With a high standard to live up to, how has Blake Craig established himself as Mizzou's kicker of the future?

Just three weeks into the season, it appears Mizzou football might have already found its kicker of the future. Redshirt freshman Blake Craig has stepped into the role and, so far, is living up to the high standard that Harrison Mevis set for the program.

The highlight of Week 3 came just before halftime when Craig drilled a 56-yard field goal straight through the uprights. The kick appeared to have an extra 10 yards of distance, and Craig confirmed his impressive range during a press conference this past week.

After going 4-for-4 on field goals in Week 3, Craig was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week. With the national recognition, it will be interesting to see how the young kicker responds. Craig spoke about his mindset and how mentally taxing kicking can be, emphasizing the importance of staying focused.

"You have to have the mentality that you're going to mess up as a kicker," Craig said. "You're going to have great moments, you're going to have bad moments. Then it's all about being consistent and going back to work the same way the next day."

It’s interesting to hear how a kicker approaches the game, as they need to have a strong mental attitude. Kicking is one of the most difficult positions, and maintaining that "next kick" mentality is crucial to success.

Craig has big shoes to fill, as Harrison Mevis was an NFL-caliber kicker at Mizzou for the last four years. Throughout 2023, Craig had the opportunity to learn a lot from Mevis, gaining valuable experience under his mentorship.

"Harrison was a great mentor and also a fantastic kicker, as everyone knows," Craig said. "He taught me a lot about the mental side of kicking. I would say that everything he taught me is stuff I still apply in my everyday approach."

It will be interesting to see Craig's approach as the season progresses. Mizzou will undoubtedly find themselves in situations where they need to rely on the redshirt freshman, and Craig will be mentally prepared. Establishing a kicker for the future is a big win for the program, and watching his development will be exciting for fans and coaches alike.