The special teams under Florida Atlantic football head coach Zach Kittley continues to develop, finding an accurate kicker in Garrison Smith.
Garrison Smith
Kicker
5-10, 185 lbs
Transfer
Akron
Smith announced his commitment to the Owls on Sunday afternoon via X, shortly after entering the portal on Dec. 2. He joins the team with one year of eligibility remaining, as the decision was a “no-brainer” for him to come to Boca Raton.
“They are all about making sure you are the best person you can be on the field and as you can off the field as well. Plus, I love how much they do work in the community and giving back, that is a huge deal for me because I love doing community and volunteer work!” Smith said.
He felt greatly appreciated by Kittley and the FAU coaching staff, noticing how they weren’t recruiting him only for his athletic ability but for his future success on and off the field.
“Truly knowing that with one year left, I’ll be able to finish my master’s and getting to learn from such a young and ambitious staff because I too want to be a coach someday. Just felt like home,” Smith remarked.
He moves on from the Akron Zips after one season with the football program. There, he commanded the starting spot at kicker as he made 13 of his 16 field goal attempts while nailing all 24 of his extra-point conversions. Throughout his career, he is accurate on 31 of his 37 field goals.
Moving on to a different environment for his final year, Smith has a lot of trust in the system that Kittley and his position coach Tyler Schovanec will run at FAU, having the kicker be determined to fulfill his objective.
“With Coach Kittley having the success he has had over the years definitely excites me as a player. I love to be a part of a team that has the potential to have great success!” Smith stated.
“All I can ever ask for is a chance to compete to get on the field and I understand I have to earn that right. But honestly with Coach Schovanec and sitting down and looking at what he plans to achieve this year. I’m excited to get to work with him and my teammates to achieve big things this year.”
Smith was viewed as a two-star prospect by recruiting outlets coming out of high school, particularly Rivals. He initially committed to Ohio State as a walk-on for the 2021 season before transferring to McNeese State for the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.
While he has gained plenty of experience throughout his collegiate career, there is one thing he is setting out to achieve in his final season for the 2025 campaign at FAU.
“My goal is to do everything I possibly can for the team and as stated before to finish strong academically and get my Master’s Degree in Business Analytics,” he said.
His highlights at Norwalk High School can be viewed below: