Jason Witczak (born May 24, 1978) is an American football player. He is currently a free agent kicker who most recently played for the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League.[needs update] Witczak has also spent time on the rosters of the Tennessee Titans[1] and the Buffalo Bills.[2]
| No. 11 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Placekicker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | May 24, 1978 North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | North Fond du Lac (WI) Horace Mann |
| College: | Southeast Missouri State |
| Undrafted: | 2001 |
| Career history | |
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| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Stats at ArenaFan.com | |
College career
editAn all-conference wide receiver, safety and punter at Horace Mann High School in North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Witczak attended the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, where he played on the golf team. Because the school did not have a football program, Witczak transferred to Marshall University in 1998 to play both sports.[3] He played his sophomore and junior seasons at Marshall University, where he was the long distance field goal kicker and his longest kick was 46 yards.
Witczak then transferred to Southeast Missouri State University, where he was named to the 2000 Football Gazette NCAA Division I-AA All-American Team as a punter, and had a nation-leading 41.3 net punting average.[4] Witczak punted 48 times for 1983 yards with 15 punts inside the 20-yard line, also connecting on 5 of 9 field goals with a long of 44.[5]
Professional career
edit2004
editWitczak began his AFL career as a mid-season replacement for the Arizona Rattlers. During his first AFL game, he suffered a season-ending injury after tearing his ACL on a kickoff. He was placed on injured reserve for the rest of the 2004 season. He spent the 2005 preseason with the Rattlers, but was released before the regular season began.
2006
editWitczak was signed as a mid-season replacement for the Nashville Kats, where he played in 7 games, hitting 4-11 (36.4%) field goals and 41-46 (89.1%) points after touchdown.
2007
editWitczak broke a Kats record for the longest field goal in a game, completing a 57-yard field goal.[6] He finished the season 4-13 (30.8%) for field goals and 91.2% (103-113) for points after touchdown. His percentage on XPAT's tied him for 8th in the AFL.[citation needed]
2008
editWitczak went 15-16 on points after touchdown and 0-2 on field goals before tearing the ACL in his kicking leg in week 3 against the San Jose Sabercats. He was placed on the injured reserve list and did not play again that season.
2010
editWitczak went 39 of 42 (93%) on points after touchdown and 2 for 3 on field goals with a longest field goal of 45 yards before being replaced by Fabrizio Scaccia.
2011
editWitczak was re-signed by the Arizona Rattlers for the last week of the season and the playoffs as a result of Fabrizio Scaccia's return to the San Francisco 49ers after the lockout ended. He hit 7 of 8 extra points in the last game of the regular season, and was 0 for 1 on field goals and 24 of 26 on extra points during the Rattlers run to the Arena Bowl, where they lost to the Jacksonville Sharks 73-70 on the last play of the game. Going 10-10 in the game on extra points set an Arena Bowl Record.[citation needed]
Golf career
editWitczak received instruction from Manuel de la Torre in his home state of Wisconsin, playing in junior tournaments there.[3][7] He is a Class A PGA Professional who taught from 2003 to 2009 in Phoenix at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge at Wildfire Golf Club before becoming a part-owner at Adobe Dam Family Golf Center in Glendale, Arizona, where he taught golf from 2009 to 2013. He is now the Director of Instruction for John Jacobs' Lesson and Instruction programs at Orange Tree Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.[8]
In 2004, Witczak won the Titleist/Foot Joy Assistant Pro Championship. In the 2007 Remax World Long Drive, he finished 13th in the world, with a drive of 404 yards.[9] He captured his first long drive title in 2011, winning the Sife Professional Long Drive Title in McKinney, Texas. In 2011 and 2012 he was runner-up in the Southwest Section Match Play Championship. He qualified for the 2012 PGA Professional National Championship.[10]
References
edit- ^ Mishow, Marty. "Ex-Indian Witczak hooks up with Titans". Southeast Missourian, July 29, 2001, p. 2B. Retrieved on July 31, 2013.
- ^ Mishow, Marty. "Bucs weren't a surprise, but domination was". Southeast Missourian, February 2, 2003, p. 5B. Retrieved on July 31, 2013.
- ^ a b D'Amato, Gary. "Playing for more than kicks"[permanent dead link]. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 17, 2000, p. 4C. Retrieved on July 31, 2013.
- ^ Mishow, Marty. "SE punter Witczak collects big honor". Southeast Missourian, January 10, 2001, p. 1B. Retrieved on July 31, 2013.
- ^ Arizona Rattlers. "Rattlers Sign Former Kicker Jason Witczak" Archived July 31, 2013, at archive.today (Press Release). July 20, 2011. Retrieved on July 31, 2013.
- ^ Mishow, Marty. "Hogan worthy of holding Southeast's record". Southeast Missourian, April 1, 2007, p. 6B. Retrieved on July 31, 2013.
- ^ Milwaukee Sentinel. "Witczak, Konicek win Sentinel titles"[permanent dead link]. August 11, 1992, p. 5B. Retrieved on July 31, 2013.
- ^ PGA of America. "Jason L. Witczak, PGA". Retrieved on July 31, 2013.
- ^ PGA of America. "Saturday notebook"[permanent dead link]. June 23, 2012. Retrieved on July 31, 2013.
- ^ Stewart, Jerry. "Dobyns takes lead from Small at PGA Professional National Championship". Monterey Herald, June 26, 2012. Retrieved on July 31, 2013.