It’s a brand new era for special teams in Columbia.

After four years of Harrison Mevis kicking field goals for Missouri football, the ‘Thiccer Kicker’ reign came to a close as he signed as an undrafted free agent for the Carolina Panthers in April.

Mizzou will enter the 2024 season without its all-time leading points scorer, who dazzled and delighted for four seasons, including a game-winning, SEC-record-breaking 61-yarder to down Kansas State as time expired last September.

Now, MU has to find Mevis’ replacement. That'll be of vital importance as the Tigers go chasing a berth in the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff.

And that’s not the only special teams competition coming to fall camp.

Before its season-opener on Thursday, Aug. 29, on home turf against Murray State, Missouri will be looking to find its punter and determine several other specialist roles for the 2024 season, too.

Here are the players who will compete for the starting roles — and the front-runners — for Missouri's special teams in the 2024 season.

Who will kick field goals, PATs for Missouri football in 2024?

Blake Craig, a Kansas City native and Liberty High grad, is the heir apparent to Mevis.

That is going to look a little different from the starter from the past four years, even beyond the body styles that spurned Mevis’ moniker. Take it from the Tigers' position coach.

“I would say zero similarities in personality,” Missouri special teams and tight ends coach Erik Link said Feb. 27.

But the on-field product? From what was viewable during practices open to the media in spring, Craig showed promise being able to take the wheel from his predecessor, exhibiting a big leg in bunches.

Whether he’s got a 60-plus-yarder in the tank is a question — mind you, not many do — but he has stout numbers from his past to back up his performance in camp. Craig recorded multiple 50+-yard makes during high school when he became the MSHSAA record holder for career points with 335.

“(Craig) was here this spring and he was impressive,” Missouri assistant Curtis Luper said at a university fundraising caravan stop in April in Sedalia. “He was really impressive. … Blake Craig, the ball really jumps off his foot. He has the talent. So, you’re going to be surprised by him, I think.”

The question will be how consistently Craig can produce. Mevis, beyond providing countless clutch moments, made a healthy 83.5% of his career field goal attempts and made all but one of his 148 career PATs.

Springfield, Missouri native Nick Quadrini backed up Craig in the spring.

Starting job still up for grabs at punter

Missouri heads into fall with an open competition for its punter.

Luke Bauer split reps with Australian punter Riley Williams last season, with the latter transferring out of the program over the offseason. Now, Bauer will battle for the starting role with another Aussie, as Orion Phillips transferred to the Tigers from Murray State over the offseason. Will Safris is another option for the punting job.

“We’ve got an open competition,” Link said as spring camp opened. … “The biggest thing that we're looking for is just — really at every position but specifically with a specialist — is just consistency.”

That was, at times, a problem for MU in 2023. The spring didn’t provide much clarification on who is the frontrunner to try and amend that in the upcoming season, and the battle will head into July and August to decide who hoofs it for Mizzou.

Bauer had an up-and-down 2023, with his highest high coming with his hand rather than his foot as he tossed a 39-yard, fake-punt touchdown to Marquis Johnson to begin Missouri’s comeback win against Kentucky. The St. Louis native averaged 41.9 yards per punt on 22 attempts, with his season long a 73-yarder.

Phillips averaged 42.9 yards per punt as a freshman with the Racers, who he could line up against in his first appearance as a Tiger should he win the starting role.

More: Meet 'massive' Chris McClellan, Missouri football's potentially pivotal new defensive tackle

Kickoffs and long-snapper likely settled

Brett Le Blanc returns for his sophomore year after being named a first-team freshman All-American by College Football Network last season, and will likely return to his role as the Tigers’ primary long-snapper.

Craig was involved in the kickoff unit in three games last season. He also was on kickoff duties for Missouri’s spring game in March, a role he’ll likely take into the new season.

More: Here's where Missouri football defense looks strong and where questions still need answered

Kickoff and punt return jobs up for grabs

Missouri is still exploring its options in the return game.

Link mentioned during spring that Luther Burden III was still an option to return punts, and that sophomore Marquis Johnson, likely the fastest player on the team, also will get a look. Fellow sophomore receiver Daniel Blood fielded his fair share in the spring, too.

During the spring game, wide receiver Theo Wease Jr., safety Marvin Burks Jr. and running backs Nate Noel and Jamal Roberts took turns lining up on kickoff return duties. Link also said that Johnson will get a look.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: How Missouri football’s specialist roles shape up for 2024 season