What's so special about long snapping?

[TonyS]

A question for you ex-football pros. What is so danged hard about long snapping that we need to takeup a roster spot just for the position?

It can't be an injury concern for your center as you almost never hear of longsnappers getting hurt on punts, fgs or PAs.

Is it that da#$ difficult to hurl a spiral behind you a few yards and basically let the DL force you into the turf that a starting or backup O lineman couldn't do it?

Freeing up a roster spot is huge in today's game. It can mean another skill position, another lineman, a place for a good ST player, etc...

Am I missing something completely obvious here?

 

[TheHustler]

Jon Condo couldn't do it. LaDoucer is average at it. Hell, Jeff Robinson made the probowl just for his long snaps last year.

I've never done it, but this tells me it ain't easy.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

The shortest distance to that ball is right over the Center. It's not easy to get clocked and still get a nice snap out. May look easy but it aint. Try getting down with pads on and long snapping the football 10 times. I'll bet money you don't get it right 8 times. In the NFL, getting it right 8 out of 10 times is good enough to get you released. Then, add the fact that your going to get clocked by at least two different guys on the play. Lastly, the shortest distance is still a factor. You need to be able to make sure you don't cave. It aint all that easy to do.

 

[Dye]

it's like trying to throw a ball with a spiral upside down without looking at your intended target. it's harder than it looks, especially with a guy right in front of you trying to pancakce you once the ball is snapped.

 

[joseephuss]

Maybe long snappers aren't getting injured, but do you want to take that chance with your starting center?

It is risky and every team has made the long snapper position a specialty spot. Just like kicker and punter. The game has evolved. Every down players used to be long snappers, kickers and punters. You can look at the numbers and see that FG% has gone up. Part of that reason is that it has become so specialized. These guys get to work on just that one thing and not worry about other assignments they may have.

I know the new turfs and stadiums have also helped make FG kicking easier to do. So is having a guy that can come in who isn't tired from playing center or guard on a long drive to snap that ball quickly back to the holder. Or a guy that is tired from playing tight end having to kick the ball.

These specialists contribute more to scoring points in most cases than having an extra roster spot for a guy that barely sees the field. Well, essentially that is what the long snapper is doing. He is barely seeing the field.

 

[Doomsday101]

A question for you ex-football pros. What is so danged hard about long snapping that we need to takeup a roster spot just for the position?

It can't be an injury concern for your center as you almost never hear of longsnappers getting hurt on punts, fgs or PAs.

Is it that da#$ difficult to hurl a spiral behind you a few yards and basically let the DL force you into the turf that a starting or backup O lineman couldn't do it?

Freeing up a roster spot is huge in today's game. It can mean another skill position, another lineman, a place for a good ST player, etc...

Am I missing something completely obvious here?

The deep snapper has 2 guys over him ready to bury his ars and he has to be able to put a lot of zip on the ball and on target so he kicker can get the punt or FG try off within 2 to 3 sec. It is a lot harder than you think which is why guys like Hellestrae was able to stay in the league as long as he did.

 

[InmanRoshi]

Its always puzzled me as well. You would think if its so difficult that you would see bad snaps in every college game, since most of them have to replace their snapper every 2 or 3 years. Most teams not named Texas Tech usually get their snaps off without any problems.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Most teams not named Texas Tech usually get their snaps off without any problems.

That was classic.

 

[WV Cowboy]

I asked myself the same thing.

There must be something special to it though, because WVU has a kid I used to coach long snapping for them this year, ... FG's, EP's, punts.

He is not a great athlete, and he is not a tough kid either.

He is a big kid, but other than that he possesses no special athletic skills.

He was weak as a HS lineman, and average as a HS basketball player.

But EVERY one of his snaps "is on the money".

I figured they could find an athletic, tough kid to do it, ... after all it is a lineman at a major college.

But no, there is Timmy out there every game.

Good for you Tim !

 

[joseephuss]

Its always puzzled me as well. You would think if its so difficult that you would see bad snaps in every college game, since most of them have to replace their snapper every 2 or 3 years.

There are a lot of bad snaps in college. There are a lot more blocked punts and kicks in college than there are in the NFL. Also, the snap doesn't have to be awful to make a difference. A slow snap to the punter or kicker or one that is just slightly off the mark allows more time for it to be blocked or for the timing to be off just enough to miss FGs. Just like every other position, the NFL has the best of the best. The good deep snappers in the pros not only are accurate, but they have speed on the ball.

 

[joseephuss]

Its always puzzled me as well. You would think if its so difficult that you would see bad snaps in every college game, since most of them have to replace their snapper every 2 or 3 years.

Did you check out K-States long snapper launching the ball out of the end zone against OU? The punter forgot to go in the game and K-State snapped it anyway.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Did you check out K-States long snapper launching the ball out of the end zone against OU? The punter forgot to go in the game and K-State snapped it anyway.

I didn't see that one. That had to be pretty funny to hear once the team got into the locker room and the head coach/ST coach got hold of them.

 

[Doomsday101]

Its always puzzled me as well. You would think if its so difficult that you would see bad snaps in every college game, since most of them have to replace their snapper every 2 or 3 years. Most teams not named Texas Tech usually get their snaps off without any problems.

Actually I think if more teams in college went for Blocks like Texas and Va Tech do you would see a lot more blocks kicks. Because the deep snapping in college is not great guys like Beamer take advantage of it. Accuracy is one thing having good zip on the ball is another.

 

[Hoov]

Joseephus, good point about speed on the ball. its hard to get that and be accurate from the upside down position. for anyone who wants to find out how hard it is just go outside and try it.

 

[Hoov]

Did you check out K-States long snapper launching the ball out of the end zone against OU? The punter forgot to go in the game and K-State snapped it anyway.

well who called for the snap ??

 

[joseephuss]

well who called for the snap ??

I guess the up back gave him the signal. Most long snappers look between their legs to sight in the punter. College kids get lost sometimes. It was strange and comical.

 

[scottsp]

Deep snappers are specialists. Just as kickers are. Few NFL rosters employ deep snappers who also start in another capacity. Teams take special teams so seriously now and these guys are so specialized, often times kickers do not practice with the rest of the team.

Pat Summerall was talking about this very thing with Norm this morning. Clubs generally do not spend much time on the kicking game in practice. Very little in fact. And we know the specialists are darn near isolated during the week. That being the case, players that a team depends on as a regular part of its offensive or defensive rotation have little opportunity to practice snapping the ball to a kicker/punter.

So IMHO, it would make sense to me for a team to sacrifice the roster spot for a guy who will spend much practice time working with the other specialists. And those guys typically serve as third string tight ends, linebackers, or offensive linemen.

The craft itself doesn't seem too terribly difficult. I did it for a time in high school. And while I won't dare compare might time as a snapper with that of someone who does it for a living, I do confess: it's enough to compete at your normal position, but to sustain that level while also being burdened with such an important duty as long snapping, is tough to do.

That in mind, I'd prefer the specialist.

 

[TonyS]

I appreciate the response from someone who's done it before. Thanks Scott.

 

[summervillain]

to answer your question about the importance of long-snapping, go back about 3 years ago to a game against Arizona, think 2002, where the long-snapper we had, played a part in us losing a game, Micah Knorr had a bad hold as well, and then there were a few instances earlier this year, where bad snaps led to shaky field goals and I think a PAT, so you really need to be able to do it well, and alot of posters who already responded in this thread, brought up great points about it

 

[Rack]

It's not just being able to get the ball to the holder with accuracy. You have to be able to get it to him with velocity and in a way where the laces will already be in a favorable position for the holder (so that he can get the ball down with the laces out as quickly as possible).


Doesn't anyone remember the year before we signed Robinson (2001 I think)? We lost at least 3 games cuz of bad snapping that year.