2026 College Return Yards Allowed per Punt Leaders
Total return yards allowed divided by every punt that was not blocked, so a fair catch or an out-of-bounds punt counts as zero. College punts whose play text records no outcome are left out. It is the fairest single measure of how much a returner gets to work with.
Lowest comes first. Coverage teams share the credit. In 2026, Oscar Doyle (-0.1) topped college football punters in return yards allowed per punt, ahead of Max Fletcher (0.0) and Orion Phillips (0.0). 130 punters qualify (minimum 15 punts). The median qualified punter had 2.6. This season is in progress (through Week 7), so the numbers change each week.
Data through Week 7 of the 2026 season, updated October 24, 2026.
| Rk | Player | Team | Ret yds/punt | Punts | Avg | Net | In 20 | In 20 % | TB % | FC % | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oscar Doyle | Boise State | -0.1 | 16 | 43.8 | 42.6 | 6 | 38% | 6% | 67% | +3.4 |
| 2 | Max Fletcher | Cincinnati | 0.0 | 21 | 46.3 | 44.4 | 11 | 52% | 10% | 63% | +7.3 |
| 3 | Orion Phillips | Utah | 0.0 | 16 | 42.3 | 42.3 | 8 | 50% | 0% | 31% | +1.5 |
| 4 | Chase Ridley | Arizona | 0.0 | 15 | 41.5 | 38.9 | 6 | 40% | 13% | 75% | +1.1 |
| 5 | Jakob Anderson | Rutgers | 0.0 | 15 | 45.9 | 43.2 | 4 | 27% | 13% | 50% | +3.7 |
| 6 | Bailey Ettridge | Oregon | 0.1 | 24 | 46.9 | 46.0 | 9 | 38% | 4% | 53% | +8.0 |
| 7 | Boston Everitt | Iowa | 0.1 | 27 | 43.0 | 41.6 | 17 | 61% | 7% | 59% | +4.5 |
| 8 | Hamish Adams | Sacramento State | 0.2 | 35 | 41.1 | 40.9 | 16 | 47% | 0% | 78% | +2.0 |
| 9 | Jackson Waller | NC State | 0.3 | 26 | 42.0 | 40.9 | 10 | 38% | 4% | 69% | +1.9 |
| 10 | Ethan Hyams | Wake Forest | 0.3 | 21 | 45.2 | 44.0 | 8 | 38% | 5% | 64% | +3.7 |
| 11 | Brunno Reus | Missouri | 0.3 | 33 | 44.8 | 40.9 | 14 | 42% | 18% | 58% | +6.2 |
| 12 | William Hudlow | Tulane | 0.3 | 32 | 46.9 | 43.5 | 11 | 34% | 16% | 43% | +10.2 |
| 13 | Fuller Shurtz | BYU | 0.4 | 18 | 44.4 | 44.2 | 5 | 28% | 0% | 92% | +7.9 |
| 14 | Landon Rehkow | Utah State | 0.5 | 31 | 42.1 | 38.7 | 15 | 48% | 6% | 48% | +4.3 |
| 15 | Archie Wilson | Nebraska | 0.5 | 26 | 44.2 | 42.3 | 10 | 38% | 8% | 50% | +2.9 |
| 16 | Michael Kern | New Mexico | 0.5 | 17 | 40.1 | 38.5 | 9 | 53% | 6% | 60% | +2.1 |
| 17 | Ethan Pulliam | Mississippi State | 0.6 | 18 | 41.7 | 38.9 | 7 | 39% | 11% | 47% | +4.1 |
| 18 | Roland Podesta | Coastal Carolina | 0.6 | 35 | 42.4 | 40.2 | 13 | 37% | 9% | 53% | +1.5 |
| 19 | Mason Love | South Carolina | 0.8 | 18 | 42.7 | 42.1 | 5 | 28% | 0% | 44% | +0.3 |
| 20 | Bryan Hansen | West Virginia | 0.8 | 28 | 42.9 | 40.0 | 10 | 36% | 11% | 60% | −0.6 |
| 21 | Gabe Russo | Pittsburgh | 1.0 | 24 | 44.0 | 42.7 | 9 | 36% | 8% | 36% | +4.1 |
| 22 | Gavin Rush | Arkansas | 1.0 | 27 | 40.5 | 38.2 | 9 | 32% | 0% | 74% | −4.5 |
| 23 | Tommy Warner | UConn | 1.0 | 27 | 41.3 | 41.4 | 10 | 40% | 4% | 63% | +5.1 |
| 24 | Hudson Kaak | Auburn | 1.1 | 27 | 40.3 | 39.4 | 14 | 52% | 0% | 55% | +2.1 |
| 25 | Felix Visser | Florida International | 1.1 | 20 | 38.6 | 36.7 | 7 | 35% | 5% | 56% | −3.7 |
| 26 | Drew Miller | Georgia | 1.2 | 19 | 46.1 | 38.7 | 7 | 37% | 32% | 35% | +1.1 |
| 27 | Pierse Stainton | Miami (OH) | 1.2 | 29 | 43.8 | 38.6 | 16 | 55% | 21% | 50% | +2.1 |
| 28 | Jaxson Dunn | App State | 1.2 | 35 | 41.9 | 40.4 | 12 | 34% | 3% | 32% | +3.9 |
| 29 | Jack Smith | Clemson | 1.3 | 30 | 38.6 | 37.6 | 13 | 43% | 0% | 70% | −2.2 |
| 30 | Matt Choules | UNLV | 1.3 | 30 | 42.3 | 38.5 | 15 | 50% | 7% | 50% | +0.5 |
| 31 | Max Tulen | Tulsa | 1.3 | 36 | 42.9 | 39.6 | 11 | 30% | 6% | 42% | −2.1 |
| 32 | Sam Crossan | Liberty | 1.4 | 25 | 40.9 | 37.4 | 11 | 44% | 12% | 55% | +1.2 |
| 33 | Nathan Tiyce | Penn State | 1.5 | 31 | 41.1 | 37.4 | 11 | 35% | 13% | 54% | −3.8 |
| 34 | Tyler White | Texas A&M | 1.5 | 25 | 49.5 | 45.8 | 7 | 29% | 13% | 33% | +11.5 |
| 35 | Jimmy Gregg | Syracuse | 1.5 | 17 | 42.2 | 39.6 | 6 | 35% | 6% | 67% | −0.3 |
| 36 | Niall Hayes | Louisville | 1.6 | 25 | 40.0 | 38.0 | 7 | 28% | 4% | 35% | −5.1 |
| 37 | Harrison Tuck | Memphis | 1.6 | 30 | 40.8 | 39.2 | 10 | 36% | 0% | 44% | −2.0 |
| 38 | Aleksi Pulkkinen | South Alabama | 1.6 | 21 | 37.9 | 36.9 | 8 | 38% | 0% | 43% | −2.8 |
| 39 | Cam Brown | Michigan | 1.6 | 30 | 41.9 | 39.3 | 13 | 43% | 7% | 54% | +4.5 |
| 40 | Luke Goater | South Florida | 1.6 | 24 | 45.5 | 42.5 | 13 | 54% | 8% | 40% | +4.9 |
| 41 | Markus Meincke | Toledo | 1.7 | 22 | 42.0 | 40.5 | 9 | 41% | 0% | 58% | +0.4 |
| 42 | Ewan Baulch | Nevada | 1.8 | 19 | 42.6 | 39.9 | 5 | 26% | 5% | 71% | +4.3 |
| 43 | Billy Gowers | Indiana | 1.8 | 20 | 38.5 | 36.9 | 11 | 55% | 0% | 61% | +1.7 |
| 44 | Dusty Zimmer | Southern Miss | 1.8 | 28 | 40.0 | 38.4 | 9 | 32% | 0% | 48% | +2.6 |
| 45 | Aidan Flintoft | Stanford | 1.9 | 43 | 43.0 | 40.6 | 13 | 30% | 2% | 66% | +3.4 |
| 46 | Will Karoll | Texas Tech | 1.9 | 20 | 50.8 | 48.5 | 10 | 50% | 5% | 43% | +9.9 |
| 47 | Rhys Dakin | Michigan State | 1.9 | 17 | 51.0 | 41.1 | 7 | 39% | 29% | 33% | −0.5 |
| 48 | Conor Donaghy | Jacksonville State | 1.9 | 16 | 47.3 | 45.9 | 9 | 56% | 0% | 55% | +7.1 |
| 49 | Nick Verdugo | Fresno State | 1.9 | 25 | 42.0 | 40.5 | 17 | 68% | 0% | 74% | +4.2 |
| 50 | Palmer Williams | Baylor | 2.0 | 22 | 51.4 | 43.5 | 7 | 32% | 32% | 47% | +5.2 |
| 51 | Jacob Ulrich | Oklahoma | 2.0 | 19 | 44.4 | 41.5 | 4 | 21% | 5% | 50% | +2.4 |
| 52 | Alex Asparuhov | Alabama | 2.1 | 23 | 43.1 | 41.3 | 13 | 59% | 0% | 56% | +7.2 |
| 53 | Jake Stoeckel | Kent State | 2.1 | 30 | 42.8 | 39.6 | 12 | 40% | 7% | 41% | +0.8 |
| 54 | Daniel Hughes | Florida State | 2.1 | 21 | 44.0 | 42.6 | 10 | 48% | 0% | 33% | +4.5 |
| 55 | Matthew Gill | Kansas | 2.2 | 20 | 39.9 | 37.1 | 3 | 15% | 5% | 44% | −1.2 |
| 56 | Ryan Millmore | Western Michigan | 2.3 | 27 | 43.7 | 40.4 | 12 | 44% | 7% | 36% | +2.7 |
| 57 | Daniel Hull | Eastern Michigan | 2.3 | 32 | 44.1 | 39.7 | 11 | 33% | 6% | 38% | 0.0 |
| 58 | Patrick Rea | James Madison | 2.3 | 32 | 43.2 | 40.3 | 18 | 56% | 6% | 30% | +5.3 |
| 59 | Dante Atton | Temple | 2.4 | 23 | 42.5 | 40.8 | 9 | 39% | 0% | 47% | +1.1 |
| 60 | James Wagenseller | Army | 2.4 | 20 | 46.5 | 43.9 | 9 | 45% | 5% | 29% | +5.6 |
| 61 | Tom Weston | Minnesota | 2.4 | 25 | 41.5 | 36.9 | 12 | 44% | 0% | 47% | −1.5 |
| 62 | Oscar Bird | Ole Miss | 2.5 | 18 | 46.8 | 43.5 | 7 | 39% | 6% | 44% | +6.0 |
| 63 | Brody Richter | New Mexico State | 2.6 | 26 | 40.3 | 38.4 | 10 | 37% | 0% | 60% | −1.9 |
| 64 | Sean West | Wisconsin | 2.6 | 23 | 43.1 | 39.6 | 14 | 61% | 9% | 38% | +1.3 |
| 65 | Joe McGuire | Ohio State | 2.6 | 19 | 43.8 | 39.5 | 10 | 53% | 11% | 50% | +3.7 |
| 66 | Edward Phillipson | Massachusetts | 2.6 | 32 | 45.1 | 38.1 | 12 | 34% | 6% | 56% | −1.0 |
| 67 | Thomas O'Hara | Kentucky | 2.7 | 17 | 40.7 | 37.5 | 4 | 24% | 6% | 31% | −2.0 |
| 68 | Lexington Matthews | Louisiana Tech | 2.7 | 19 | 44.7 | 40.0 | 7 | 37% | 11% | 22% | +1.4 |
| 69 | John Hoyet Chance | TCU | 2.8 | 25 | 43.5 | 41.5 | 15 | 60% | 0% | 39% | +1.9 |
| 70 | Josh Cupitt | Delaware | 2.9 | 34 | 42.0 | 39.7 | 17 | 50% | 0% | 52% | +1.8 |
| 71 | Dylan Drennan | Purdue | 2.9 | 20 | 47.0 | 43.8 | 7 | 35% | 5% | 40% | +4.1 |
| 72 | Daniel Vuckovic | Arkansas State | 2.9 | 23 | 39.2 | 37.8 | 10 | 43% | 4% | 42% | −1.1 |
| 73 | Cal Joseph | Sam Houston | 3.0 | 45 | 44.2 | 39.9 | 18 | 40% | 9% | 55% | +1.8 |
| 74 | Nikola Dugandzic | Northwestern | 3.0 | 19 | 38.8 | 35.3 | 7 | 37% | 5% | 50% | −3.9 |
| 75 | Jackson Ross | Tennessee | 3.1 | 28 | 44.8 | 40.6 | 14 | 50% | 7% | 67% | +2.5 |
| 76 | AJ Winsor | Oregon State | 3.1 | 18 | 42.7 | 40.1 | 8 | 44% | 0% | 60% | +4.5 |
| 77 | Gehrig Heil | Hawai'i | 3.3 | 35 | 43.4 | 40.3 | 16 | 46% | 3% | 37% | +3.7 |
| 78 | Atticus Bertrams | UCF | 3.5 | 22 | 46.3 | 39.3 | 7 | 32% | 18% | 33% | +1.1 |
| 79 | Tomas O'Halloran | East Carolina | 3.5 | 29 | 46.9 | 42.9 | 11 | 38% | 3% | 52% | +4.9 |
| 80 | Ian Brandt | Old Dominion | 3.5 | 35 | 42.3 | 36.0 | 6 | 17% | 11% | 40% | −12.2 |
| 81 | Jackson Smith | Western Kentucky | 3.7 | 39 | 43.7 | 38.7 | 9 | 23% | 10% | 29% | +0.7 |
| 82 | Simon McClannan | Kansas State | 3.8 | 18 | 46.8 | 41.1 | 11 | 61% | 11% | 59% | +3.5 |
| 83 | Evan Crenshaw | Troy | 3.8 | 26 | 46.1 | 41.0 | 11 | 42% | 8% | 42% | −5.5 |
| 84 | Mac Chiumento | Texas | 3.9 | 24 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 8 | 33% | 4% | 55% | −4.7 |
| 85 | Alex Bacchetta | Georgia Tech | 4.2 | 21 | 43.3 | 37.0 | 7 | 32% | 5% | 39% | −1.3 |
| 86 | Stewart McDonald | Missouri State | 4.5 | 23 | 41.2 | 36.0 | 7 | 30% | 4% | 41% | −3.6 |
| 87 | Ethan Stumpf | Buffalo | 4.6 | 44 | 45.5 | 38.9 | 13 | 30% | 14% | 30% | +1.2 |
| 88 | Bart Edmiston | Wyoming | 4.6 | 27 | 48.0 | 40.9 | 11 | 41% | 15% | 42% | +8.2 |
| 89 | Angus Davies | California | 4.6 | 32 | 41.0 | 37.6 | 11 | 35% | 3% | 44% | −5.5 |
| 90 | Oliver Straw | UAB | 4.6 | 21 | 45.4 | 41.4 | 12 | 57% | 0% | 28% | +0.7 |
| 91 | Max Dean | Washington State | 4.6 | 40 | 43.4 | 38.2 | 12 | 32% | 8% | 23% | −5.9 |
| 92 | Wade McSparron | SMU | 4.6 | 15 | 44.2 | 39.5 | 7 | 47% | 7% | 45% | −0.2 |
| 93 | Bryce McFerson | Maryland | 4.6 | 30 | 41.6 | 36.5 | 11 | 37% | 0% | 44% | −8.4 |
| 94 | Caile Hogan | UTSA | 4.7 | 27 | 41.4 | 37.8 | 10 | 36% | 4% | 33% | −3.3 |
| 95 | Magnus Haines | Ohio | 4.7 | 18 | 43.3 | 39.1 | 8 | 44% | 6% | 50% | +0.9 |
| 96 | Nathan Totten | Virginia Tech | 4.7 | 24 | 41.4 | 35.3 | 9 | 39% | 9% | 29% | −5.8 |
| 97 | Liam Dougherty | Houston | 4.8 | 16 | 45.6 | 39.5 | 8 | 50% | 13% | 17% | +1.7 |
| 98 | Curtis Gerrand | UCLA | 4.8 | 23 | 45.2 | 39.6 | 11 | 50% | 5% | 35% | +0.3 |
| 99 | Matt McKenzie | Kennesaw State | 4.9 | 30 | 44.3 | 39.8 | 11 | 38% | 3% | 48% | −0.2 |
| 100 | Nathan Sutcliffe | Colorado State | 5.1 | 21 | 42.9 | 37.4 | 5 | 25% | 5% | 17% | −3.6 |
| 101 | Hunter Green | Washington | 5.1 | 33 | 47.9 | 42.1 | 10 | 31% | 6% | 33% | +3.9 |
| 102 | Joseph Castle | Akron | 5.2 | 32 | 41.6 | 35.8 | 12 | 36% | 3% | 44% | −8.3 |
| 103 | Alec Clark | Florida | 5.3 | 22 | 47.4 | 42.1 | 12 | 55% | 5% | 56% | +1.8 |
| 104 | Tashi Dorje | San Diego State | 5.6 | 36 | 46.1 | 40.0 | 14 | 39% | 6% | 25% | +1.1 |
| 105 | Charlie Durkin | Rice | 5.6 | 28 | 45.5 | 39.9 | 8 | 29% | 7% | 10% | −1.9 |
| 106 | Grant Chadwick | LSU | 5.6 | 22 | 38.7 | 35.5 | 10 | 45% | 0% | 44% | −1.9 |
| 107 | Tyler Ebel | Vanderbilt | 5.7 | 27 | 47.0 | 39.7 | 11 | 41% | 8% | 15% | −3.2 |
| 108 | Cooper Heimbach | Marshall | 5.9 | 29 | 46.0 | 39.7 | 11 | 39% | 7% | 33% | +0.8 |
| 109 | Jake Ference | Northern Illinois | 5.9 | 29 | 41.8 | 34.4 | 6 | 21% | 11% | 32% | −13.7 |
| 110 | Kade Reynoldson | Duke | 5.9 | 26 | 45.9 | 39.7 | 13 | 48% | 12% | 11% | +3.1 |
| 111 | Declan Duley | Central Michigan | 6.0 | 32 | 43.9 | 37.2 | 11 | 34% | 6% | 31% | 0.0 |
| 112 | Aeron Burrell | North Carolina | 6.0 | 21 | 42.8 | 36.8 | 10 | 48% | 0% | 24% | −2.2 |
| 113 | Nick McLarty | Arizona State | 6.0 | 23 | 42.0 | 32.2 | 4 | 17% | 13% | 59% | −11.3 |
| 114 | Ian Kelly | Charlotte | 6.3 | 26 | 45.0 | 39.4 | 10 | 38% | 4% | 50% | −5.9 |
| 115 | Jonah DuPont | Iowa State | 6.3 | 22 | 44.4 | 39.2 | 4 | 19% | 0% | 33% | +0.8 |
| 116 | Mason Golding | Louisiana | 6.3 | 28 | 40.1 | 34.5 | 14 | 50% | 0% | 40% | −10.4 |
| 117 | Trent Carrizosa | San José State | 6.5 | 35 | 42.9 | 36.3 | 17 | 49% | 9% | 38% | −1.4 |
| 118 | Damon Greaves | Colorado | 6.5 | 29 | 45.3 | 37.9 | 13 | 45% | 7% | 22% | −3.0 |
| 119 | Brady Braun | UTEP | 6.5 | 32 | 40.7 | 35.3 | 9 | 28% | 6% | 15% | −11.7 |
| 120 | Cole Stumbaugh | Ball State | 6.6 | 33 | 43.2 | 36.7 | 12 | 36% | 6% | 33% | −3.6 |
| 121 | Aaron Bickerton | North Dakota State | 6.7 | 24 | 45.5 | 37.9 | 9 | 38% | 13% | 22% | −1.0 |
| 122 | Ryan Kingston | Bowling Green | 6.8 | 33 | 40.1 | 32.7 | 11 | 32% | 6% | 24% | −9.7 |
| 123 | Bryce LaFollette | Boston College | 7.0 | 23 | 41.0 | 31.1 | 2 | 9% | 17% | 24% | −9.2 |
| 124 | Dylan Joyce | Miami | 7.0 | 16 | 44.6 | 36.8 | 5 | 31% | 6% | 60% | −0.7 |
| 125 | Alex Smith | Georgia Southern | 7.6 | 29 | 42.7 | 33.8 | 8 | 28% | 10% | 50% | −13.9 |
| 126 | Will Duncan | Air Force | 7.6 | 15 | 46.1 | 40.7 | 7 | 47% | 7% | 38% | +2.4 |
| 127 | Daniel Sparks | Virginia | 8.3 | 36 | 51.1 | 43.7 | 16 | 44% | 6% | 30% | +0.9 |
| 128 | Ashton Logan | Middle Tennessee | 8.5 | 34 | 49.2 | 38.4 | 12 | 35% | 18% | 21% | −1.3 |
| 129 | Makenzie Ryan | UL Monroe | 10.0 | 33 | 41.4 | 31.8 | 7 | 22% | 3% | 39% | −23.5 |
| 130 | Christian Teeter | Georgia State | 15.0 | 15 | 43.5 | 34.5 | 6 | 40% | 0% | 22% | −7.7 |
All 2026 College punter rankings
Return Yards Allowed per Punt in other seasons: 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
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