Indianapolis Colts new kicker Blake Grupe – a small man with a big leg!

Indianapolis Colts new kicker Blake Grupe – a small man with a big leg!

The Colts have a new kicker. Let’s hear from him. It’s Blake Groupy. Blake Rupy might be the most dimminitive person I’ve ever seen in an NFL locker room, media included. But all that matters is that he can get that ball to do what it needs to do when it leaves his foot. And so here’s Blake Rupy talking about the challenge of coming in here and being counted on four days from now to go down to Jacksonville and hit game-winning field goals. You know, we’re just making it work, making the best of it, and uh obviously super thankful for the opportunity here. Did you go home last night and then you didn’t come back? That’s what I say. They’re on a different hotel room. We’re uh they’re all everything’s a little short notice and just kind of going going with the flow and and uh like I said, just kind of making the best out of it. So, got some more clothes getting shipped down here tonight. And so, uh we’re going to we’re going to roll with it. What’s it like? You came to the try out and went and then went home cuz you didn’t know. And then you came back. I’ve been here since Monday night. Okay. So, you came in in the snow? Yep. So, first time seeing not not first time seeing snow, but first time seeing it in a while. Uh, so from Missouri, got some bunch of Indiana families. So, I’ve been up around here a bunch. Uh, so not a whole lot of snow in New Orleans anytime, but especially right now. What’s the excitement level of just coming to joining this team that’s right in the middle of this qualify? Yeah, it’s first of all, it’s been awesome to watch this team and everything that, you know, this team’s been working towards with everything that’s gone on this year. and been able to watch that from afar. Um, and so it’s been it’s been awesome to see them this team grow and have success, you know, and that maybe not people expect. So, um, to now be a part of it and I feel like I’m playing meaningful football and, uh, that, you know, we’re all working towards something here. Have you talked to Spencer at all? Of course. Yeah, Spencer uh, came up came with me um, you know, the year after Notre Dame. I left Notre Dame kind of was part of the recruiting process there. So known Spencer for a little bit and uh great guy. I got nothing but good things to say about him. How how big is it to be working in middle season? It’s awesome. Yeah, that that really helps with all the change of everything mid-season and all the craziness. It’s it’s nice to be able to come somewhere where I have some familiarity. Uh where me and Mace know each other. He knows kind of how I tick. I know how he is. Um and so that I think that will just let me allow me to be even more comfortable and just kind of hit the ground running. How difficult was the end in New Orleans? cuz it felt like you were kind of the guy there. And then yeah, no, I have nothing but good things to say about New Orleans, especially the city. Um, you know, unfortunately, I feel like uh this year kind of snowballed on me a little bit and so uh you know, that’s that’s the nature of this business. That’s the nature of being a kicker. And uh I know I had to be better, but to be realist, you know, it’s not about not about that place anymore. This is a whole brand new season for me. Um you know, everything that you know, I’m going towards is about here. Um, it’s about this team and uh, you know, at the end of the day, it’s really not about me here. It’s about the team and everything that they’ve been building towards all year. I’m just glad to be a part of it. The mindset of a kicker where teams will move on quickly if you stumble. How do you deal with that? I mean, and coming in here where I mean, you just you worry about me personally, it’s always been about my routine. Actually, Mace kind of really instilled that in me, you know, my last year at uh, at Notre Dame. And so, um, it’s always been about routine for me. You just worry about yourself, worry about your routine. Uh, and with me personally, I know when I stick to that and uh, you know, I stay true to it and stay confident myself and the rest kind of takes care of. So, all right. Thanks. And, you know, it’s not just field goals that Groupy’s got to hit, but extra points. He was 15 of 15 kicking extra points this season with the Saints before he was released. He comes here. You got to hit your extra points because when you don’t hit your extra points, the calculus of football changes. 20-6. You say, “What would one point have mattered?” Well, the Colts had the ball fairly deep in uh in enemy territory this past Sunday against the Texans and a field goal were to tie that game because Michael Badgley missed the extra point. You don’t have that opportunity. 20-6 and 20 to 17. There is a world of difference between those two scores and one point doesn’t sum that up.

Blake Grupe is listed at 5’7″ and 155 lbs, and that seems generous when standing next to him. All that matters is the pop he has in that kicking foot.