Colorado kicker to transfer to Oregon State

Place kicker Tyler Cope, who served as Colorado's kickoff specialist in 2007, is transferring to Oregon State, several Colorado newspapers reported Saturday.

Cope, a true freshman walk-on, booted 58 kickoffs averaging 56 yards per kick with six touchbacks. He also accounted for nine tackles, seven unassisted, showing he is not afraid to mix it up.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound athlete played his high school football at Portland's Jesuit High where he earned first team All-State and All-League honors as a senior. He connected on 6 of 8 field goals and converted 83 of 86 extra points.

The Mechanical Engineering major also was a standout in track earning first team All-State honors in the 4x400 meter relay in both his junior and senior years.

Cope has good football bloodlines as his uncle, Chuck Lamson, played collegiately at Wyoming before suiting up five seasons as a safety in the NFL with Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams in the mid-sixties.

The reason Cope is transferring is the Buffs do not have a scholarship to offer him and he wants to be closer to friends and family. He will walk on in the spring and backup Justin Kahut in the kicking game.

K Tyler Cope