Back in February, Buffs' senior kicker James Stefanou and his wife Laura welcomed a daughter into the world.
For Stefanou, who turned 33 in April and is the second-oldest college football player in the FBS, being a father has offered some new perspective on life as well as what it means to be relied on as a kicker — in some sense, a similarity to how a newborn child relies on their parents.
“She was the size of a football when she was born, so I had to be careful not to kick her but she’s awesome and growing every day," Stefanou said. "The first few days were pretty hard, as I’m sure most of you (parents) probably know — not getting much sleep and getting up in the mornings — it does make you appreciate how someone can be so dependent on you and as a kicker, when the offense doesn’t get what they need, they’re depending on you so you’re used to that."
"But you’re looking after a little life. Mom and I have been waiting for her to say her first word, which I think will be ‘daddy’ by the way, with the way she’s going.”
This past December, Stefanou underwent hip surgery to repair a torn labrum. He initially planned to be back and ready to go for a normal football season in 2020 — which, if 2020 was in any way normal, he said he would have been healthy and prepared to assume his duties for the Rocky Mountain Showdown.
Ultimately, of course, that didn't end up being the case. But at any rate, Stefanou says his rehabilitation has gone along swimmingly.
“I had surgery back on Dec. 2 of last year" he said. "That all went well — the rehab process was to get back at the normal start of the (2020) season, so I was full kicking probably a full three, three-and-a-half months after surgery, which was pretty cool. I had a really good recovery, a great surgeon and the team was unbelievable for me."
In 2019, Stefanou hit 12-of-17 field goals he attempted but was absent for the final three games of the season due to labrum issues that eventually resulted in corrective surgery.
He currently ranks ninth in program history in points scored for Colorado, which now, entering the 2020 at 100% health, he's ready to continue climbing up that list. His 86 kicking points is 12 shy of CU's school record, held by Ken Kulbertson and set in 1989.
Further aiding him is the schedule he's able to maintain under Karl Dorrell, one that Stefanou asserts is keeping him fresh and not wearing him down.
“I feel great," he said. "Usually by now in camp, I’d be pretty fatigued and I’d start to sort of taper off or taper it down, but we’ve got a really cool schedule — it’s sort of one day on, one day off. For the scrimmage on Saturday, I took two days off after that."
"We’re approaching it like a game week, where it’ll be like a Tuesday, Thursday (and) Saturday scrimmage. But I’m feeling great, just looking after myself and doing an extra bit with recovery. It’s going well.”
Stefanou also knows that with the Buffs playing an essential half-season in 2020, his kicks will be less frequent but matter more. Now that the season is back on and he's entering his final rodeo, Stefanou is ready to convert some kicks.
"Not thinking we’d have a season makes you feel blessed to be able to run out there again with your team and represent CU," he said. "That’s the mindset I’m having going through the season — I might have not been able to kick another ball if there wasn’t a season and might have had to go home. But I feel blessed tp be able to go out there and kick. I just want to do my job — that’s all I want to do.”
FIN
...
It's so unique having a guy like Stefanou on the team. First of all, I've gotten to know James somewhat well over the years and he is an absolute standup guy. He's the kind of guy to get a beer with. Mature, friendly, a well-rounded sense of humor — it's all there. I am sure he will be a terrific father.
With the shortened season and at full health, Stefanou looks to be in prime position to help out this offense with his leg when the Buffs can't find the end zone. Colorado may very well be battling in some very close games, so as he alluded to, every kick is likely to be in the neighborhood of (if not outright) paramount importance.
For Stefanou, who turned 33 in April and is the second-oldest college football player in the FBS, being a father has offered some new perspective on life as well as what it means to be relied on as a kicker — in some sense, a similarity to how a newborn child relies on their parents.
“She was the size of a football when she was born, so I had to be careful not to kick her but she’s awesome and growing every day," Stefanou said. "The first few days were pretty hard, as I’m sure most of you (parents) probably know — not getting much sleep and getting up in the mornings — it does make you appreciate how someone can be so dependent on you and as a kicker, when the offense doesn’t get what they need, they’re depending on you so you’re used to that."
"But you’re looking after a little life. Mom and I have been waiting for her to say her first word, which I think will be ‘daddy’ by the way, with the way she’s going.”
This past December, Stefanou underwent hip surgery to repair a torn labrum. He initially planned to be back and ready to go for a normal football season in 2020 — which, if 2020 was in any way normal, he said he would have been healthy and prepared to assume his duties for the Rocky Mountain Showdown.
Ultimately, of course, that didn't end up being the case. But at any rate, Stefanou says his rehabilitation has gone along swimmingly.
“I had surgery back on Dec. 2 of last year" he said. "That all went well — the rehab process was to get back at the normal start of the (2020) season, so I was full kicking probably a full three, three-and-a-half months after surgery, which was pretty cool. I had a really good recovery, a great surgeon and the team was unbelievable for me."
In 2019, Stefanou hit 12-of-17 field goals he attempted but was absent for the final three games of the season due to labrum issues that eventually resulted in corrective surgery.
He currently ranks ninth in program history in points scored for Colorado, which now, entering the 2020 at 100% health, he's ready to continue climbing up that list. His 86 kicking points is 12 shy of CU's school record, held by Ken Kulbertson and set in 1989.
Further aiding him is the schedule he's able to maintain under Karl Dorrell, one that Stefanou asserts is keeping him fresh and not wearing him down.
“I feel great," he said. "Usually by now in camp, I’d be pretty fatigued and I’d start to sort of taper off or taper it down, but we’ve got a really cool schedule — it’s sort of one day on, one day off. For the scrimmage on Saturday, I took two days off after that."
"We’re approaching it like a game week, where it’ll be like a Tuesday, Thursday (and) Saturday scrimmage. But I’m feeling great, just looking after myself and doing an extra bit with recovery. It’s going well.”
Stefanou also knows that with the Buffs playing an essential half-season in 2020, his kicks will be less frequent but matter more. Now that the season is back on and he's entering his final rodeo, Stefanou is ready to convert some kicks.
"Not thinking we’d have a season makes you feel blessed to be able to run out there again with your team and represent CU," he said. "That’s the mindset I’m having going through the season — I might have not been able to kick another ball if there wasn’t a season and might have had to go home. But I feel blessed tp be able to go out there and kick. I just want to do my job — that’s all I want to do.”
FIN
...
It's so unique having a guy like Stefanou on the team. First of all, I've gotten to know James somewhat well over the years and he is an absolute standup guy. He's the kind of guy to get a beer with. Mature, friendly, a well-rounded sense of humor — it's all there. I am sure he will be a terrific father.
With the shortened season and at full health, Stefanou looks to be in prime position to help out this offense with his leg when the Buffs can't find the end zone. Colorado may very well be battling in some very close games, so as he alluded to, every kick is likely to be in the neighborhood of (if not outright) paramount importance.
