Noah Ruggles’ story is better than just being a football hero.

The kicker who won the Rose Bowl for Ohio State on a short field goal used to play for the Tar Heels. The journey of Noah Ruggles is one for the books, the story books. He always wanted to go to Ohio State since much of his family hails from Steubenville but was never offered a scholarship by the Buckeyes.

The late convert from soccer to football his junior year at Steinbrenner High School in Odessa, Florida, Ruggles wound up rated the No. 9 prep kicker in the country, signed with North Carolina and red-shirted as a freshman in Larry Fedora’s last season at UNC.

In Mack Brown’s first year back, Ruggles earned the kicking job and went on to be the team’s leading scorer with 109 points, fifth best in the ACC. But despite making all 45 of his PATs, his field goal stats were modest, missing 8 of his 27 attempts, including a wide shot that would have won the multi-overtime defeat at Virginia Tech.

When beaten out in 2020 by Furman transfer Grayson Atkins, Ruggles said he became more introspective to try to figure out his future. A friend video-taped him kicking two 60-yard field goals and Ruggles tweeted it out, getting hundreds of reactions. Apparently, the coaches at Ohio State saw it.

Offered a scholarship, he would be competing against a returning kicker who had been injured the year before and a red-shirt freshman. Tabbed to start the opening game at Minnesota, Ruggles was flawless on field goals, extra points and kick-offs. The job was then his to lose.

Ruggles missed on only one field goal all season, was perfect on PATs and became the only Buckeye to earn first-team All-American honors from ESPN. He was also nominated for the Lou Groza Award as the best college kicker in the country.

He might have found his kicking zone, but Ruggles remained the same happy kid, enjoying the much-bigger Columbus social scene and dreaming of the surfing he used to do in Florida and on the North Carolina coast.

After he made the Rose Bowl winner, he waved good-bye to the spot from where he lifted his last college kick. With one season left, he was also the No. 5 kicker on the NFL draft board. He has rediscovered his game. Why risk losing it again?

 

Photo via ElevenWarriors.com.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
Art’s Angle: Storms Brewing
This is game week of the new college football season, and Hurricane Ida is not the only storm we have to worry about as the Tar Heels open at Virginia Tech Friday night. The path of Ida, right now, is expected to impact the Blacksburg area on Wednesday or Thursday, and if it remains a […]
Former UNC Kicker Noah Ruggles Transferring to Ohio State
Through a post on Instagram earlier this week, former UNC kicker Noah Ruggles announced he has accepted a scholarship offer to take over the kicking position at Ohio State. Ruggles will join the Buckeyes as a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility remaining — filling a desperate need on special teams for one of […]
UNC RB Antonio Williams Cleared to Play in 2018, Will Not Have to Sit Out After Transferring From Ohio State
The UNC football team finally got some good news this offseason, when it was announced Friday afternoon that junior running back Antonio Williams–who transferred to Chapel Hill from Ohio State earlier this year–was cleared to play for the Tar Heels in 2018. Although NCAA rules mandate that non-graduate transfers have to sit out a year […]
Ohio State RB Antonio Williams Announces He Will Transfer to UNC
Ohio State running back Antonio Williams–a rising junior–announced Monday he will return to his home state and transfer to play his final two years of eligibility at UNC after sitting out the upcoming 2018 season. A former four-star recruit coming out of North Stanly High School in New London, North Carolina, Williams saw limited playing […]
UNC FB Adds California To Future Schedule
The Tar Heels will play host to the Bears on Sept. 2, 2017, and then play on the road in Berkeley on Sept. 1, 2018.
Which Tar Heels are Going Where in the NFL? Check Out Our Full List.
Check out the full list of which UNC players are headed to the pros! NFL draftees, as well as undrafted free agents who sign contracts with pro teams, will be added to this list. RB Omarion Hampton – Los Angeles Chargers (R1, No. 22 overall) The Los Angeles Chargers made Hampton the first Tar Heel […]
UNC Football 2025 Spring Transfer Portal Window Tracker: Arrivals
The spring window of the college football transfer portal opened Wednesday, April 16 and closed Friday, April 25. Players who intend to transfer must enter their names into the portal before the window closes, but do not need to have selected their next school by then. Here is a summary of which players have committed […]
Chansky's Notebook: Quiet Runner
UNC's Omarion Hampton is going to Los Angeles to play for the Chargers under run-oriented head coach Jim Harbaugh.
UNC RB Omarion Hampton Selected by Los Angeles Chargers in NFL Draft
One of the best running backs in UNC history is league-bound. Omarion Hampton was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers with the No. 22 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft Thursday night. He is the first Tar Heel selected in this year’s draft. let’s cook, O pic.twitter.com/rB5pcczCgb — Los Angeles […]
UNC Football 2025 Spring Transfer Portal Window Tracker: Departures
The spring window of the college football transfer portal opened Wednesday, April 16 and will close Friday, April 25. Players who intend to transfer must enter their names into the portal before the window closes, but do not need to have selected their next school by then. Here is a summary of which UNC players […]
›