Bobby Swigert, Chase Rettig know scoreBy Rich Thompson / BC Notebook | Thursday, August 23, 2012 |
http://www.bostonherald.com | College Football
Receiver Bobby Swigert reached the end zone in his debut with the first-team offense in yesterday’s final scrimmage at Alumni Stadium.
Swigert sat out the first two scrimmages and was limited to fair catching punts in the third while recovering from an unspecified leg problem. The 6-foot-1, 186-pound junior from Louisville, Ohio, reconnected with quarterback Chase Rettig on the opening series yesterday.
With the ball at midfield, Rettig took a deep drop and eyed Swigert on a tight post route down the middle of the field. Swigert split the safeties, caught Rettig’s pass in stride and raced 20 additional yards for a score.
“Our defense rolled the cover-2 and he had the middle read, so everything worked out well,” Rettig said. “He made a good run after the catch.”
Swigert became Rettig’s go-to receiver last year after fifth-year senior Ifeanyi Momah suffered a knee injury in the opener against Northwestern. Swigert caught 44 passes for 470 yards and three touchdowns, and he had a career-high nine receptions against Wake Forest. Swigert likely will start in the slot when the Eagles host Miami on Sept. 1 in the season opener.
“Bobby is a crucial part of our offense and a good receiver,” BC coach Frank Spaziani said.
Swigert took a sideline hit later in practice but left under his own power.
Freese won’t ice
Kicker Nate Freese got the cold treatment from defensive coordinator Bill McGovern during a tense situational test on the final plays of the scrimmage.
The simulated game was in overtime with the first unit down, 24-21. On fourth down from the 20, Freese came onto the field intent on tying the game. McGovern called consecutive timeouts in an attempt to ice Freese. The junior was unfazed by the ploy and split the uprights from 37 yards.
Freese made his first eight field goal attempts in the four scrimmages but missed a 40-yarder on the next possession under the same circumstances.
“We were trying to freeze him out, sort of freeze Freese,” Spaziani said. “That is what the opposing team would have done. It didn’t work on that one, but it did on the next one.”
Tough running
Sophomore tailback Tahj Kimble was back on the field after missing the first three scrimmages with a leg injury. Kimble is the Eagles’ third-down option, but injuries forced him to be an every-down player for the scrimmage. Kimble was routinely wrapped up by the second defense and finished with 26 yards on seven carries.
Rolandan Finch, last season’s leading rusher, sprained his foot in the second scrimmage and has not practiced since. Power runner Andre Williams was healthy, but Spaziani elected to keep him on ice for the last two scrimmages as a precaution.
“(Finch) looks like he’s making progress, but that’s going to be this weekend,” Spaziani said. “I feel optimistic about it, but you know how that goes.
“(Williams) is fine and Tahj just got back. I wanted to get Tahj some work today, get him into a rhythm until (Finch) comes around.” . . .
Rettig was 7-of-13 for 130 yards in his final tuneup, and he’s anxious to turn the corner and start game-planning for Miami.
Rettig likely will start the season with Swigert, Colin Larmond and Alex Amidon as his receivers. Rettig has adapted the new schemes and fast tempo under first-year offensive coordinator Doug Martin and wants to test them against the Hurricanes defense.
“There are a whole bunch of different concepts, but now we get to game-plan stuff,” Rettig said. “It will be strictly things that are in the game plan that we’ll be calling in (practice) unless there’s a change.
“Now guys can focus in on Miami.”