Bowdoin football players compete during their first official practice of the season on Aug. 22. Cooper Sullivan / The Times Record

BRUNSWICK — It’s starting to feel like fall at Bowdoin College, and it’s not just because of the weather.

The Bowdoin football team held its official practice on Aug. 22, and the Polar Bears are ready to plunge into the 2024 season.

“I feel good,” said B.J. Hammer, entering his fifth season as head coach. “I’ll probably have some moments watching film, going, ‘What are we doing?’ But that’s a good first day though. I love what our first group was doing and our second group. We got good reps in the spring and carried it over to the field (Thursday).”

Bowdoin is looking to improve on a 4-5 season, but first it will need to sort out the depth chart before the New England Small College Athletic Conference season opens in a few weeks.

Senior quarterback Robbie Long — who completed 48 of his 91 passes for 626 yards and four touchdowns last season — and sophomore Michael Wolfendale will compete for the starting job this fall. Both players took turns running the first-team offense on Thursday, as did sophomore quarterback/tailback option Sean Ramos.

Hammer wasn’t able to do much on-field evaluation, as he was focused on a trio of freshmen linebackers “running around like chickens with their head cut off,” but he noted Long and Wolfendale looked sharp.

Bowdoin football coach coach B.J. Hammer enters his fifth season with the Polar Bears. Cooper Sullivan / The Times Record

For the first time in Hammer’s tenure, the Bowdoin coaching staff had no turnover, meaning only minimal changes came to the offensive and defensive playbooks.

“I think our players are very comfortable in our system,” Hammer said. “We’ve really been building it and building it over the last three years. This is as smart and as good as we have been, since I have been here, in terms of where we are learning our system, understanding it, evolving in it. The key thing for us as coaches is, how do you how do you put your playmakers in position for success?

“We graduated Brendan King (All-NESCAC tight end and team’s leading scorer) and Colton Fahey (All-NESCAC wideout, team’s leading receiver) last year, who are guys we targeted. So now, we’re going to have some new targets. On defense, Koy Price (two-time All-NESCAC linebacker) is a great player. How do we find ways to put Koy in positions so we can maximize his ability to get to the quarterback and play coverage? The same thing with some of our defensive lineman and Gordon Gozdeck, a returning linebacker.”

Whoever is at quarterback will be looking toward new wideouts Slade Postemski (21 catches for 313 yards last season) and Jed Hoggard (194 yards). In the backfield, sophomore Luke Watson has emerged as the next starting running back. Even as players are just in helmets and each 11-on-11 play result is marked with an asterisk, his speed and vision are undeniable.

Bowdoin football offensive line coach Mike Deitrick watches junior Ethan Ecsedy participate in a blocking drill on Aug. 22. Cooper Sullivan / The Times Record

Watson spent most of last season as a receiving back, as Andre Eden was the primary rusher and blocker. But now that Eden has graduated, Hammer said Watson can take a big step forward in both of those facets, especially with a cohesive offensive line.

Eight offensive linemen earned a start during 2023, and all eight have returned, including fifth-year all-conference right tackle Tal Brill. Hammer says that Brill and fifth-year right guard Tim Ladka are entrenched in their positions, but having reliable and experienced options to choose from will be an advantage toward the end of the season.

“Anytime you have that, you can play all eight, that’s awesome,” Hammer said. “Because you need guys that can do that. Having a rotation of fresh offensive linemen that can come in and you don’t lose a step, that’s a massive weapon to have. I’m excited. I think that’s a really strong group.”

Hammer hopes to have a better understanding of the roster order by the end of Tuesday’s practice, when players are in full pads.

“Some guys look great when they don’t have shoulder pads on, right?” Hammer said. “Other guys, when those pads come on, you find out a lot about guys who may not look as awesome just running around out there. So the physicality will need to ratchet up, and we’ll get a good idea on who’s who.”

Bowdoin opens the season in Massachusetts against Tufts on Sept. 14.