Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Tech Note: New Kicker Cleared To Play

Texas Tech special teams coach Clay McGuire said Tuesday that kicker Matt Williams will be given consideration to kick extra points and field goals this week, a day after he was cleared to participate this season. Tech's choices at kicker for Saturday's game at Kansas are freshman Donnie Carona or Williams, McGuire said.

Williams came onto the Red Raiders' radar during their Sept. 20 game against Massachusetts when he made a 30-yard field goal during a between-quarters promotion.

He was invited to join the team the following week, though Tech coach Mike Leach thought he would have to sit out the season. Williams transferred to Tech from Tarleton State, where he made a brief attempt to walk on but never kicked in a game.

According to Tech officials, Williams was granted a one-time exception to the NCAA transfer rule because he was neither recruited by nor ever on scholarship at Tarleton, facts that required confirmation by the Tarleton athletic department. That enabled him to be eligible immediately at Tech.

Tech received the confirmation in writing and cleared Williams on Monday.

"He's had three or four weeks now to get back in shape,'' McGuire said. "He's doing a good job. He's a confident kid. He's real smooth. He's looked good so far.''

McGuire said the choice between Carona and Williams will be made based on how they look in practice this week.

McGuire said sophomore punter Jonathan LaCour, who also kicked in high school, isn't a consideration, because his punting average has dropped from 42.6 yards last year to 37.6 this season.

"Right now, we need him to get his punting going like he did last year,'' McGuire said. "We want him concentrating on that and only that.''

Tech has had seven placement kicks blocked this season. Carona is 3-for-7 on field goals and was replaced last week by senior Cory Fowler, but Fowler had two extra points blocked - and one returned for two points - in the team's 43-25 victory Saturday at Texas A&M.

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