Swartz plans for leg to catch eye of fans

ROB KEYS
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- Matt Swartz isn't offended by the notion that most of Arkansas might not know who he is. Swartz plans on introducing himself Saturday night.
"I want them to be like, 'Who is this guy?' " Swartz said. "Then when I get out there, I want to make my kicks and put my kickoffs in the back of the end zone. They'll know my name after the game. That's all that matters to me."
Swartz will be Arkansas' starting place-kicker when the Razorbacks open their season against Southwest Missouri State at 8 p.m. in War Memorial Stadium.
The Arkansas faithful can be excused for any unfamiliarity with Swartz, a native of Coral Springs, Fla., who spent two years at Lehigh before transferring to Arkansas before the 1998 season.
Swartz chose Lehigh because of a scholarship offer but wasn't satisfied with life in the Patriot League despite making 5 of 6 field-goal attempts in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.
"It didn't fulfill my requirements for college football," Swartz said. "I wanted to play big-time ball. I've always had a dream of doing that, so I researched a bunch of schools and came up with Arkansas."
Swartz redshirted in 1998, then watched Tony Dodson handle Arkansas' kicking duties in 1999. Finally, last spring, with just one year of eligibility remaining, Swartz got his chance "to be the man" in a big-time college football environment.
Swartz kicked efficiently enough to be listed as Arkansas' No. 1 place-kicker coming out of spring practice, but the stay was short-lived.
Scholarship freshman Brennan O'Donohoe of El Dorado wowed the coaching staff with three consecutive days of powerful and consistent kicking early in preseason workouts, and special teams coordinator James Shibest moved O'Donohoe ahead of Swartz.
The move irritated Swartz, who spent his summer in Fayetteville attending voluntary workouts as well as practicing with his roommates, holder Matt Burstein and reserve snapper Mark Stavely. Swartz said he ran a series of 100-yard dashes before allowing himself to attempt any kicks during his extra summer workouts.
"I was just trying to prep myself for a two-a-days mode, where I was going to be tired kicking, and trying to get past that," Swartz said.
Even so, O'Donohoe appeared to have an edge on Swartz before a groin muscle injury sidelined him. O'Donohoe's misfortune was Swartz's opportunity, and he made the most of it.
In Arkansas' only preseason scrimmage, Swartz made 6 of 7 field-goal attempts, with his only miss being a 55-yarder that bounced off the left upright. Following the scrimmage, Swartz said he had been fueled by frustration and anger after being leap-frogged by O'Donohoe.
"Just what it did to Matt, that's what I kind of hoped it would do because I think it made us better," special teams coordinator James Shibest said.
Swartz now says his emotions are in check and that he is focused only on finally getting his chance to perform in a big-time college football environment.
"I've simmered down a little bit, and now I'm just excited," Swartz said. "This is my dream come true right here. On Saturday I'm going to be out there playing big-time football for the University of Arkansas. I love it. This is what I came here for."
Coach Houston Nutt said believes Swartz is ready to introduce himself.
"He looks like a total different cat than he was in the spring," Nutt said. "He's very confident right now."

This article was published on Friday, September 1, 2000

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