Eds: APNewsNow.

SHERMAN, Texas (AP) He hasn't played a down this season, but a 61-year-old graduate student is hoping to play this weekend for a Texas college Football team.

Tom Thompson of suburban Dallas says he is ready to kick for the Austin College Kangaroos when the Division III school hosts Trinity University in Saturday's season finale.

Thompson tells KXII-TV that he was a backup kicker in high school, but that was more than 40 years ago. He says he "had to learn how to kick all over again." Coach Ronnie Gage says he's unsure whether he will play Thompson on Saturday, but he praised the man who's "gone through a lot of hard work and a lot of pain to be able to do this." (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-11-09 1634CST | save this article / add to your favorites list