Former Notre Dame punter Bryce McFerson commits to Maryland
Notre Dame’s former starting punter is off the transfer portal market. On Wednesday, Bryce McFerson announced his decision to transfer to the University of Maryland. McFerson entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on April 16 with three more years of eligibility remaining. He spent two seasons with the Fighting Irish.
McFerson was available for all 13 games for the Irish last season — his one and only as the starting punter. Notre Dame did not need to utilize his services during the Week 0 opener against Navy, a game the Irish won convincingly, 42-3, without a punt.
In the 12 games he did appear, McFerson had 38 punts, averaging about 45 yards per boot. Five of those punts ended up within the 20-yard line.
Because McFerson did not average 3.6 punts per game for the Irish, he did not qualify for NCAA statistics rankings. Still, his 45.1 yards per punt would have ranked tied for 18th in the FBS last season
McFerson’s departure left the Irish with just one punter on the roster. Notre Dame lists senior walk-on Chris Salerno as a punter. However, he has yet to appear in a game for the Irish.
Graduate student specialist Eric Goins, who Notre Dame lists as a kicker, handled punting duties during his final season at The Citadel in 2015. Goins’ 43 punts that season registered 1,733 yards, and thirteen of them reached inside the 20-yard line. He began his college career in 2012.
Goins joined the Notre Dame football program this offseason after serving seven years as an active duty officer in the United States Army.
Despite Goins and Salerno on the current Irish roster, head coach Marcus Freeman said the program will look to add a punter this offseason.
“We will bring somebody in,” Freeman told reporters following the Blue-Gold Game on April 20. “We’re looking to, at some point, bring somebody in to be a punter to add to that room.”
McFerson began his Notre Dame career in 2022. He arrived in South Bend after a decorated high school career at Indian Trail (N.C.) Metrolina Christian Academy.
According to Chris Sailer Kicking, McFerson was the top-ranked punter in the 2022 recruiting class. During his high school senior season, he averaged 46 yards per punt.
Among his other notable accomplishments, he was selected to participate in the Under Armor All-American Game. He was also a second-team Max Preps All-American and a Kohl’s kicking All-American in 2021.
