Who knew kicking was so exciting?

[AP photo: Mitch Cozad, left, and starting punter Rafael Mendoza, right]

I remember back in our days at Texas when Fandango very briefly flirted with the idea of polishing up his kicking skills and trying out for the football team. Alas, that dream never materialized, and he has since settled down to a comfortable life of hard work, business trips, and family. But maybe, just maybe, in the deep recesses of his mind, he thinks back to that twinkle of a dream to kick the game-winning field goal ala David Pino in 2005 over the Buckeyes. Maybe it wasn't meant to be. And perhaps he wasn't driven enough, like this guy, Mitch Cozad.

I'm sure you've all heard this recent story about Cozad, the backup punter from the University of North Colorado who was allegedly so hellbent on starting, he stabbed the kicking leg of the starter. That, in of itself, is pretty looney. But after reading this article from Sports Illustrated, you'll realize this guy was on the edge even before he got to college. Describing how he had absolutely no aspirations in football other than to be a kicker:

During his junior year, Cozad was stuck on the bench while quarterback Corey Bramlet, who would go on to star at the University of Wyoming, routinely split the uprights. By Cozad's senior year, though, Bramlet had graduated and it was Cozad's time to shine.

Former Wheatland head coach Paul Miller had other ideas. He wanted Cozad, who was 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, to play on the offensive line. Cozad resisted so vehemently that he took the kicking tee and wouldn't let anybody else use it.

May we all have more level-headed children than this.