Dabo Swinney updates Clemson's plan at kicker, his confidence in Jonathan Weitz

Coming off an overtime loss to Florida State, coach Dabo Swinney is sticking with the kicker he recently rerecruited to join the team during the middle of the season: Jonathan Weitz.

Weitz made his debut last weekend against Florida State, going 1-for-2 on his field goal attempts. Still, Swinney is confident in him.

“I would let Weitz kick from probably 50,” Swinney said. “Feel comfortable. He made a 51 or so yarder last week. But he still gives us our best chance right now from just a confidence standpoint.”

Weitz was on the team from 2019-2022 before leaving the team following last season’s campaign. He was about to start a job in New York until he got a call from Swinney urging him to consider rejoining the team using his free year of eligibility granted due to COVID-19.

He took the Clemson head coach up on it.

For now, Weitz’ grasp on the job is tenuous, despite Swinney’s confidence out to the 50-yard range with him. Witz missed a kick from 29 yards out late in the fourth quarter that would have given Clemson a lead on Florida State.

He also made a field goal from 30 yards.

“Check back with me next week,” Swinney said, seeming to indicate the impermanence of the starting job. “I’ll be here, every week, so check back with me. That could change.”

The Clemson head coach did joke that his new kicker was supposed to start his job this week.

“I think he was supposed to start this week, I think his start date was Monday this week,” Swinney said. “So he can moonlight when we go up there to Syracuse this week.”

In any case, Swinney is thankful for the help after the team’s starting kicker to begin the season, Robert Gunn, struggled. Gunn was 1-for-4 on the season, with two misses from inside 30 yards, one miss from inside 40 yards and another miss from inside 50 yards.

Clemson needed better.

To that end, Swinney’s action to get Jonathan Weitz back in the fold was key.

“Thankful we got him, man,” Swinney said. “You hate he missed that one. That one play could have won the game. I mean you could say one play all across, but going into that game I was just worried about making extra points. I just need somebody, let’s make an extra point. Let’s make a layup.

“He made the one that gave us a chance to even be in this situation at the end. Of course everybody sees the one, but he’s still right now confidence wise kind of where we are. Then we’re going to let them keep competing. Robert’s been battling a little bit of a sore thigh a little bit. So we’ll see how they do this week, just last night, so we’ve got all week to go. Anything can happen.”