By ROBERT CESSNA
Former Texas A&M place-kicker Matt Szymanski will transfer to Southern Methodist in hopes of helping first-year coach June Jones turn around the Mustangs' fortunes.
Szymanski plans to start classes at SMU in late August, according to his father, David Szymanski, who is a marketing professor at Texas A&M.
Matt Szymanski, who turns 20 next month, will have two years of eligibility left after sitting out the 2008 season under NCAA rules as a transfer. He will be able to work out with the team as soon as he enrolls.
David Szymanski said Friday his son decided on SMU early in the recruiting process after a quiet search, opting not to take any other visits. Matt Szymanski could have avoided sitting out a season by transferring to a school in the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-AA. SMU, however, had the intangibles he was looking for.
"He really liked Coach Jones and what he's doing with that program," David Szymanski said. "He thought he'd fit in well, and he also liked that he could stay in Texas."
Matt Szymanski asked to be released from his scholarship at A&M on June 6 from first-year head coach Mike Sherman, who granted it while wishing Szymanski well and thanking him for what he'd accomplished.
Szymanski fills a void for the Mustangs, who did not sign a kicking specialist in Jones' initial recruiting class in February.
SMU senior Thomas Morstead is a preseason Conference USA pick at punter. He averaged 44.6 yards on 57 punts, with 21 inside the opponents' 20-yard-line last season. His average led the league and was ninth in the nation.
Morstead also handles placements. He was 13 of 20 on field goals, including three from more than 50 yards. Junior Kellis Cunningham handled SMU's kickoffs last year. He had only five touchbacks in 63 kickoffs.
Szymanski would like to handle all kicking duties, something he did at A&M Consolidated.
"He'll compete for any spot expect quarterback," his father said.
Szymanski punted only once in two years at A&M as the backup to Justin Brantly.
Szymanski averaged 39 yards per punt with a long of 53 as a junior at A&M Consolidated, with 13 kicks inside the opponents' 20. But the 6-foot-1, 194-pounder was recruited primarily as a place-kicker by former A&M head coach Dennis Franchione.
Szymanski made national news when he graduated from A&M Consolidated in the summer of 2006 before his senior season, which allowed him to enroll in college a full school year early. The only other high school football player believed to have done that was former Southern Cal quarterback John David Booty.
Szymanski was rated the nation's best prep kicker heading into the 2006 season by Chris Sailor Kicking. He was 19 of 26 on field-goal attempts as a high school junior, opting not to use a kicking tee in order to prepare for college. He hit a 61-yard field goal in the Class 5A Division I state semifinals against Euless Trinity, which was the longest field goal in 5A playoff history in Texas.
But Szymanski couldn't consistently regain the form at Texas A&M that earned him all-state honors at Consol.
He was 17 of 30 on field-goal attempts at A&M with a long of 45 yards.
Szymanski made 15 of 25 field-goal attempts last year. He struggled from mid- to long range, hitting 6 of 10 between 30 and 39 yards and 2 of 7 from 40 to 49 yards.
Szymanski's strong leg, however, was a weapon for A&M's kickoff team. He had 69 kickoffs as a freshman, 25 of them touchbacks. A&M's kickoff return defense improved 33 spots to 20th in the nation in 2006, allowing an average of 18.2 yards per return. Last year, A&M allowed 20.8 yard per return, which was 48th in the country. Szymanski had 66 kickoffs, 24 of them touchbacks.
Szymanski beat out senior Layne Neumann to be the place-kicker for the 2006 opener. He made 1 of 4 in the first three games, and Neumann took over.
Neumann was 12 of 15 thereafter, but was replaced for the Holiday Bowl by Szymanski, who had gradually improved during the season in practice Franchione said. Szymanski hit a 32-yarder in the second quarter for A&M's last points in a 45-10 loss to California.
David Szymanski said his son is enjoying a rare few weeks of summer relaxation after completing the summer session of classes at A&M.
"He's had four or five straight intense summers," David Szymanski said.
The younger Szymanski will work with veteran special teams coach Frank Gansz at SMU. Gansz spent 24 years as a coach in the NFL and is regarded as one of the league's all-time best special teams instructors.
"This is a good opportunity," David Szymanski said. "He gets a fresh start. I think he's really improved, and grown. We look forward to what's ahead."
The offensive-minded Jones, who built Hawaii into a national power, would rather not see much of his kickers. The Warriors, who were 12-1 last season and lost to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, attempted 17 field goals and punted only 35 times.
Recently during an online chat, Jones was asked what his strategy would be on going for a first down or punting near midfield with a great punter like Morstead.
"I don't think about punting," Jones told The Dallas Morning News.
Jones was 75-41 in nine seasons at Hawaii. He replaced former A&M player and assistant coach Phil Bennett, who was 18-52 at SMU. The Mustangs were 1-11 last season, including 0-8 in Conference USA. It was the program's worst record since going 0-12 in 2003.
SMU is 54-147 since receiving the NCAA's death penalty in 1987. The Mustangs' last bowl appearance was in 1984.
Szymanski won't be the only former Consol Tiger on the SMU roster. Defensive end Andrew Ellison was part of Jones' initial 28-member signing class, along with Bryan High defensive lineman Torlan Pittman.
• Robert Cessna's e-mail address is robert.cessna@theeagle.com.
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Posted by: vatsa On: 7/28/2008
Comment Title: thank god
Matt Zymanski was the lousiest kicker to play in A+M. For an offense that regulary scores FGs instead of TDs and scores nothing from FG ranges, Zymanski was an integral part! good that sherman gave him a royal punt!