Boulder – It’s not often a kicker becomes the face of the team.
But then, it’s not often a guy like Mason Crosby comes around.
As Colorado and Colorado State are broken down this week by everyone with an opinion leading up to Saturday’s season opener at Folsom Field, everyone can agree that CU has its greatest advantage in the kicking game.
Crosby is the first reason. Punter John Torp is the second.
“To me as a quarterback, to know if we are in field-goal range or we can punt out of our own end zone, that is like a warm blanket around me,” CU quarterback Joel Klatt said. “The philosophy and the tempo of the offense change based on Mason and John.”
Crosby, a junior, is everyone’s preseason All-American and a favorite to win the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation’s top place-kicker. When Colorado signed him in 2003, the Buffs were in desperate need of a solid kicker. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Crosby, from Georgetown, Texas, has rewarded coach Gary Barnett with more than he could have hoped.
Crosby is third in CU history in field goals made (26), and among kickers he’s tied for sixth in the CU record book in scoring with 137 points. Crosby is 26-of-32 for his career (81 percent) in the regular season and 15-for-15 from 40 yards and in.
His claim to fame, however, has been distance. Last season, Crosby was 5-of-7 from 50 yards or longer and hit field goals of 31 and 55 yards in the 27-24 victory against CSU.
“Mason is three points when you cross the 50-yard line,” Barnett said. “You can just count it.”
But Crosby, who mulled turning pro after this season, still searches for improvement.
“Last year it was all about making long kicks,” he said. “This year it’s important that I make every field goal so that I can help my team.”
Torp, a senior, has been a study in consistency. Last season he averaged 46.3 yards per kick and had an NCAA-leading net average of 42.4 yards. His 22 punts that were downed inside the 20-yard line set a school record.
Torp is regarded as one of the top five punters in the nation.
“I don’t think we would have been 8-5 last year without those two guys,” Barnett said. “We won five games on the last play of the game, and Torp gave us great field position for a defense that yardage-wise wasn’t good.
“Thirty-five percent of the game is the kicking game. We feel like we have 35 percent of the game sewed up.”
Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-820-5455 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
