Penn State football will have one of its key players back for the 2026 season.
On the morning the transfer portal window officially opened, kicker Ryan Barker announced that he wouldn’t be entering.
This is a bigger deal than some may realize.
Kickers in general are sometimes dismissed. But those who “know ball,” as the kids say, understand how important Barker is to Penn State.
In a season where so much went wrong, Barker was steady the whole way. He attempted 19 field goals and made 18 of them, with his only miss being a 53-yarder against Florida International Week 2 that proved meaningless in a game Penn State won 34-0.
When it’s mattered, Barker has been money. The best example came last season in just Barker’s second start.
With the game tied at 30 and USC’s kicker having just missed, Barker nailed a 36-yarder, and was so confident that he’d hit it, he told CBS afterword that he was already thinking of his celebration before the kick.
Penn State football was on the right end of several close games in 2024 (three one-possession wins) and on the wrong end of several close games in 2025 (five one-possession losses).
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.In those scenarios, having a good kicker is vital, and Penn State now has one locked in for 2026.
“Three years ago, Penn State gave me the opportunity to pursue a dream I’ve had for as long as I can remember,” Barker wrote in a statement to X. “This university has pushed me to grow, and compete at the highest level, while providing the structure, guidance, and resources to develop as both an athlete and a person. The experiences I’ve had here have taught me the value of hard work, and shown me what it means to represent something bigger than myself.
This place means more to me than I can put into words. I’m incredibly grateful for everything the university has done for me and for the role it has played in my journey up to this point. With that being said,
I am excited to announce that I will be returning to Penn State for the 2026 season to continue this incredible journey.
WE ARE! ❤️
Ryan Barker #94” 🚀👏
