I’m going to have a large decision if I want to enter the draft or stay. So I’m extremely certain in myself.”