New Ohio State kicker Willoughby records first career field goal

Willoughby missed a 43-yard attempt in the season opener at Virginia Tech. A bad snap cost him an attempt from 46 yards on Ohio State’s first drive Saturday against Hawaii.

In the third quarter, Willoughby got another chance and kicked a 20-yard field goal.

“It was definitely exciting,” Willoughby said. “At some point, a kick’s a kick, and a 20-yard field goal is not too much different than a PAT. But it’s great to be able to help the team out there.”

Willoughby came to Ohio State because he wanted to kick field goals.

“I decided during my senior season at Duke that I wanted to transfer,” Willoughby said. “It was sort of a multiple-step decision. First, do I want to play a fifth year of football or enter the working world? That was probably the hardest decision.”

Willoughby had to beat out the returning starter, Sean Nuernberger, for the job in practice to get the chance. Meyer did not name a starter before the Virginia Tech or Hawaii game and said the kickers were competing for the job in practice.

“Sean and I are great friends off the field and on the field,” Willoughby said. “We’re good competitors. It’s not a bitter competition in any way. We both made a lot of kicks in camp. We both probably kicked some we wished we had back. It’s been very even.”

Former Buckeyes: Centerville graduate and former Ohio State defensive lineman Michael Bennett had one tackle Sunday for the Jacksonville Jaguars in his NFL debut. … Jets wide receiver Devin Smith, another senior on last year's team, did not play Sunday against the Browns. He's recovering from broken ribs and a punctured lung. He was injured in practice in early August.

Award list: Linebacker Joshua Perry is one of 30 college football players from around the country named as a candidate for the 2015 Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible, seniors must have excelled in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.

On Tuesday, Perry was also named to the American Football Coaches Association’s Good Works Team. Eleven athletes from Football Bowl Subdivision schools are named to the team for making a “positive impact on others and their communities.”