FORT COLLINS — If Pete Kontodiakos had walked on at Colorado State as a punter, he would have earned a scholarship by now. Had he not been offered a scholarship in January by the Rams’ staff, the true freshman from Tarpon Springs Fla., wouldn’t be in Fort Collins now.
Kontodiakos (pronounced KON-toady-ack-us or Pete the Punter) was named Mountain West Conference special teams player of the week Monday. He averaged 47.2 yards on six punts Saturday, with two landing inside Nevada’s 20, in addition to kicks of 76 and 67 yards.
The Rams take their two-season six game winning streak to No. 19 BYU on Saturday.
The news he ranks 13th nationally with a 44.3-yard average came as a shock to him. “I just go out and kick the ball. Whatever happens, happens,” the freshman said.
A line drive shot off his leg for 67 yards to the 16. Other punts hung in the air forever. “The line drive was into the wind,” he said. “You have to line drive it. On others one I had a good wind at my back.”
A USA Today All-American, Kontodiakos said he had invitations from Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference schools to walk-on. CSU coach Steve Fairchild offered the scholarship.
While understanding how teams can load up at scrimmage positions, Fairchild said: “We’re always going to try to carry three special-teams players on scholarship. If you don’t, that’s a big part of the game not to address with a scholarship.”
Said CSU special-teams coach Larry Lewis: “He has by far reached expectations to this point. As I watch him every day, I see what he can possibly become. That can only happen with consistency.”
Asked if he was just holding out the carrot the way Fairchild did with quarterback Grant Stucker. “I think the carrot is already in Pete’s mouth,” Lewis said.
Kontodiakos is CSU’s first MWC special teams weekly award winner since kicker Ben DeLine in the second week of 2008.
CSU injury update. Fairchild said backup wide receiver T.J. Borcky (ankle) is “very, very questionable” this week but hoped offensive guard Shelley Smith (ankle) could return to practice.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
