Jonathan Weitz explains how he ended up at Clemson this season

Clemson kicker Jonathan Weitz has provided one of the more unique storylines in college football this season. The walk-on kicker retired after the 2022 season following four years with the Tigers.

He was pursuing his Master’s degree online when Dabo Swinney and the football team called him to see if he would come back and re-join the team in September after struggles at the kicker position.

Weitz relayed that story during a press conference Tuesday.

“I didn’t really reach out to anyone,” Weitz said. “Obviously, I’m good friends with a lot of guys on the team. They were all like, ‘Oh, you still have eligibility. Do you have any interest in doing that?’ And I was like, ‘Umm, maybe.’ I didn’t really say anything like, ‘Oh yeah, I’d love to go back.’ I think someone told Coach Swinney. It ended up that I was sitting in Charleston on my buddy’s couch and got a text. Next thing I know I was driving up here and the rest is history. Here I am, sitting in front of y’all. It’s been a super fun and interesting journey. I think pretty unique.”

Robert Gunn III struggled in the first three games of the season, leading Swinney to call Weitz and see if he would come back despite not kicking a football since April.

Weitz did, and was named the starter for Clemson’s game versus Florida State. Weitz was 1 of 2 on field goals during the game while nailing all three PATs.

However, his one missed field goal was 29-yard attempt with 1:45 left in the fourth quarter that would have put the Tigers up 27-24. But he missed the Seminoles went on to win in overtime.

“I approach everything like I want to do my best but there is this like kind of freeing feeling,” Weitz said. “If I were in this position last year, say like (last year’s starter BT Potter) went down, I think I would have so much more stress. There’s times like when he was hurting like, maybe it was Wednesday, and my heart rate would start going up. I feel like so comfortable. Even this, being up here talking to y’all. I probably would have been so much more nervous a year ago today than I am right now.”

Weitz is 3 of 6 on all field goal attempts this season while connecting all nine of his PATs.

He had played in only seven games over the first four years of his career with no field goal attempts as a backup to BT Potter.

While he didn’t get the Hollywood ending against Florida State, Weitz is still embracing his second chance at playing college football.

“It’s just everything feels right,” Weitz said. “I don’t know what that reason is but it just feels right being here and getting a chance. So this week and the rest of the weeks, we got six more games and hopefully some after that, I’m going to just keep playing free and enjoying it. This is a super unique experience talking to y’all, getting to play in Hard Rock Stadium. I’m just enjoying it all. I’m gonna do my best and keep having fun with it. I think that gives me my best shot of doing well this season is just having fun with it, enjoying being back with my friends.”