Cismesia Enters Spring Practice on Top

Place kicker Gary Cismesia enters spring practice at the top of the depth chart, but the competition is still there for a starting position in the fall.

Though he’s no longer clawing his way up the ranks, the feeling isn’t much different for kicker Gary Cismesia as he begins spring practice. He’s listed at the top of the depth chart this time, but he knows the starting position is still open for competition in the fall.

"I still have to compete," Cismesia said. "We have a freshmen coming in and the jobs open. We have to compete and I have to win it."

Cismesia is using spring practice to get back into a rhythm with his snap and hold crew, the same group he worked with last season. It’s the first time they’ve put in any practice since the Gator Bowl and there was a little rust to work off.

"Right now is just getting back in the grove with the snap and hold, because we haven’t really worked since the Gator Bowl," Cismesia said. "It’s getting that and getting our times down."

Cismesia added that the first day back was a little rough, but they’ve progressed quickly and during Wednesday’s practice their timing was perfect.

Over the next few weeks, Cismesia will have his kicks charted alongside the rest of Florida State’s place kickers. Cismesia went 8-for-10 Wednesday from lengths of 30 and 35 yards at various angles.

Cismesia spent the time between the bowl game and the start of spring practice hitting the weight room and working on conditioning.

"I did a lot of lifting weights," Cismesia said. "I hadn’t done a lot of weight lifting in high school or during the season. (The coaches) want me to get stronger and more flexible. A lot of its speed movements to hopefully help me kick better."

Cismesia says he will continue to use his unorthodox approach to field goal kicking, lining up at a comfortable position instead of the standard three steps back, two steps over.

He tied the school record by going five-for-five in his first career start against Duke last season. The experience gained against the Blue Devils, he says, helped ease his nerves and prepare him for a starting role in the future.

"I’m not going to be afraid next year if I come in," Cismesia said. "If I win the starting job it will come natural. The first few kicks I was a little worried, but after that I was fine. And now I don’t have to worry about that."