After MSU's kicking game failed on 69 percent of field goal tries last season, head coach John L. Smith knew he needed someone else to turn to.
He found that someone in freshman Brett Swenson.
After hitting all 10 of his field goal attempts in two preseason scrimmages, Swenson was named MSU's starting kicker last week.
"I feel good about him," Smith said of Swenson. "I've felt better about him than I have felt in a long time."
Ranked the fourth best high school kicker in the country last season by Rivals.com, Swenson hit 7-of-11 field goals and 60-of-61 extra points for St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Swenson beat out sophomore Todd Boleski, who handled kickoff duties for the Spartans for the last six games last season. Smith said Boleski will retain that role this season.
Because of restrictions placed on freshmen players by Smith, Swenson can't comment to the media. But Boleski said Swenson earned the spot.
"I think he's done really great," Boleski said. "He's a real good kicker. He's accurate. He's come in and done what he needs to do."
Last season, Spartans place-kickers John Goss and Matt Haughey connected on just five of 16 field goal attempts (.313), none of which went longer than 32 yards. The duo had more misses inside the red zone (7) than makes (5).
Often last season, the offense seemed to force balls in the red zone. One of the reasons for this could have been a lack of dependability in the kicking game.
"There was definitely a lot of pressure on us to get in the end zone from the red zone, but we had ability to do it, so it shouldn't have been a problem," senior wide receiver Jerramy Scott said. "Now that our kicking game has improved and the offense has improved, hopefully we'll still try to score when we get down there in the red zone."
At the end of spring practice, Boleski was listed on the depth chart as the first-string placekicker, but Swenson passed him with a strong summer.
"I'm just trying to help the team out any way I can," Boleski said. "If I have to come in and kick a field goal, I'm ready to do it. I'm just going to take my time and keep practicing and get better and learn from the experience."
But Boleski's not upset. He said the competition has been beneficial for everyone.
"It's been great for both of us," Boleski said. "(The competition has) really helped out. (Swenson) had a great fall preseason camp, so he'll be kicking. But it's made me better while still doing it. It's going to keep making us better throughout the season."
