Trace Rudd and The OU Offer That Came From Relationships, Not Rankings

Feb 27

TRACE RUDD: BUILT, NOT GIVEN

There are kickers who arrive early.
There are kickers who arrive loud.
And then there are kickers who arrive ready.

Trace Rudd is all three.

A left-footed weapon out of Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas, Trace didn’t sprint through the recruiting process. He walked through. He learned who he was in the waiting. And he came out the other side with an Oklahoma offer in hand and purpose in his step.

Trace committed to the University of Oklahoma, choosing the Sooners over other Power Four opportunities, including Texas Tech. But the commitment didn’t begin during a photo shoot with Coach Venables and the staff.

It started years earlier when patience became the training partner no one talks about.

FROM SOCCER TO SPECIALIST

Before football ever entered the frame, Trace was an elite soccer player, nearly joining the Sporting KC Academy at a young age. The coordination was natural. The ball control was polished. And the leg strength? Undeniable.

The feel.
The calm under pressure.
It was always there.

But somewhere between eighth grade and his freshman year, something clicked.

“I started taking being a specialist seriously.”

Trace made varsity as a freshman, competing in the elite EKL Conference and earning honors in his very first season. By sophomore year, the dream sharpened into five stars from Kohl’s, national recognition, and a realization that college football wasn’t a fantasy.

It was a real destination.

Still, nothing was handed to him.

THE MOMENTUM SHIFT

Every journey has a hinge moment.

For Trace, it came during his sophomore year at the Arizona Showcase, charting perfectly and winning the field goal competition. Against Transfer Portal Players. That performance didn’t just boost rankings.

It settled a question.

“I belong here.”

From that point forward, everything became intentional:

Elite training
Relentless recovery
Seeking real competition
College-run camps focused on relationships, not just reps

And his advice to younger specialists?

“Go out there to show out. Don’t get stuck in the back of the lines. And keep track of your ball and sticks.”

Details matter.
Ownership matters.
Presence matters.

THE WAIT THAT SHAPED HIM

Recruiting didn’t explode early.
It didn’t snowball fast.
And junior year? It felt like forever.

“I’d say seven colleges were checking in seriously. Only three made me an offer.”

The hardest part?

“Trying to get a full-ride scholarship.”

The surprise?

“The first offer from OU was a full ride. It felt like I waited forever, but the first one was my dream offer.”

Recruiting wasn’t about hype.
It was about relationships.

And the wait shaped him.

WHY OKLAHOMA

The moment came during his first game — OU vs. UCF.

One play.
One roar.
One stadium erupting with a force he had never felt before.

“Oklahoma is a blueblood powerhouse. It’s the SEC, where the most drafted NFL players come from. It was a dream opportunity.”

What mattered most?

The history
The development
The relationships

Trace didn’t walk into meeting rooms entitled.
He walked in wanting to earn a place in the brotherhood.

“The bond at OU is real. How much the coaches care about you and your development after football — I can’t describe with words.”

When Special Teams Coordinator Doug Deakin’s résumé entered the conversation — Coaching NFL-caliber specialists like Jack Browning and Matt Araiza.

OU wasn’t just a destination.

OU was a launch point.

THE TOOLSET

Trace brings real, measurable firepower:

79-yard kickoff with 4.28 seconds of hang time
52-yard career-long field goal
Quick hips, explosive contact
5-star kicker rating (Kohl’s & Kornblue)
No. 7 kicker nationally (247Sports)

But what separates him isn’t the leg.

It’s the work.

“I’m doing all the same stuff other players do on the field. The one thing I do differently is I take weightlifting seriously.”

That’s the difference between being a specialist and being a football player.

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Now at Oklahoma, Trace is learning what college football truly demands.

And he’s leaning into it.

His focus is clear:

The work beyond what is required
A locked-in routine
Earn every rep

“This new chapter is going to be hard. There will be ups and downs. But everything happens for a reason. You have to be patient. Keep working because the only thing you control is the work you put in.”

No shortcuts.
No entitlement.
Just work.

FINAL WORD

This wasn’t the fast path.
It wasn’t the easy path.

It was the path that builds kickers who last.

Trace Rudd didn’t chase noise.
He didn’t wait for validation.
He didn’t skip steps.

He waited with purpose.
He worked.
And when the moment arrives — he’ll be ready.

Built, not given.
Earned, not promised.
That’s how you arrive.

Follow The Journey

Trace Rudd
📍 Oklahoma
🎯 Position: K / P
📲 X: @TraceRudd3
📸 IG: trace.rudd
🎵 TikTok: trace.rudd