Colin Brewer's kicking has helped keep Baylor alive

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog
photo Baylor's Colin Brewer (4) celebrates after kicking a field goal to put 3 on the scoreboard while playing against McCallie during the rival game at the Blue Tornado's home field (Spears Stadium) on Oct. 3, 2014.

Prior to the Week 3 football game against Montgomery Bell Academy, Baylor School kicker Colin Brewer broke out a new pair of socks.

After kicking a pair of extra points and three field goals in a 23-20 win, the senior has made certain that those same socks were an every Friday part of his uniform.

"I haven't taken them off," he said, and then added with a grin, "Oh, well, I've taken them off to wash them."

He had a 42-yard field goal in that win, and his 27-yarder with eight seconds left provided the winning points.

The third in a consecutive string of outstanding Red Raiders kickers -- following Henrique Ribeiro (UTC) and Rafael Gaglianone (Wisconsin) -- Brewer has proved himself more than once this season. He did so most recently last week in the Red Raiders' 10-7 second-round playoff victory at Christian Brothers in Memphis.

"When I go out there I'm thinking there's no chance of me missing it," he said.

His night of moments wasn't just as a place-kicker but also as a punter.

Sure, the one most noticed was a winning field goal with 10 seconds left in regulation, yet he also had a crucial point-after kick and his punting was as good as it has been all year. He had a 61-yard punt that flipped the field at a crucial juncture, had another punt that was downed at the CBHS 1-yard line and finished the night with a 44.5-yard punting average.

"I'm really excited for him," Baylor coach Phil Massey said. "You like to see a kid who's waited his turn and finally has that door of opportunity. He busted it wide open and made the most of it."

Massey is delighted that Brewer has excelled in all three phases of the kicking game.

"It is amazing how he has handled the kicking and the punting, because they're so different, and yet he has excelled at both," the coach said. "He's perfect on PATs, is 8-of-13 on field goals and has a 41-yard punting average for the season. He's one of the reasons we've had the success that we have had."

He also has placed better than 80 percent of his kickoffs in the end zone, and he'd like to keep it up after he graduates from Baylor.

"He's getting a little bit of attention, and I've very confident that Colin will find a place if he decides he wants to continue," Massey said.

Brewer began to take control of his career this past summer when he went to train with ex-Tennessee specialist James Wilhoite, and he'll attend Chris Sailer and Jamie Kohl workout/ranking camps between now and January in hopes of boosting his national ranking.

"I'd love to play -- and anywhere, honestly," the all-state soccer goalkeeper said.

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.

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