Missouri Tigers K Harrison Mevis 'Just Doing His Job'
Few specialists have the following that Missouri Tigers place kicker Harrison Mevis does. The junior, who's been nicknamed the "Thicker Kicker" thanks to his 245-pound frame, is one of the most reliable field goal kickers in the country. That's why it was so shocking to see him miss a chip shot that would have sealed a victory against conference rival Auburn a little over two weeks ago.
That misfire triggered a downpouring of criticism, which Mevis didn't really deserve considering the Tigers still had another chance to win in overtime before they fumbled it away. He bounced back though, the way that only the "Thicker Kicker" could, going five-for-five against No. 1 Georgia a week later, including a 56-yard cannon shot.
Since that miss at Auburn, Mevis has made all six of his field goal tries, and his extra-point record has been spotless all year. It's safe to say people are back on the Mevis bandwagon, but the kicker says that making those kicks is all in a day's work.
"It's really just me doing my job, just putting three on the board, especially when needed," said Mevis during the bye week. "We talk about bringing 'E3' to special teams. Energy, effort, and execution, I feel like I did my part."
Mevis also says that for him, nothing changes even with a tough miss. He falls back on all the preparation that he's put into his craft over the years and knows that he has to move on to the next kick.
"It's just 'next kick' mentality. I go back to freshman year through my senior year of high school...I fall back on my training from all those times I went out and kicked. I know who I am. I know the process. And it's really just following the process and being myself and going out and making kicks."
That kind of mentality is something that all of the Tigers could heed some wisdom from, especially after three straight tough losses. Luckily, they have some time to collect themselves during this bye week before their next contest on Oct. 22. They'll host Vanderbilt in that conference clash, which will also be Mizzou's homecoming game.
Missouri is on the cusp of being a truly competitive SEC team, but they just can't seem to put the final nail in their opponents' coffins. The Tigers are going to need every point they can muster going forward, and they'll likely be counting on Mevis for quite a few of those.
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