ShareThisBy B.G. BROOKS
Friday, November 03, 2006
Nick Holz couldn't imagine how pinning a football to the planet with his right forefinger would change his life. It earned him a college scholarship, weekend travel to semi-exotic locales (Ames, Iowa; Manhattan, Kan. . . . the list is endless) and a friendship with the best kicker ever at the University of Colorado.
Holz holds for All-American Mason Crosby, a duty the kicker never, ever will underestimate. Crosby calls his buddy the best, a compliment Holz has no trouble returning. But when this season ends and their ways part, Holz has an idea of what the future holds for each.
"It'll be cool one day, when I'm fat and on the couch, and he's in the NFL, to look at a game on television and say, 'Hey, I held for that guy; it was great,'" Holz said.
By now, those who have seen him kick, and many who haven't, know Crosby is that good.
Holz knew it the first day he held for Crosby, hearing the distinctive sound of the ball come off Crosby's foot and following its arc downfield.
But this season has been different for both, and for the Buffaloes in general.
"This hasn't been the best year for me; I've left a few too many out there," said Crosby, who nevertheless has become CU's career scoring leader (278 points) by hitting 12 field goals in 18 attempts and 11 extra points in 11 tries.
The misses, though, demand a footnote: four were from 56 yards or farther (56, 57, 61, 63), a 26-yarder was blocked and only a 36-yarder was hit badly.
"Poor guy, he's in a slump," Buffs coach Dan Hawkins said, laughing. "He misses two 50-plus yarders, two 60-plus yarders, and you say he's off."
Added Holz: "Probably 95 percent of other teams don't even think of attempting those kicks. . . . One guy would actually attempt it. He's still killing the ball; I think every other kicker in the country would like to kick it like he does on his bad days."
But that's just it: In a CU season where every yard, every point, every win (one to date) is a stellar achievement, Crosby wants no bad days in his venue. If the Buffs were winning more and he was kicking even less frequently, a 56-yarder pushed wide left wouldn't gnaw at him.
Shorter attempts _ relative "gimmies" from 40 yards in _ usually are certain points. But in a 28-13 loss at Missouri in the Big 12 Conference opener, Hawkins, seeking to spark the offense, tried to convert twice on fourth down inside the Tigers 20-yard line.
In all, five trips inside the Missouri 20 yielded one touchdown and two field goals, and CU finished 0-for-5 on fourth-down conversions.
"At that point, I'm thinking if that's what he wants to do (fine)," Crosby said. "We needed a spark, something to get us going. It was one of those things like, 'If it works, it's a great decision.' Sometimes it doesn't.
"Everyone double-guessed it. I don't double-guess things. If I got the chance, I've got to step up, too, and hit those opportunities when it's my time."
Even with his team struggling and his kicking below his standards, Crosby, one of CU's three captains, doesn't "double-guess" his choice to return for his senior season.
"It's hard losing, but I'm loving playing and being on this team," he said. "And once the season's over and I graduate (in December) and look back, I know I'll be happy I stayed and got everything I needed accomplished. Hopefully, I'll be better because of it."
Hawkins still wants to give Crosby a chance at an NCAA-record 70-yard field goal (69 yards with a tee, 65 without).
"I will give him a chance if the time is right," he said.
Holz hopes it happens, noting how "cool" mere involvement in an NCAA record would be.
But his long-running role in Crosby's career has been even better.
"I mean, it's probably the reason I'm still here on scholarship and got a chance to play receiver," Holz said. "It's probably traced all back to him. (Holding) gave me the opportunity to do other things, stick around. It's been a thrill.
"It's amazing seeing (highlights) on ESPN. They're showing him, and there I am in the background _ which is fine by me. . . . It's cool being in all those pictures, but the friendship is still more important."
