We've got 62 days until kickoff, but that number has yet to be assigned...so today I'll highlight a player that is double-booked into the #28 jersey at present—Tyler Rausa
#62, Tyler Rausa, Sophomore, PK
Stats
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 193 lbs
High School/College: Vista Murrieta High School/Riverside City College
How'd he get to The Blue™?
Rausa was quite the kicking prodigy for Vista Murrieta, hitting 40-for-49 on field goals (19-for-21 as a senior) with a long of 51yds. These feats made him the all-time leading kicker in school and Inland Empire Region history. Despite the record setting career, Rausa was only able to manage a walk-on spot at Nevada. Fortunately for the Broncos, that didn't work out and he enrolled at Riverside CC instead where he played in the fall of 2012. At Riverside, he was 15-for-20 with a long of 48yds on field goals and 53-for-53 on PATs. This all-league performance earned Rausa a scholarship offer from Boise State where he enrolled last spring.
Nickname
"Raw dog"
My understanding is that his name is pronounced "Raw-suh", so going all in on that assumption.
Look-a-like
Wally Cleaver (pre-clobbering)
Career Highlights
Three-year letter winner at Vista Murrieta High School where he was named first-team All-Southwestern League as a sophomore, junior and senior Earned MaxPreps All-America honors as a senior and was named Los Angeles Times California Special Teams Most Valuable Player and first-team all-state. Rausa was also three-year letter winner in baseball hitting over .330 over his high school career.
2014 Prospectus
Being a kicker is hard...especially at Boise State. Over the last couple of seasons we've experienced the highs of clutch kicking performances (Michael Frisina's Vegas Bowl game-winner) and the lows of...well...you know, those other ones. Kicking takes skill, patience and precision, but it also takes a lot of guts and a LOT of focus. If you've ever tried golfing (seriously, don't try golfing), you know how much one little hitch in your backswing or lack of control can give you the exact opposite result you were looking for. Kicking is much the same...you kinda have to do it right every time and not all factors are within your control (laces OUT)—what's worse, the further you move away from the goal posts the less leeway you really have. So, I think we've established that I wouldn't want to be a kicker and the guys that do are...is "masochists" too strong a word? Kickers have an opportunity to be the hero or the goat in every single game...there aren't really big gains or small gains, you put points on the board or you don't. So with that all said, we know that only 3 or 4 guys on the Bronco roster will get that "honor"...we've got Tyler Rausa, Sean Wale (likely starting punter), Dan Goodale and walk-on Blake Gonzalez. It doesn't really help to compare past stats with these guys—they can all kick, but the guy who can do it with the most consistency is going to land the job. Goodale is obviously the most experienced of the group but competition should be wide open come Fall Camp and Rausa has as good a chance as any to get the primary kicking duties. There is a chance the Broncos utilize one guy for kickoffs, one for field goals, one for PATs etc...and maybe all of these guys get a chance to show their worth. All I know is that Boise State desperately needs a guy to restore some confidence in the position. We've been burned before...we're fragile; you don't have to hit them all, just hit the ones that matter.
Is he on Twitter?
"@innoutburger_: The craving for In-N-Out is real"
— TylerraUSA (@T_Raus) June 27, 2014
Five Guys 4 Lyfe
Completely made up fact
Rausa is very particular with his holders. Rather than the traditional "laces out" set up, he instructs them to have the laces always facing east...if that ends up being "out" so be it.