BOCA RATON – After a season without football, Reggie Bain is up for anything on the field.
During Thursday’s FAU spring practice that meant the 2016 Preseason All-Conference USA left tackle moved inside to center.
For Bain, it was the first time he’d snapped since youth football.
“I’m going to do whatever I’ve got to do to play,” Bain said.
A motor scooter accident ended Bain’s 2016 season before it even began, breaking his right hip.
Doctors and the Owls at first weren’t certain that Bain could ever play football again. They certainly didn’t expect Bain to be ready to participate in spring drills but he pushed his rehab work and when spring drills opened on Tuesday Bain was back with the first string at left tackle, fully cleared to participate in spring drills.
“They didn’t expect me to come back this fast,” Bain said. “I wanted to prove them wrong.”
Bain still has a ways to go to get back into playing shape, and he has to regain the strength lost during his hospital stay.
New coach Lane Kiffin likes the versatility Bain brings the line.
“I think he’s got a chance to be a really good player and he could play both (tackles) for us,” Kiffin said.
And center, where the Owls at the moment don’t have a natural replacement for the graduated Dillon DeBoer?
“We’re just trying anything there,” Kiffin said. “We don’t have much experience, obviously, there. That’s why it’s spring ball, you can move people around.”
With Richard Williams, last year’s back-up center, recovering from offseason surgery, Antonyo Woods worked as the first team center again on Tuesday, with walk-on Jared Nourse snapping for the second team. For the moment, at least, Bain is getting most of his reps at tackle.
He’s moving well on the field, saying he feels like he never left.
Off the field, there’s one big change. No more motor scooters.
“I’ve got a truck now,” Bain said.
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