In 2017, when Colorado kicker James Stefanou joined the team as a freshman, he hit 17-of-22 field goals while making all 35 extra points that he attempted, a performance that earned him Freshman All-American honors from ESPN in addition to CU's Lee Willard Award for most outstanding freshman.

After his successful freshman campaign, injuries plagued him as a sophomore in 2018, and in turn, so did trying to kick in the midst of playing through injury.

Now, as Colorado's fall camp closes in, Stefanou said he's feeling 100% healthy and is looking forward to the month of August and eventually, the 2019 regular season.

One thing that perhaps it's fair to say people often wonder in regards to college and pro kickers is how they handle the pressure of making important kicks. Specifically, how does one handle the failure of missing?

When a game ends on a missed field goal, the perception around the losing team is inherently focused on that final kick. In a game possibly dominated with penalties, other bad plays and everything under the sun in terms of contributing factors, a last-second kick that misses still will dominate headlines and be the focal point of discussion.

In the event that happens, Stefanou said that it's a double-edged sword in terms of internalizing the experience of missing while simultaneously putting it in the rear-view mirror. While he personally has not been in that spot at CU yet, where he's missed a kick that'd potentially decide a game, he seems ready enough for that moment .

“To be honest, I haven’t really been put in that position," he said. "My first year was pretty consistent. Last year I was injured, so there was something there that was frustrating me. I couldn’t kick healthy. I didn’t really have a situation where I said “shit, I missed because I did this, this and that and I should have had that, damnit.’ It was more like, ‘shit man, I can’t feel my leg. How can I stretch and keep kicking?"

"When I was injured I was over-kicking everything and kicking through pain. I was winding up and kicking hard as possible to kick through the pain and everything was missing left, which makes complete sense. I was hooking it, trying to overkick and I couldn’t feel my leg."

If and when such a moment does occur, there's one way to properly handle it and move on.

"As a kicker, you carry it because you’re such an individual, but like any sportsman, if you don’t believe in yourself, and you start doubting yourself, you’re done. Finished," he said. "I think that knowing that you’ve just got to worry about your next kick and that your teammates need you, you just go back out there and do it. You’ve got to get over it.”

"Forget it for the negative impact it can have on you but don’t forget [a missed kick] to make sure you’re looking at what you’re doing and improving...for me, I’ve kicked so many times — know you’re doing the right thing. If you are in tune with your body and your mechanics, you know what you’re doing [wrong] before you even watch film. You should be able to correct something and fix it.”