Jonathan Weitz dreamed as a kid of kicking the game-winning field goal for Clemson that beat South Carolina in the Palmetto Bowl. It was a moment, up until three months ago, that seemed destined never to happen.
Until Weitz’s phone rang one afternoon in September while he was sitting in his Charleston apartment.
On the other end was Dabo Swinney. Clemson needed a kicker and he wanted Weitz, the former Tigers walk-on that had given up football and was days away from starting a job in New York City.
Weitz had one year of eligibility remaining since he was taking online classes to finish his master’s degree, and Swinney was ready to mortgage the Tigers’ kicking game on a player who had left the football field behind.
Fate had other plans. On Saturday, November 25 at Williams-Brice Stadium, Weitz not only kicked the winning field goal to beat the Gamecocks, he kicked three of them.
“The amount of times I’ve been out on the field with my dad in Charleston, thinking this is the kick that’s going to beat the Gamecocks, countless,” said a beaming Weitz. “I can’t count how many times I’ve done that.”
Jonathan Weitz
It was not just that Weitz kicked three field goals in Saturday’s 16-7 victory. Those kicks accounted for all of Clemson’s offensive points. All three of them would have been career long kicks, given that Weitz’s longest boot of the season had been 41 yards entering the contest.
On Saturday, he made kicks from 50, 49, and 42 yards. He truly was the difference in the game.
“To be here, and be in this moment in front of ya’ll after beating the Gamecocks, little eight, nine, 10, 12-year-old me would be crying just looking at this right now,” added an emotional Weitz.
Jonathan Weitz
When you look back at the history of the Palmetto Bowl, one of college football’s oldest and fiercely contested rivalries, the Tigers have been the recipient of many legendary performances. Of the many reasons the Tigers lead the series 73-43-4 is thanks in large part to the efforts of those who went above and beyond and became legends during the penultimate game on both schools’ schedules.
Rod Gardner made “the catch,” Charlie Whitehurst led 63-17, true freshman DeShaun Watson beat the Gamecocks on one working leg, and now Weitz. Jonathan has joined the pantheon of Clemson heroes.
Not bad for a replacement kicker who joined the team three games into the season, missed a chip shot 29-yarder that would have beaten #4 ranked Florida State, and was a mere eight of 15 on the season. None of those struggles will be remembered. His night, his one shining moment at Williams-Brice Stadium, will live forever. You can take that to the bank.
Weitz was lights out.
“(Jonathan) thought his last game was last year against (South Carolina) when he walked off the field,” said Swinney. “For him to have his career resurrected if you will, and to have a chance to come back, run it back, and finish his career with a win was awesome.”
Dabo Swinney
Resurrection is right. Weitz was born again from a former walk-on, headed out for a job in the real world, to an immortal Clemson legend. It is something out of a fairy tale for Jonathan, and a moment he will forever cherish.
“It’s a lot to take in and kind of overwhelming,” he said. “To be in this moment, I’m just so thankful.”
