ENGLEWOOD — Jeremy Crawshaw is ready at any moment in practice to boot the football.

Broncos special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi prepared the rookie starter for his NFL debut with random punts throughout practice to simulate game situations.

“I appreciate the thought of trying to help me get better,” Crawshaw, a native Australian, told The Denver Gazette this week. “It’s a challenge. It’s fun. You never know when it’s coming. (Rizzi) kind of just yells it. I might be helping (kicker) Wil Lutz with a hold doing a field goal and I hear: ‘Punt!’ So, I just sprint over. I love it.”

Denver opens the regular season at home on Sunday against the Titans after an up-and-down preseason for their sixth-round draft pick. Crawshaw, over three exhibition games, attempted six punts. He averaged 43.

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