Waters ready to kick off comeback
After missing six games due to leg injury, Argos kicker is fired up to hit the field
The sound of thunder returns to Rogers Centre on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Swayze Waters, perhaps the most powerful kicker in the CFL, will make his comeback for the Toronto Argonauts (5-2) against the Ottawa Redblacks (4-3). They may want to have the roof open, because Waters is so fired up he might just boom a few off the ceiling.
Waters’ timing to return from a sixgame injury absence is also impeccable.
Prior to the leg injury in the season opener, Waters, 28, had made arrangements with a couple from Jackson, Miss., to attend Sunday’s game.
This couple’s son, Tait Hendrix, was Waters’ best friend and high school teammate who died in a motorcycle crash last year.
After returning from the funeral during training camp last June, Waters sought league permission to change his number to 34 from 30 to honour Tait, who wore No. 34.
When Waters was injured in Fort McMurray, Alta., in June, he had no idea if he would be able to suit up for this game.
However, Waters worked hard at strengthening and exercise drills, and by the look of things, he’s back in form, although head coach Scott Milanovich was waiting to see how his leg felt after practice before confirming his comeback.
Waters was in such good humour on Wednesday that he joked with a Star reporter that “goats’ milk” helped him get through the tough rehab. Waters is fascinated by goats, and even went to a goat dairy farm last season.
At practice, his punts were soaring through the air, and he even angled some deep ones in a preview of the “coffin corner kicks” he likes to boot out of bounds inside the opponents’ five-yard line.
The return of Waters means that Ronnie Pfeffer, the rookie out of Wilfrid Laurier, will likely be out of a job soon, although the Argos have yet to make any decisions on his future.
Pfeffer always knew this day was coming. There was nothing he did wrong, and he certainly didn’t cost the Argos any games. Kicking in his first pro game, he nailed his first CFL field goal from 50 yards (he hit a 52-yarder against Saskatchewan at home on Aug. 8).
However, on his punts the Argos gave up important field position, those “hidden yards,” as kickers call them.
Pfeffer’s punts travelled an average of 43.9 yards, which was among the lowest in the league. His field goal percentage of 75 per cent was also among the lowest.
Last year, Waters averaged a league-leading 47.7 yards on punts, with the longest travelling 80 yards. His field goal percentage was 90.4, second in the league, and the longest came from 53 yards.
Those figures are hard to match, and Pfeffer knew he was just holding a spot for Waters.
“Ronnie did an admirable job, but Swayze is Swayze,” Milanovich said.
The coach admitted he was concerned at first about having a rookie kicker perform all three kicking duties (punting, field goals and kickoffs) to start the season.
“But after he hit that 50-yarder against Saskatchewan, his first kick, everybody kind of believed in him,” the Argo coach said. “He kind of earned his stripes that day. I’m happy for him. Proud of him. I told him so today.”
Waters understands how Pfeffer feels.
“I’ve been in his shoes plenty of times,” Waters said. “I’ve been cut seven times and been on six different teams. There’s up and downs in this game.”
However, Waters thinks that there will be a place in the CFL for Pfeffer, who picked his brain for advice whenever he could.
“I think he’s done great and he’s off to an excellent start,” Waters said.