Colby head coach Jack Cosgrove and receiver Jordan Roddy, a Cony graduate, walk toward the field during a game against Wesleyan on Saturday in Waterville.
After injury and illness kept Jordan Roddy out of the Colby College lineup the first three games this season, the Cony High graduate came up big in his collegiate football debut last Saturday.
A first year wide receiver, Roddy caught four passes for 32 yards, and scored his first career touchdown, taking a 6 yard pass from quarterback Matt Hersch for a score with 14 seconds left in the game. Roddy’s touchdown cut Colby’s deficit to Wesleyan to 28-20, the eventual final score.
“It was a little 5-yard out,” Roddy said of the play on which he scored. “Last week was my first game. I was out for a while, so to come back and score a touchdown in your first game is pretty cool.”
Colby coach Jack Cosgrove said he’s liked what he’s seen so far from Roddy in the limited time he’s practiced.
“We really didn’t have him in the preseason. I don’t think he was cleared to start practice until the Middlebury week (week three of the season),” Cosgrove said. “He practiced well last week, and of course, we gave him a shot and he responded pretty well. He’s a very coachable kid. He wants to do well. He wants to know his assignments. He’s learning how to read coverages. It was good to see him help us out the way he did Saturday.”
Roddy is listed as a starter at wide receiver in the game notes released by Amherst College for this week’s game against the Mammoths. Roddy is one of a number of young players expected to contribute. Eleven of the 24 projected starters listed (including kicker and punter) are freshman or sophomores. Hersch is a freshman, along with center Ty Mahar. Defensively, the Mules could start first year players at defensive end, Nick Wilcox, and linebacker, Will Terzi. Punter Moises Celaya also is a freshman.
The longtime head coach at the University of Maine, Cosgrove said there’s no clear path to playing time for young players. Typically, playing time for a freshman or sophomore comes when a veteran is injured or when talent surfaces in practice.
“At Maine you had spring practice, and you had 29 fall practices to see. Here we have a short time, a very short time to evaluate,” Cosgrove said. “I think the move to a first year or a younger player playing early, you really don’t get the opportunity until there’s been a couple games played. Maybe he gets a taste. It’s really challenging that way. A kid has outstanding practices. You seem him perform, and it stands out.”
Roddy is looking to simply improve each week the rest of the season.
“It’s definitely a lot more complicated than high school, but I’m integrating pretty well,” Roddy said. “Obviously, I’m not as experienced as the older guys, but as weeks go on, I’m getting more experience and learning the little things that matter.”
• • •
Husson looks to extend its Eastern Collegiate Football Conference win streak to 18 games when it makes the long trip to Alfred, N.Y. to take on Alfred State on Saturday at noon.
The Eagles have four conference games remaining in the ECFC. Next season, Husson will join the Commonwealth Coast Conference. Husson closes the regular season with a non-conference game at Plymouth State.
• • •
Coming off the first win in program history, the University of New England hosts Endicott Saturday in a Commonwealth Coast Conference game.
The Nor’easters pulled out a dramatic, 44-42 win over Curry last week when Robert Inniss, Jr. made a 38-yard field goal with five seconds remaining. Inniss was named conference Special Teams Player of the Week for his history-making field goal.
UNE wide receiver Ryan Gaboury was named conference Offensive Player and Rookie of the Week for his 10 catch, 192 yards, and three touchdown effort in the win. Linebacker Keegan Stanton-Meas was conference Defensive Rookie of the Week for his 13 tackle effort against Curry. Two of his tackles went for a loss, including a sack. Stanton-Meas also forced a fumble and broke up a pass.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
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