Brunno Reus mug.
Courtesy of Mizzou AthleticsWhen thinking about Mizzou football’s special-teams unit, the name Blake Craig often comes to mind. Craig, a kicker who has been on the Tigers’ roster since 2023, has been the center of many conversations as he looks to have a successful season following an ACL tear in 2025.
Long snapper Brett Le Blanc may be the second name to come to mind, as he has started since 2023 and was named to the Patrick Mannelly Award watchlist on Aug. 4.
A name that doesn’t come up as often is kicker/punter Brunno Reus, but maybe it should.
Reus came out of Florida's Venice High School as a five-star kicker. He spent last season at Florida State, appearing in four games as a true freshman. He went 2-for-2 on extra points and drilled seven kickoffs with seven touchbacks, averaging 67.1 yards per kickoff.
The sophomore transferred to Mizzou and has been working with special teams coordinator John Papuchis, who spent the past six seasons at FSU.
“Because I've been at Florida State with him, I feel like it was easy coming here,” Reus said during a media availability Tuesday in the Stephens Indoor Facility in Columbia. “Florida State had some learning curves, but he just kept me calm and kept me confident. I literally trust him with anything.”
Reus calls Papuchis a father figure, finding comfort in a familiar face. He has also embraced being in a new environment, connecting with teammates like Craig. They competed against each other as kickers, but that didn’t stop them from forming a bond.
“Man, Blake Craig is one of the easiest people I've ever worked with,” Reus said. “We are like best friends. We eat at each other's house. We play poker together. We play pool on the fourth floor together. This is the tightest group I've ever been (a part of) in my life.”
From enjoying easy activities like playing cards to connecting over hard conversations about Craig’s recovery, the two have grown close.
“Brunno is a talented athlete, and he’s a great friend of mine too,” Craig said back on Aug. 11. “I’m excited to see him get out there. I think you’re going to be very surprised with how skilled and talented he is.”
Reus brings versatility to Missouri’s special teams unit, as he kicks, punts and holds. In all likelihood, his biggest contributions will come as the punter while Craig handles the field goals. Regardless, it’s nice to know that Reus can do it all.
“I've worked a lot on that, (and) I don't really struggle going from kicking to holding to punting,” Reus said. “I really got it down.”
Originally published on columbiamissourian.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.
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