Punter Vassett relishes opportunity with CU
Following graduation from high school in 2014, Mark Vassett never dreamed of playing college football. In fact, he didn’t even plan to go to college at the time.
Nine years later, the Australian native and Louisville transfer is embarking on a new journey with the Colorado Buffaloes and might be one of the most talented punters in the Pac-12 Conference.
“Yeah, it’s been a lot of fun, a completely new experience for me,” he said of living in the United States and playing college football. “I worked in construction back home … so, coming here to college, it’s been awesome. I’m so thankful for this opportunity and I’m so grateful I get to do this every day. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Vassett spent six years working in construction as a glazier after finishing high school.
“We did all things glass, like shower screens and mirrors,” he said. “I was just working.”
On the side, he played Australian football for a local club, developing his skill as a punter, since that’s how players pass the ball to each other.
In 2019, life changed when Vassett joined Prokick Australia, a program founded in 2007 that is designed to teach Australians how to punt and placekick in American football. Over the years, the academy has produced numerous college punters and kickers, including former Buffs punter Josh Watts and kicker James Stefanou.
“I saw it online and I just thought, ‘Oh, that sounds awesome. Why not?’” said Vassett, who trained with Watts and others. “I went down for a tryout and the coach pretty much said to me straightaway, ‘You have to do this; you’re perfect what
we’re looking for.’
“I was there for two years, so it’s a pretty long process to get yourself ready to play college football.”
After a while, college scholarship offers started coming in. Vassett originally committed to Michigan State before deciding to play for Louisville in 2021.
“Really, the recruiting process, all we have to do is get good film for our Prokick coaches and they just talk to the college coaches for us,” he said. “It was pretty easy for me. I just had to kick and keep improving and it all just happens.”
In two seasons at Louisville, Vassett set school records for career punting average (43.2 yards per punt) and single-season average (44.6 in 2022). He has two of the top eight season averages in Cardinals history and his long of 73 is the sixth-longest
at Louisville.
“I loved my time at Louisville,” he said, “but just how it played out, all my coaches left for Cincinnati and other places. I just wanted to make the best decision for me to give myself the best chance to make the NFL. I think I made the right choice (in Colorado).”
The opportunity to play for new CU head coach Deion Sanders was a big part of the decision, but not the only factor.
“The scheme that we’re gonna be running, I think can give me a great chance (at the NFL),” he said. “And to kick up here in the altitude as well, for me it’s a no-brainer.”
Vassett said the altitude might add some hang time on his punts, but it’s difficult to tell what impact it has had on his kicks.
“I’m always improving, too, so sometimes you don’t know is it the altitude or am I just hitting the ball better?” he said. “Right now I’m hitting the ball better than I ever have, so I’m expecting
to have a really good year. It’s exciting.”
Vassett, who earned ALL-ACC honorable mention last year, is on the preseason watch list for the Ray Guy Award. He’s also earned some preseason All-pac-12 consideration from various publications.
“Only playing football for two years, I feel like I’ve improved every year,” he said. “I’m so much better than I was this time last year and even better than I was this time two years ago. … I feel like I’ve still got such a large scope of improvement.”
He’s also enjoying the college experience, even though, at 26, he’s older than all of his teammates.
“Every time they talk about my age it kind of gets older,” he said with a laugh. “They say I’m 35; next day I’ll be 40. They say I have four kids. They have a bit of fun with me. I am the oldest guy on the team, so it’s all good fun.”
All good fun that Vassett hopes eventually pays off with an opportunity in the NFL.