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Week Fourteen in Review

Posted on December 10, 2013 by longsnap

Week Fourteen was an eventful one at the special teams position. As noted in yesterday’s blog post, Matt Prater of the Broncos kicked an NFL record 64 yard field goal, aided by a great snap from Aaron Brewer.

There was also a key blocked punt by the Jets against the Raiders that was recovered for a touchdown. After the game, a number of stories about the block described how the Jets special teams coach Ben Kotwica noted in film study that snapper Jon Condo did not drop back fully to block after snaps. The Jets were able to exploit that fact when coming after the punt.

After the Texans lost to the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football, the Texans fired their head coach as well as long-time special team coach Joe Marciano. Marciano has been replaced by assistant Bob Ligashesky, who has prior experience as a special teams coach.

Five snappers recorded tackles in punt coverage this week, as Andrew Economos (Bucs), JJ Jansen (Panthers), Matt Overton (Colts) and Zak DeOssie (Giants) had solo tackles, while John Denney (Dolphins) added an assisted tackle.

The NFL Long Snappers Chart after Week Fourteen is below.

Week Fourteen NFL Long Snappers Chart

Posted in Coaching, NFL, Snapping in the Media, Tackles | Leave a comment

Prater Kicks Record Field Goal

Posted on December 9, 2013 by longsnap

Any successful field goal kick depends on the snap and hold in addition to the kick. An NFL record was broken yesterday when Matt Prater of the Broncos kicked a 64 yard field goal in Denver.

Aaron Brewer made the flawless snap on this history-making kick, although he acknowledged after the game he had no idea at the time the kick would break the record. Instead, Brewer admitted he was more concerned about running down the field to cover the kick to avoid an Auburn-Alabama situation from a couple of weeks ago, when a long field goal attempt was returned by Auburn for a game-winning touchdown.

Posted in NFL, Snapping in the Media | Leave a comment

Week Thirteen in Review

Posted on December 3, 2013 by longsnap

Week Thirteen is complete and Kyle Nelson of the Redskins received the national attention that no snapper seeks. Nelson had a poor punt snap late in the Monday Night game against the Giants and was called for holding on the same play.

Multiple snappers recorded tackles in punt coverage this week. Matt Overton (Colts) and Garrison Sanborn (Bills) recorded two tackles, with Overton tallying a solo and assisted tackle and Sanborn had two assisted stops. Jon Condo (Raiders), Cullen Loeffler (Vikings) and Andrew Economos (Bucs) had solo tackles while Carson Tinker (Jaguars) and Josh Harris (Falcons) had assisted tackles. Sanborn leads all snappers with nine total tackles.

The NFL Long Snappers Chart after Week Thirteen is below.

Week Thirteen NFL Long Snappers Chart

Posted in NFL, Snapping in the Media, Tackles | Leave a comment

Week Twelve in Review

Posted on November 26, 2013 by longsnap

Week Twelve of the NFL season is complete and marked the return of veteran snapper Patrick Mannelly to the Bears. Mannelly missed two games due to injury and was replaced by Jeremy Cain.

Although there have been very few major snapping incidents this season, some snappers have struggled at times, including Beau Brinkley of the Titans. After the Titans win this weekend, in which Brinkley had some poor snaps, he went to Twitter to take full responsibility and to do better. Attached to his post-game tweet was the note attached in full below which should serve as a great lesson to all snappers regarding to the ups and downs of a life in football, especially in a position that demands excellence each and every time.

On the tackle front, Brinkley recorded a solo tackle in punt coverage, as did Brett Goode (Packers) and Danny Aiken (Patriots). Jon Weeks (Texans) added an assisted tackle. The NFL Long Snapper Chart after Week Twelve is below.

Week Twelve NFL Long Snappers Chart

Note from Beau Brinkley

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The Blind Long Snapper

Posted on November 24, 2013 by longsnap

As noted here many times before, there are tremendous and inspiring stories of the people who fill the role as long snapper at all levels of football. One such story that has received national attention is that of Jake Olson. Jake is a high school snapper at Orange Lutheran High School in California.

What makes Jake’s story so unique is that he is blind in both eyes due to cancer. He became blind in one eye when he was 10 months old. In 2009, when facing surgery that would blind him in his other eye, Pete Carroll, then the head coach at Olson’s favorite team, USC, brought him to a Trojan practice and game.

Jake could not get football out of his system and figured that long snapping would be a way to get on the field despite his loss of vision. Four years later, after much hard work and dedication, Jake is snapping for his high school team on placements and was recently featured on ESPN’s College Game Day.

Posted in High School, Snapping in the Media | Leave a comment

Excellent Resource for College Depth Charts

Posted on November 21, 2013 by longsnap

For many years, I have spent countless hours pouring over college football team websites in order to compile Longsnap.com’s annual and exclusive listing of Division One college snappers. At last, there is a tremendous resource for obtaining the depth charts for all 125 college football teams in Division One thanks to Ourlads’.

Ourlads recently debuted its compilation of depth charts and rosters. Importantly, the depth charts include long snappers. The depth charts are also color-coded to reflect NFL Draft prospects. To date, just one senior snapper, Trevor Gillette of Rice, is listed as a prospect.

Posted in College, NFL Draft, Snapping in the Media | Leave a comment

Week Eleven in Review

Posted on November 19, 2013 by longsnap

Week Eleven of the NFL Regular Season is complete and there were no major snapping issues. Patrick Mannelly of the Bears remains sidelined with a calf injury, so Jeremy Cain handled the snaps for the second straight week, including a good snap on a game-winning field goal in overtime.

Just one snapper, Carson Tinker (Jaguars), recorded a tackle in punt coverage this week. The NFL Long Snappers Chart after Week Eleven in below.

Week Eleven NFL Long Snappers Chart

Posted in NFL, Tackles | Leave a comment

Three Snappers Nominated for 2013 Burlsworth Trophy

Posted on November 13, 2013 by longsnap

Three college snappers are among the nominees for the 2103 Burlsworth Trophy. Alan D’Appollonio (Arkansas), Ryan Iverson (Colorado) and Kelly Mason (Kentucky) are the snappers on the nomination list. Iverson was also nominated last season.

The Burlsworth Trophy is named after former Arkansas walk-on Brandon Burlsworth, who was killed shortly after being selected in the 1999 NFL Draft. The award is given to honor an outstanding college football player that began their career as a walk-on.

Posted in College, Snapping in the Media | Leave a comment

Week Ten in Review

Posted on November 12, 2013 by longsnap

Week Ten is complete and marked the return to the NFL of veteran snapper Jeremy Cain, who filled in for the injured Patrick Mannelly in Chicago. Cain was released by the Jaguars in training camp. Mannelly is expected to return at some point this season. Although it is likely coincidental, the Bears are 1-7 in games without Mannelly at snapper. This is just the second change at the snapping position this year, with the Redskins being the other NFL club that has made a snapping change due to injury.

In game action, the Giants blocked a Raider punt for a touchdown. Multiple snappers recorded tackles in punt coverage this week, with solo tackles from Clark Harris (Bengals), Morgan Cox (Ravens), Matt Overton (Colts), Jon Condo (Raiders), Zak DeOssie (Giants) and LP Ladouceur (Cowboys) and an assisted tackle from Josh Harris (Falcons).

The NFL Long Snappers Chart after Week Ten is below.

Week Ten NFL Long Snappers Chart

Posted in NFL, Transactions | Leave a comment

Another Feature Story on Texas Snapper Nate Boyer

Posted on November 8, 2013 by longsnap

In a blog post last September, I mentioned the inspirational story of the long snapper at the University of Texas, Nate Boyer. The Longhorns snapper has a truly amazing history, from not having played high school football, to being a veteran of the Army Green Berets, to first learning how to snap after making the Texas squad as a walk-on.

Boyer’s tale also caught the attention of Jordan Conn of Grantland.com. Conn published a detailed feature story this week on Boyer, who is now 32 years old. Although snapping is just a small component of the bigger picture with Boyer, it is a reminder of the tremendous character and dedication that are common at the snapping position.

Posted in College, Snapping in the Media | Leave a comment