Gene Swick
Encyclopedia
Gene Swick is an American former football
player. He played college football
as a quarterback
for the University of Toledo
from 1972 to 1975, and the Cleveland Browns
selected Swick in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft
, but subsequently waived him during camp. In 1975, he set the NCAA
Division I record with 8,074 career yards, which broke the previous record held by Jim Plunkett
of Stanford
and stood until surpassed by Mark Herrmann
of Purdue
in 1980.
. His family moved often, and he attended Millersport High School
and Oak Hill High School
each for one year, and Hebron Lakewood High School
for his final two years. Swick chose to attend the University of Toledo
to play college football
because they ran a pass-oriented offense, which many larger schools such as Ohio State
did not at the time. He said he received interest from Woody Hayes
' Ohio State coaching staff, but that he did not wish to hand off the ball to a running back
. Swick described Toledo's offense as often using four-receiver
sets and eschewing short passing game in favor of attempts of ten yards or more.
from 1972 to 1975, and earned varsity letters in each of his last three seasons. The Mid-American Conference
named Swick to the All-MAC first team in 1973, 1974, and 1975. The league selected him as the MAC Back of the Year in 1974 and 1975. In November 1974, the Associated Press
called Swick the "hardest-working quarterback in the country with 44.6 rushing-passing plays per game." In 1975, Swick led the nation in total offensive yards with 2,706. He finished as the runner-up in completions with 17.3 per game, and passed for 15 touchdown
s and rushed for eight more.
In the final game of his collegiate career against , Swick became the first player to record more than 8,000 career yards. His final career mark was 8,074 yards of total offense. He broke the former record of 7,887 yards held by Jim Plunkett
of Stanford
(1968–1970). Swick's benchmark was in turn surpassed in 1980 by Mark Herrmann
of Purdue
(1977–1980). Over the course of his collegiate career, Swick set numerous University of Toledo records for passing and offense.
The United Press International
named Swick to its 1975 All-America first team
, which makes him the only MAC quarterback to ever earn that honor from a major wire service. The Touchdown Club of Columbus
awarded him the Sammy Baugh Trophy
as the nation's best passer, and Football Roundup magazine selected him as the Offensive Player of the Year. He finished tenth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy
. Swick played in the Senior Bowl
for the North squad, and the East–West Shrine Game for the East squad.
according to The Chicago Tribune. However, in the 1976 NFL Draft
, Swick was not selected until the fourth round, where he was chosen with the 97th overall pick by the Cleveland Browns
. The Associated Press wrote, "As advertised, it was emphatically not the year of the quarterback. Except for the Jets' selection of Todd, the passers were pretty much ignored." Accurate passer Mike Cruszek of Boston College
was the second quarterback selected, despite not being a "name" player. Thus, touted quarterbacks Swick and Craig Penrose
of San Diego State
both fell to the fourth round.
The Browns signed Swick, alongside former Purdue quarterback Craig Nagel, in May 1976. His bonus was reported to be $20,000. Swick attended camp with a sore throwing arm, which reportedly hampered his performance. He said, "I didn't want to tell anybody because it would look like I was making excuses for myself. But it has come back strong now. I'm ready." During a summer scrimmage, he had a mediocre performance in which he completed
six of 14 pass attempts
for 44 yards and threw two interceptions. The franchise subsequently released Swick in July. He said, "There's not much I can say except I think they made a mistake. I'll just have to think over what my future in football might be. I haven't any complaint. They were good to me here, and I had the same opportunity as anyone else." His agent contacted several unnamed NFL teams with quarterback needs to secure another roster spot.
In August, he attended tryouts with the New York Giants
, and had a "two-year, no-cut contract" with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
of the Canadian Football League
. However, Swick said he did not like the style of play in Canada, and decided instead to enter business.
, where he is self-employed. Swick has been inducted into the University of Toledo's Varsity 'T' Hall of Fame, and the Hebron Lakewood High School Hall of Fame.
The University of Toledo record for career passing yards set by Swick was finally broken by Bruce Gradkowski
in 2005. Swick remained the last Toledo player drafted into the NFL until Tampa Bay
picked Gradkowski in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
from 1972 to 1975, and the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
selected Swick in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft
1976 NFL Draft
The 1976 National Football League Draft was an annual player selection meeting held on April 8–April 9, 1976. It lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks making the first two selections. The expansion teams were also given a pair of extra picks at the end of...
, but subsequently waived him during camp. In 1975, he set the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I record with 8,074 career yards, which broke the previous record held by Jim Plunkett
Jim Plunkett
James William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
of Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
and stood until surpassed by Mark Herrmann
Mark Herrmann
Mark James Herrmann is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the NFL. He was Associate Director of Educational Programs for the NCAA, before budget cutbacks. However, he is best known for his college career with the Purdue Boilermakers...
of Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
in 1980.
Early life
He was born the son of a minister, Jack Swick, in Licking County, OhioLicking County, Ohio
Licking County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 166,492. Its county seat is Newark and is named for the salt licks that were in the area....
. His family moved often, and he attended Millersport High School
Millersport High School
Millersport High School is a public high school in Millersport, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Walnut Township Local School District. The school's nickname is the Lakers....
and Oak Hill High School
Oak Hill High School (Ohio)
Oak Hill High School is a public high school in Oak Hill, Ohio in Jackson County in Southern Ohio. It is the only high school in the Oak Hill Union Local School District. The high school and elementary school are both located just north of the city limits on Route 93...
each for one year, and Hebron Lakewood High School
Lakewood High School (Hebron, Ohio)
Lakewood High School is a public high school in Hebron, Ohio, United States. It is the only high school in the Lakewood Local Schools district. Their nickname is the Lancers.-Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championships:...
for his final two years. Swick chose to attend the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
to play college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
because they ran a pass-oriented offense, which many larger schools such as Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
did not at the time. He said he received interest from Woody Hayes
Woody Hayes
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University , Miami University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career college football record of 238–72–10.During his 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio...
' Ohio State coaching staff, but that he did not wish to hand off the ball to a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. Swick described Toledo's offense as often using four-receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
sets and eschewing short passing game in favor of attempts of ten yards or more.
College career
At the University of Toledo, Swick played on the football teamToledo Rockets football
The Toledo Rockets football team is a college football program in Division I FBS, representing the University of Toledo. The Rockets compete in the Mid-American Conference. Toledo began playing football in 1917, although it did not field teams in 1931, and 1943-1945. Since the inception of the AP...
from 1972 to 1975, and earned varsity letters in each of his last three seasons. The Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
named Swick to the All-MAC first team in 1973, 1974, and 1975. The league selected him as the MAC Back of the Year in 1974 and 1975. In November 1974, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
called Swick the "hardest-working quarterback in the country with 44.6 rushing-passing plays per game." In 1975, Swick led the nation in total offensive yards with 2,706. He finished as the runner-up in completions with 17.3 per game, and passed for 15 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s and rushed for eight more.
In the final game of his collegiate career against , Swick became the first player to record more than 8,000 career yards. His final career mark was 8,074 yards of total offense. He broke the former record of 7,887 yards held by Jim Plunkett
Jim Plunkett
James William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
of Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
(1968–1970). Swick's benchmark was in turn surpassed in 1980 by Mark Herrmann
Mark Herrmann
Mark James Herrmann is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the NFL. He was Associate Director of Educational Programs for the NCAA, before budget cutbacks. However, he is best known for his college career with the Purdue Boilermakers...
of Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
(1977–1980). Over the course of his collegiate career, Swick set numerous University of Toledo records for passing and offense.
The United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
named Swick to its 1975 All-America first team
1975 College Football All-America Team
The 1975 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America,...
, which makes him the only MAC quarterback to ever earn that honor from a major wire service. The Touchdown Club of Columbus
Touchdown Club of Columbus
The Touchdown Club of Columbus was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1956 by Sam B. Nicola at the request of State Auditor James A. Rhodes, who later became governor of the state. Nicola served as the club's president until his death in 1993. More than a decade later, his son Sam Nicola, Jr...
awarded him the Sammy Baugh Trophy
Sammy Baugh Trophy
The Sammy Baugh Trophy is awarded annually to the nation's top college passer. The award is named in honor of former Texas Christian University and Washington Redskins quarterback "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh. The trophy has been given out by the Touchdown Club of Columbus since 1959...
as the nation's best passer, and Football Roundup magazine selected him as the Offensive Player of the Year. He finished tenth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. Swick played in the Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
for the North squad, and the East–West Shrine Game for the East squad.
Professional career
Before the 1975 season, Swick had been considered a prospective first-round selection in the NFL DraftNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
according to The Chicago Tribune. However, in the 1976 NFL Draft
1976 NFL Draft
The 1976 National Football League Draft was an annual player selection meeting held on April 8–April 9, 1976. It lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks making the first two selections. The expansion teams were also given a pair of extra picks at the end of...
, Swick was not selected until the fourth round, where he was chosen with the 97th overall pick by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The Associated Press wrote, "As advertised, it was emphatically not the year of the quarterback. Except for the Jets' selection of Todd, the passers were pretty much ignored." Accurate passer Mike Cruszek of Boston College
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
was the second quarterback selected, despite not being a "name" player. Thus, touted quarterbacks Swick and Craig Penrose
Craig Penrose
Craig R. Penrose is a former professional American football quarterback. He spent five seasons in the National Football League with the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets and 2 seasons with the United States Football League's Denver Gold. His family origin is Cornish American.-External links:**...
of San Diego State
San Diego State Aztecs football
The San Diego State football team represents the San Diego State Aztecs in college football. The Aztecs, a Division I FBS team and a member of the Mountain West Conference, play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The field is natural grass and has a maximum capacity of...
both fell to the fourth round.
The Browns signed Swick, alongside former Purdue quarterback Craig Nagel, in May 1976. His bonus was reported to be $20,000. Swick attended camp with a sore throwing arm, which reportedly hampered his performance. He said, "I didn't want to tell anybody because it would look like I was making excuses for myself. But it has come back strong now. I'm ready." During a summer scrimmage, he had a mediocre performance in which he completed
Completion (American football)
A completion is a term used in American football when a receiver successfully catches a pass. The three possible outcomes of a pass thrown are completion, incompletion, and interception, respectively....
six of 14 pass attempts
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
for 44 yards and threw two interceptions. The franchise subsequently released Swick in July. He said, "There's not much I can say except I think they made a mistake. I'll just have to think over what my future in football might be. I haven't any complaint. They were good to me here, and I had the same opportunity as anyone else." His agent contacted several unnamed NFL teams with quarterback needs to secure another roster spot.
In August, he attended tryouts with the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and had a "two-year, no-cut contract" with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. However, Swick said he did not like the style of play in Canada, and decided instead to enter business.
Later life
After his playing career, Swick entered the manufacturing industry, in which he continued to work as of 2008. He resided in Buckeye Lake, OhioBuckeye Lake, Ohio
Buckeye Lake is a village in Fairfield and Licking counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 3,049 at the 2000 census. It is named for Buckeye Lake, a large lake along which the village is built.-Geography:...
, where he is self-employed. Swick has been inducted into the University of Toledo's Varsity 'T' Hall of Fame, and the Hebron Lakewood High School Hall of Fame.
The University of Toledo record for career passing yards set by Swick was finally broken by Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
in 2005. Swick remained the last Toledo player drafted into the NFL until Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
picked Gradkowski in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
.