Crimson Countdown: No. 48 Luke Elzinga
The Crimson Countdown is officially on for the 2023 Oklahoma football season. It’s the second season under head coach Brent Venables and expectations are high once again. The Sooners are looking to rebound from the uncharacteristic 6-7 season in 2022.
Every day as we get closer to kickoff, SoonerScoop.com will count down the days with you. Starting with No. 99 and working our way to No. 0, we’ll be there every step of the way.
Crimson Countdown: No. 48 Luke Elzinga
2022 stats: Averaged 42.4 yards per punt over the last three seasons at Central Michigan. For his career, he’s downed 61 punts inside the 20 yard line with only 10 touchbacks.
2023 outlook: Oklahoma was obviously active in the transfer portal but the addition of Central Michigan punter Luke Elzinga might’ve gone under the radar in terms of immediate impact. He’s earned All-Mid-American Conference honors each of the last three seasons. He ranked third in the MAC last season averaging 42.2 yards per punt.
As Oklahoma looks to replace Michael Turk, Elzinga arrives to Norman as a specialist of sorts.
“Recruited him just a little bit out of high school, but played against him a couple of times,” said OU senior special teams analyst Jay Nunez. “So when the full-time coaches came in and said, look at a transfer punter to bring some depth in and competition, I brought his name up to Coach Finley, who runs the punt team. Went through some other stuff. But ultimately, coach Finley ended up saying that’s the guy who made the most sense with where we’re at experience-wise.
“It’s no qualm. We weren’t a great pooch punt team. We were a highly-rated net punt team and punt coverage, did a lot of great things, but hit 10 touchbacks and just put our defense in spots that were not as good as it should have been. And Luke’s excellent at that. He’s kind of a pooch-punt specialist.”
2023 punter outlook
Replacing Michael Turk won’t be easy. He averaged 46.8 yards per punt a season ago, leading the Sooners to the second-highest average in the country.
Redshirt senior Josh Plaster is believed to be the favorite to win the starting gig. Elzinga can serve as a pooch-punt specialist. Oklahoma also added Colorado punter Ashton Logan to the mix.
Oklahoma’s special teams unit hasn’t been bad but could be better in aiding a Sooners defense that looks to improve in Brent Venables second season.
