It’s become a chore for Mizzou fans to drag themselves out of bed on Saturday mornings to start getting ready for the day’s game.
Why would anyone want to go see a 1-3 team that goes out there every week only to get its butt kicked by whatever FBS-level opponent lines up across from it?
Every drive orchestrated by OC Josh Heupel is as predictable as the last, involving (in some combination): a short screen to a receiver that is immediately sniffed out, a 4- or 5-yard run and a deep shot to a well-covered receiver that falls incomplete.
There’s not much to cheer about at Faurot Field these days, but there is one person who draws a reaction from the crowd when he steps on the field — punter Corey Fatony.
That’s right — the punter is the most popular player on Mizzou’s roster this season, but that’s no fluke. When you can see a punter like Corey Fatony ply his craft in the way he does, it almost makes up for the brutal late-summer heat, the lopsided scoreboard and the fact that Faurot Field doesn’t serve alcohol.
To hear him tell it, Fatony loves nothing more than “kicking the crap” out of the ball — and that’s what he does on a weekly basis:
What makes #Mizzou junior punter @coreyFATony the nation's best?
"Just absolutely wrecking a ball, kicking the crap out of it."#MIZ ?? pic.twitter.com/rbXKkZdXI4
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) September 20, 2017
Through four games, Fatony has punted 21 times and is averaging 46.7 yards on those kicks — good for seventh in the country and fourth in the SEC.
Though he only averaged 38.5 yards per punt against Auburn, that is a misleading stat, as he pinned the visiting Tigers inside the 20-yard line five times and downed the ball inside the 10 an incredible four times.
Yes, that hurt his overall average, but when he’s pinning opponents deep in their own territory, it’s more about finesse than raw power.
Of course, it would have been nice if the Mizzou defense had been able to take advantage of Fatony’s efforts more often, but Auburn managed to score 17 points on the five possessions following the punts downed inside the 20.
Unless something drastic changes following this weekend’s bye, Fatony should continue to get plenty of work this season and plenty of opportunities to trap opponents in the shadow of their own goalposts.
One of the many reasons to love Fatony is that he isn’t fazed by anything. Bad snap? He’ll leap and make a one-handed grab before launching a 50-yard bomb. Pressure up the middle? He’ll still find a way to get a great kick off.
Oh, and he also serves as the team’s holder on field goals and extra points — just another way he helps the team.
But, hey, Fatony’s not perfect — he is human, after all. Based on the terrible read he made on this play, his days of running fake punts may be over:
?Corey Fatony fake punt? pic.twitter.com/HJeaDpbxNL
— Mark Kim (@MarkJKim_) September 24, 2017
Still, he’s having fun on the field (one of the few Tigers who can say that) and playing well, so if he wants to celebrate an incredible punt while Mizzou trails by 32 points, who are we to stop him?
https://twitter.com/barstooltweetss/status/909183700499357697
Here’s hoping he keeps booming kicks into the Faurot Field sky and giving fans a reason to cheer for another year after this season.
Though there aren’t many reasons to pay attention to the Tigers this year, hopefully the folks who vote for the Ray Guy Award take note of Fatony’s efforts every Saturday for the rest of the season.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
