Punting update with Matt Stone

[PonyPride]

Matt Stone, who filled in for Matt Szymanski for a couple of games in 2010, had his first round of punts with his teammates (normally the kickers and punters head to Ford Stadium while the rest of the team practices on the Pettus practice field). The results were mixed, ranging from a wobbler that went out of bounds at about 30 yards (and nearly hit head coach June Jones) to a bomb of nearly 70 yards that had a perfect spiral and was almost high enough to bring down rain.

"I thought I punted pretty well, but I need to be more consistent," Stone said. "You want to have consistent hangtime and consistent yardage. (Special teams) Coach (Frank) Gansz (Jr.) said he wants me to average about 44 yards, and 4.3 or 4.4 seconds (of hangtime)."

To increase his hangtime, Stone said he spent the summer not tweaking his mechanics of lifting heavy weight with his legs, but trying instead to improve his flexibility.

"I worked a lot on my flexibility," Stone said. "If you're more flexible, you can get your leg higher, and if you can do that, you have a chance to get more hangtime."

Stone also has worked with Garland-based kicking and punting coach Rocky Willingham, who has worked in the past with former SMU punter (and current New Orleans Saint) Thomas Morstead and former Baylor (and current Pittsburgh Steeler) punter Daniel Sepulveda.

SMU head coach June Jones has not said yet that the punting position belongs to Stone, but if he does end up earning the job, he said he doesn't worry about the size and the volume of the crowd SMU will face in its season opener at Texas A&M.

"I'll just have to focus on hitting hte ball solidly," Stone said. "One key thing about punting is that you have to focus on your hold, the way you drop the ball.

"In practice, I focus on the ball — that's it. You have to be able to block everything else out."

[papawppc1]

Rocky is as good as you will find as a kicking and punting coach. He also worked with Matt Fodge[OSU alumni] who was a Ray Guy winner.

[Pony ^]

Stone is a good guy that is committed and meshes well with team, unlike Loftus from what I've heard. I believe he will do a fine job!

[PonyTime]

But can he run the cool fake punt play that we used against TCU last year? What is his 40?