University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Photo by: Jesus Ayala, UNC Athletics
Richardson's Calm: Inside the Kicker's Mindset That Delivered a Game-Tying Kick
9/22/2026 10:14:00 AM | Football
GREELEY, Colo. – Landon Richardson describes his mental approach as the "Javi Báez mindset", thinking through every possible scenario before it happens so nothing on the field arrives as a surprise. Saturday night, that approach was tested in full.
With 14 seconds remaining and the game on the line, Richardson stood over a 48-yard field goal attempt. He made it, sending the game to overtime, where Northern Colorado would go on to beat Northeastern State 23-17 for the Bears' first win of the season.
"You kind of just go black," Richardson said. "All the noise in the stands kind of fades away. Your right shoe might be tied a little tighter than your left shoe, but that fades away too. All the little details fade away, and all that matters is you, your holder, your snapper, and that football going through those uprights."
One Rep, Every Time
As a specialist, Richardson knows his opportunities are limited and precious.
"My job is so limited. You get one rep guaranteed in that very moment," he said. "Just trying to stay level, really stay focused."
That framing carried him through a chaotic final two minutes. Marcus Mozer scored to cut the lead to three. Richardson made the PAT and followed it up with the onside kick being recovered. The offense moved into range. Each rep, he said, arrived with the same mindset.
"Walking out on the field for that PAT, just having a sense of focus. Like, I'm making this kick. Might have messed up earlier, it happens, but that's flushed. That's down the drain. What happens now is what can I do to put us in a better position?"
A Battle-Tested Form
Richardson's confidence is not untested. He arrived at Northern Colorado from American River College in California, where he had lived through a similar script: a couple of early misses, then a stretch of perfection the rest of the way.
"I've been here before. My last season at the JUCO had a couple misses to start off the year, and then I finished 100 percent through the rest of the year," he said. "It's just kind of going back to that same thing, looking at what I could have done better, technique-wise, form-wise. But at the same time, remembering that I'm here for a reason. My form is battle-tested. I've done this time after time to a point where I was able to get here and get a scholarship."
The lesson, he said, was to stop overcorrecting.
"Don't worry about all the little tweaks and details. It's just run to the ball, hit your plant spot, put the ball through the uprights."
He credited Coach James Pazak and his snapper and holder for helping pull the unit together.
"Having belief in my unit, because obviously we had a little bit of a discrepancy with that as well. Believing in them, picking them up at practice. 'Hey, you had a bad snap; it's okay. Let's get the next one.' That type of mindset kind of brings up everybody else around you and sets a standard for a higher level of expectations."
The Trust in the Room
What made Saturday different, Richardson said, was the way his teammates responded before the kick, not after.
"As specialists, we're usually the guys that are overlooked on the roster. Everybody notices the big D-linemen or the wide receivers making the big-time catches," he said. "Having that thought in the back of your mind that you're noticed, that people know what you're capable of, it just gives you that little extra edge of confidence."
That trust was on display in the postgame press conference, where teammates lined up to say they never doubted him.
"He makes it, and I didn't see a doubt in a lot of people's minds," defensive lineman and captain Dominic Butts said. "We believed in him, and he executed. That's the type of guy Landon is, kind of reserved, but gets excited and does his job. Complete belief."
Richardson said that trust runs both directions.
"Every kick, there's that thought of, 'If I miss this, everybody's going to be mad at me.' But we've got a good group of guys here that make me feel real good going out on that field, knowing whatever result happens, they're going to welcome me onto that sideline with open arms."
From the Soccer Field to Division I
Richardson's path to college football started on a soccer pitch. He grew up playing competitive club soccer, traveling the country for tournaments, convinced the sport would be his life. Then, during his senior year of high school, the football team showed up at soccer tryouts looking for a kicker.
"I said, 'You know, screw it, go give it a try.' Went out, had an all right year," he said. "But after seeing how I ranked against guys who had been playing football for a long time, even some junior college guys, I was like, I probably have a shot at taking this somewhere."
He chose junior college in California, where he redshirted his first season and then spent the next year punting almost exclusively, a position he had never played.
"It's really easy to get down and be like, 'Man, I didn't get the starting field goal job. I'm just a punter.' But I kind of flipped my mindset. I used it to get better."
That willingness to do all three jobs: field goals, kickoffs and punts is what drew Northern Colorado to him. The staff offered the chance to develop every phase of his game.
"The biggest thing that brought me here was the coaching staff. Coach Pazak called me every single day, really forming a personable connection, which is not something I experienced talking to coaches from some higher-level schools. I wanted to go somewhere that felt the most like home."
What's Next
The win moved Northern Colorado to 1-3 and gave the Bears the kind of finish they had chased through three agonizing near-misses. Richardson is now 4-of-6 on field goals this season with a season-long of 48 yards.
"I mean, the locker room just felt like we're all talking about how this is something we could build on," said defensive lineman Ezra Ekuban. "We feel like we got over that hump. We felt like we got that feeling of what it feels like to finish a game."
Northern Colorado hosts Utah Tech this week for homecoming, where Richardson could face more high-leverage kicks. He said he'll be ready.
"I've done this a million times at practice," he said. "I know this kick is going through the uprights."
Tickets can be purchased through the UNC ticket office online at UNCBears.com/Tickets, by calling 970-351-4849, or in person at the UNC ticket office during normal business hours.
Quarterback Club
The Quarterback Club plays a vital role in supporting the UNC Football program. By giving to the Quarterback Club, you help enhance the student-athlete experience, providing resources for team development, and ensuring the success of the Bears on and off the field. Your involvement makes a meaningful difference in the future of the program.
FOLLOW THE BEARS:
For complete coverage of UNC Athletics, check out the official homepage at UNCBears.com. Follow the football team on Instagram, X and Facebook.
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With 14 seconds remaining and the game on the line, Richardson stood over a 48-yard field goal attempt. He made it, sending the game to overtime, where Northern Colorado would go on to beat Northeastern State 23-17 for the Bears' first win of the season.
"You kind of just go black," Richardson said. "All the noise in the stands kind of fades away. Your right shoe might be tied a little tighter than your left shoe, but that fades away too. All the little details fade away, and all that matters is you, your holder, your snapper, and that football going through those uprights."
One Rep, Every Time
As a specialist, Richardson knows his opportunities are limited and precious.
"My job is so limited. You get one rep guaranteed in that very moment," he said. "Just trying to stay level, really stay focused."
That framing carried him through a chaotic final two minutes. Marcus Mozer scored to cut the lead to three. Richardson made the PAT and followed it up with the onside kick being recovered. The offense moved into range. Each rep, he said, arrived with the same mindset.
"Walking out on the field for that PAT, just having a sense of focus. Like, I'm making this kick. Might have messed up earlier, it happens, but that's flushed. That's down the drain. What happens now is what can I do to put us in a better position?"
A Battle-Tested Form
Richardson's confidence is not untested. He arrived at Northern Colorado from American River College in California, where he had lived through a similar script: a couple of early misses, then a stretch of perfection the rest of the way.
"I've been here before. My last season at the JUCO had a couple misses to start off the year, and then I finished 100 percent through the rest of the year," he said. "It's just kind of going back to that same thing, looking at what I could have done better, technique-wise, form-wise. But at the same time, remembering that I'm here for a reason. My form is battle-tested. I've done this time after time to a point where I was able to get here and get a scholarship."
The lesson, he said, was to stop overcorrecting.
"Don't worry about all the little tweaks and details. It's just run to the ball, hit your plant spot, put the ball through the uprights."
He credited Coach James Pazak and his snapper and holder for helping pull the unit together.
"Having belief in my unit, because obviously we had a little bit of a discrepancy with that as well. Believing in them, picking them up at practice. 'Hey, you had a bad snap; it's okay. Let's get the next one.' That type of mindset kind of brings up everybody else around you and sets a standard for a higher level of expectations."
The Trust in the Room
What made Saturday different, Richardson said, was the way his teammates responded before the kick, not after.
"As specialists, we're usually the guys that are overlooked on the roster. Everybody notices the big D-linemen or the wide receivers making the big-time catches," he said. "Having that thought in the back of your mind that you're noticed, that people know what you're capable of, it just gives you that little extra edge of confidence."
That trust was on display in the postgame press conference, where teammates lined up to say they never doubted him.
"He makes it, and I didn't see a doubt in a lot of people's minds," defensive lineman and captain Dominic Butts said. "We believed in him, and he executed. That's the type of guy Landon is, kind of reserved, but gets excited and does his job. Complete belief."
Richardson said that trust runs both directions.
"Every kick, there's that thought of, 'If I miss this, everybody's going to be mad at me.' But we've got a good group of guys here that make me feel real good going out on that field, knowing whatever result happens, they're going to welcome me onto that sideline with open arms."
From the Soccer Field to Division I
Richardson's path to college football started on a soccer pitch. He grew up playing competitive club soccer, traveling the country for tournaments, convinced the sport would be his life. Then, during his senior year of high school, the football team showed up at soccer tryouts looking for a kicker.
"I said, 'You know, screw it, go give it a try.' Went out, had an all right year," he said. "But after seeing how I ranked against guys who had been playing football for a long time, even some junior college guys, I was like, I probably have a shot at taking this somewhere."
He chose junior college in California, where he redshirted his first season and then spent the next year punting almost exclusively, a position he had never played.
"It's really easy to get down and be like, 'Man, I didn't get the starting field goal job. I'm just a punter.' But I kind of flipped my mindset. I used it to get better."
That willingness to do all three jobs: field goals, kickoffs and punts is what drew Northern Colorado to him. The staff offered the chance to develop every phase of his game.
"The biggest thing that brought me here was the coaching staff. Coach Pazak called me every single day, really forming a personable connection, which is not something I experienced talking to coaches from some higher-level schools. I wanted to go somewhere that felt the most like home."
What's Next
The win moved Northern Colorado to 1-3 and gave the Bears the kind of finish they had chased through three agonizing near-misses. Richardson is now 4-of-6 on field goals this season with a season-long of 48 yards.
"I mean, the locker room just felt like we're all talking about how this is something we could build on," said defensive lineman Ezra Ekuban. "We feel like we got over that hump. We felt like we got that feeling of what it feels like to finish a game."
Northern Colorado hosts Utah Tech this week for homecoming, where Richardson could face more high-leverage kicks. He said he'll be ready.
"I've done this a million times at practice," he said. "I know this kick is going through the uprights."
Tickets can be purchased through the UNC ticket office online at UNCBears.com/Tickets, by calling 970-351-4849, or in person at the UNC ticket office during normal business hours.
Quarterback Club
The Quarterback Club plays a vital role in supporting the UNC Football program. By giving to the Quarterback Club, you help enhance the student-athlete experience, providing resources for team development, and ensuring the success of the Bears on and off the field. Your involvement makes a meaningful difference in the future of the program.
FOLLOW THE BEARS:
For complete coverage of UNC Athletics, check out the official homepage at UNCBears.com. Follow the football team on Instagram, X and Facebook.
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