KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Freddie Swain has 209 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns the last week.
That’s pretty good but it’s incredible when you consider Swain had just 253 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in his first 24 games (two seasons) in Orange and Blue.
Swain was a four-star prospect from Citra, Florida just 28 miles south of Gainesville. He had offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Clemson, Georgia and LSU to name a few but decided to stay close to home. For much of his first two years on campus Swain was ether buried on the depth chart or used improperly, so when the Gators brought in a new coaching staff it was a fresh start and a chance to really shine. Except Florida kept him outside and he continued to struggle to find his footing.
“When we kind of moved him in to being a slot receiver rather than an outside guy, you know, I mean, as we say in Spring we’re trying to move guys all over the place and after Spring Billy’s like ‘Let’s try him in the slot,’” Dan Mullen said after Saturday’s 47-21 win over Tennessee. “He’s much more comfortable there. He’s a much more comfortable player there.”
Swain had 16 catches for 214 yards and three touchdowns in his first two seasons. Through four games he’s already at eight catches (tied for the team lead) with 193 yards and three touchdowns. He also added a punt return for a touchdown against Colorado State. This season he’s averaging 24.2 yards-per-return to lead the SEC.
“He’s a hard-working guy. I think it’s just showing,” Feleipe Franks said. “I think it wasn’t something I wasn’t expecting because I know how hard he works. He’s my workout partner, so I know how hard he works.”
Franks and Swain have had a connection on the field this season and it paid off on Saturday night.
The following sequence of events is where the game turned. Tennessee hit a 32-yard field goal to make the score a manageable 14-3 in the second quarter. Florida went three-and-out but Tommy Townsend’s punt was downed at the two yard line. CeCe Jefferson and Adam Shuler teamed up two plays later for a safety to make the score 16-3. On Florida’s next offensive play Franks scrambled out of the pocket and found Swain. The junior receiver turned up Tennessee’s sideline and turned the after burners on for a 68-yard touchdown. The play was great for Franks, who worked through his progressions, felt pressure and used his legs to extend the play. Swain’s route had him dragging across the field and, while scrambling with his eyes up, Franks found him wide open.
Let Swain explain it.
“Feleipe had to rush out of the pocket a little bit to the right. I just kept my play alive. I seen the safety sky down, so I just kept my route on, kept going toward the sideline,” Swain said. “He saw me, so he threw the ball. Great blocking downfield, that’s why I was able to score.”
Swain has some speed but he showed another gear on Saturday night racing 68 yards before diving into the checkerboard end zone. C.J. Henderson and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson were accomplished track athletes in high school and generally regarded as the fastest players on the team. Swain said the guys raced in the offseason and when asked how those races went he slyly responded, “They know what it is. They know. Yeah, they know.”
Swain is enjoying his most productive season in Gainesville. It may be coming as a surprise to fans that had moved on from him after his first two seasons and wanted to see the new crop of receivers that have joined the team through transfer or recruiting but Swain is just getting started.
“He’s making big plays,” Mullen said of Swain. “I think he’s building confidence in doing so.”