Clemson kicker Jonathan Weitz makes first career field goal, days after joining roster

A surprising player scored the first points of the Clemson–Florida State game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Tigers kicker Jonathan Weitz drilled a 30-yard field to give Clemson a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Weitz joined the team just a few days ago after starting kicker Robert Gunn struggled early on in the season.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney called Weitz, who was living in Charleston and taking online classes, on Sunday. Swinney asked Jonathan Weitz if he would be interested in kicking against the Seminoles. Weitz agreed and delivered on his first opportunity Saturday afternoon.

Jonathan Weitz wasn’t even on the team last Saturday and he just made his first career field goal. Great story. pic.twitter.com/wF9j1AdQR1

— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) September 23, 2023

Weitz had not kicked a football since April, before Swinney called him on Sunday. He told the Clemson head coach that he would go out and kick a few balls and call Swinney back with an answer. Later that day, Weitz relayed that he was in.

“We went to the bullpen and called him off the beach,” Swinney said earlier this week. “It’s either going to be a great story or it’s going to be terrible. It’s not going to be anything in between.”

At least so far, it’s a great story. Weitz looked solid during warmups, as well as on his first attempt. He also made an extra point later in the first quarter to give Clemson a 10-0 lead.

More on Clemson kicker Jonathan Weitz

Jonathan Weitz was on the Clemson practice field for the first time on Monday and made 7 of his 8 attempts, according to Swinney. Weitz has a job lined up in New York that he was set to start in two weeks. However, that is now on hold.

“He’s got a boss up in New York probably pissed off,” Swinney said earlier this week. “He spent the whole spring in France studying abroad and hanging out at the Eiffel Tower. Had a great summer, had his life planned out. He just rented an apartment in New York. He starts his job in two weeks, and he’s graduating with his Masters in December. And he gets a call from coach Swinney on Sunday, ‘Hey, you wanna come kick against the ‘Noles this weekend?’ And he’s just crazy enough to want to do it.”

It has been a rough start to the season for Robert Gunn, who is 1-for-4 on field goals. The freshman missed a pair of attempts against Duke in the opener, before bouncing back to connect from 23 yards out on his only attempt against Charleston Southern. However, he missed his only field goal attempt against FAU and also missed an extra point.