Blake Craig prepares to take over as Mizzou's kicker: 'Excited to be that new face' (2024)

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Thicker Kicker is gone. His replacement wants to make his own name as a specialist.

After kicker Harrison Mevis won two games for Missouri last year with clutch field goals, the Tigers are turning to a new leg in 2024. While the position is framed as a competition during preseason camp, it will likely be Blake Craig who takes over kicking duties for Mizzou.

Craig, a redshirt freshman, was on the team last year. He handled six kickoffs across three games but did not attempt a field goal or extra point, making him something of an unknown around Columbia despite his presumed track to a key role with the Tigers.

“I thought he was very consistent for us in the spring, but we’re not going to know anything about that competition until we put the pressure on him,” coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “He’s going to have to make some kicks. We’ll see — a lot left to be proven there.”

The fifth-year coach’s point that Craig will, in fact, have to make kicks is a key one. Mevis’ performance in 2023 was vital to MU’s 11-win finish: While the “what if” question of how the season would have gone had he missed a 61-yard walk-off field goal to sink Kansas State in Week 3 is pointless, it can still point toward what the placekicker meant to Missouri.

Craig was clearly the first choice at kicker during the first three practices of preseason camp. He missed one short field goal during a portion of the first practice that was open to the media but has converted routinely from the short distances attempted during those segments. Craig has likely tried many more kicks — and from longer distances — behind closed doors, so the publicly available sample is far from complete or indicative.

Nick Quadrini, another redshirt freshman, has seemed to be the second-choice kicker during preseason practices, making him the likely backup to Craig.

“There’s no question (Craig) has the talent to play at this level and to kick at this level,” special teams coordinator Erik Link said. “But now, it’s about doing it over time, consistently, at a high level, and then doing it when it matters, which is in games.”

Craig will have the benefit of kicking in friendly confines for the first month of the season. With four home games on tap to start the 2024 campaign, Mizzou doesn’t play on the road until an Oct. 5 road game at Texas A&M. When that game does roll around, it will be a steep increase in crowd size and hostility.

“Coach Drinkwitz, Coach Link, they’re all going to put me in positions where I feel pressure,” Craig said. “Practice is not easy. We go at it every day. I think that my teammates around me pushing (me) is enough to be (like) that stadium.”

Before enrolling at MU last year, Craig was one of the top kicking recruits in his class. He was ranked No. 2 at the position and graded a five-star prospect, which operates differently for kickers than it does for non-specialist positions.

His range was on display at a Kohl’s Kicking Camps event, where he won a competition with a 62-yard field goal.

“Craig hits a ball that generally has no movement and is a very explosive and coordinated kicker,” reads the camp’s scouting report.

At Liberty North, his Kansas City-area high school, Craig kicked the fifth- and seventh-longest field goals in Missouri high school history, converting from 56 and 53 yards out respectively. He also set state records for field goals in a season, career field goals and career points by a kicker.

He had the benefit of transitioning to a collegiate workload under Mevis last season, but that anonymity is fading away quickly.

“Harrison was a great kicker. I learned a lot from him,” Craig said. “I’m excited to be that new face, obviously, and run my own race.”

New numbers

Mizzou has continued its tradition of requiring newcomers — both high school recruits and transfer portal arrivals — to earn the numbers on their practice jerseys through strong practice performances.

After the first two training sessions of preseason camp, safety Jackson Hanco*ck had earned No. 34, running back Kewan Lacy had earned No. 11 and linebacker Jeremiah Beasley had earned No. 38.

Other number choices from notable newcomers include both five-star freshman edge rusher Williams Nwaneri and backup quarterback Drew Pyne wearing No. 6, freshman wide receiver Courtney Crutchfield wearing No. 7, transfer linebacker Khalil Jacobs wearing No. 29 and transfer offensive lineman Marcus Bryant wearing No. 52.