“Whenever I get the ball, my mentality is I’m not going down. Every time I get the ball, I’m scoring. That’s the mentality that I carry with me, and I’m not getting tackled.”
St. Thomas More running back Hutch Swilley is a bell cow, meaning he can be on the field for every down.
The Cougars love to use multiple ball carriers. Which is why Swilley is smart enough to makes his touches count.
“Being on a team this big there’s always guys behind you that want that," Swilley said. "If the ball’s in my hands and I’m being trusted by the team to get the ball, I’m going to score. If I’m not another guy is.”
The rising senior is a crafty tailback. He’s agile enough to score on the home run plays and can also get first downs in short yardage situations.
“Hutch is a violent runner," STM Head Coach Jim Hightower describes. "He doesn’t look for soft spots. He looks for whatever is in his way and he’s going to overcome it.”
In 2022, Swilley rushed for a little over 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns.
And as brilliant as his game is, his mind is A+. Swilley scored a 28 on the ACT in November last year, which garnered him four offers from Ivy League schools, before he committed to the Navy in June.
“Obviously it helps to have the grades and to put out in the classroom but, it’s also an accountability thing," Swilley explains. "My teammates know they can trust me and can count on me. I get it done in the classroom and on the field.”
The 5-foot-11 inch, 195 pounder exploded in the Division II Select title game, where he racked up 167 of STM’s 201 rushing yards.
but his studious efforts toward his craft separates him from the crowd.
“Studying in the classroom translates to studying game film, studying your opponent, and knowing what’s going to happen," Swilley said. "I think it definitely gives you an advantage on the field.”
And as Swilley enters his final year as a Cougar, he only wants to be featured as the sharpest back in the game.
“I’m definitely expecting to be the number one running back in Louisiana.”
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