Longsnap.com

In a recent post, I described the enhanced Rule 7, Section 2, Article 2 that takes effect this season in the NFL to better protect snappers on punts and placements.  The NCAA also has Rule 9-1-2-o that prohibits a defensive player from making contact with the snapper until one second has elapsed after the snap.  In addition to the NCAA Rule, there are also three Approved Rulings that relate to the protection of the snapper.

Below are the new NFL Rule, NCAA Rule and Approved Rulings.

I.          NFL Rule 7, Section 2, Article 2

Article 2  During a punt, field-goal attempt, or a Kick Try, a Team B player, who is within one yard of the line of scrimmage at the snap, must have his entire body outside the snapper’s shoulder pads.

Note: This restriction does not apply if a team does not present an apparent punt, field goal, or Kick Try formation, or if, after the offensive team has assumed a set position, there is a shift, or a player goes in motion.

II.                NCAA Rule 9-1-2-o

When a team is in scrimmage kick formation, a defensive player may not initiate contact with the snapper until one second has elapsed after the snap (A.R. 9-1-2-XVIII-XX).

III.             NCAA Approved Ruling 9-1-2-XVIII-XX

XVIII. A10 is in a shotgun- type formation 7-1/2 yards behind the snapper, who has his head down and is looking backward through his legs.  Immediately after the snap, nose guard B55 charges directly at the snapper and contacts him by pushing him backwards.  RULING: Legal.  The snapper is not afforded any special protection because it was not reasonably obvious that a kick might be attempted (Rule 2-15-10).  The snapper does have the usual protection against any personal foul for unnecessary roughness.

Team A is in an obvious scrimmage kick formation.  Immediately after the snap, nose guard B55 charges directly at the snapper, contacts him, and drives him backward.  The ball is snapped to an upback three yards behind the scrimmage line or to the potential kicker, who instead runs with or passes the ball.  RULING:  Foul.  Penalty – 15 yards and automatic first down.  The snapper may not be contacted until one second has elapsed after the snap when Team A is in a scrimmage kick formation and it is reasonably obvious that a kick might be attempted.

Immediately after the snap, with Team A in an obvious scrimmage kick formation, noseguard B71 attempts to “shoot the gap” between the snapper and the adjacent lineman.  B71’s initial legal contact is with the lineman next to the snapper.  RULING: Legal.  Incidental contact with the snapper after this initial legal contact is not a foul (Rule 2-15-10).

The Steelers have just re-signed snapper/linebacker Matt Stewart, who was signed and released a few weeks ago.  It is unclear if the move has anything to do with the health of incumbent snapper Greg Warren.  Snapping competitions also remain in Cincinnati (Clark Harris and Mike Windt) and Washington (Nick Sundberg and James Dearth).

Week Two of the preseason also served as a reminder to NFL teams about the value of a strong snapper and the difficulty in having a good back-up plan.  With Pat Mannelly out of action due to a shoulder stinger, the Bears used tight end and reserve snapper Desmond Clark, who had a few bad snaps.  Mannelly has now returned to practice.

There have been a number of snapping developments in the last few hours.  The Ravens have released veteran snapper Matt Katula and that leaves rookie Morgan Cox from Tennessee as the lone snapper.  In addition, Longsnap.com has learned that the Redskins are expected to sign former Jet snapper James Dearth after Nick Sundberg has struggled in training camp.

Last week, the Seahawks waived Matt Overton, leaving rookie Clint Gresham, who was claimed off waivers from the Saints.  The Bengals are the only team with two snappers on their roster, with rookie Mike Windt and Clark Harris competing for the snapping job.

Rookie Clint Gresham, who was waived by the Saints, has been claimed off waivers by the Sehawks and will compete with Matt Overton for the Seahawks snapping job in training camp.

Attached is the latest snapper chart updated for training camp.  The chart now includes the most recent biographical data for each snapper, including contract expiration dates. 

2010 Training Camp Snapper Chart

With NFL training camps getting underway, two snappers were let go today.  The Saints waived rookie Clint Gresham, who was the sole snapper invited to the Combine, while the Steelers released linebacker/snapper Matt Stewart.  The two remaining teams with snapping competition are the Ravens, who have veteran Matt Katula and rookie Morgan Cox, and the Bengals, who have returning snapper Clark Harris, with competition from rookie Mike Windt.

Prior to last season, the NFL changed its Official Playing Rules  in an effort to protect snappers during field goal and extra point attempts by requiring the defender’s helmet to be outside the snapper’s shoulder pads.  This year, the Rule, contained at Rule 7, Section 2, Article 2,  has been amended slightly to apply during punts and require that the defender’s entire body be oustide the snapper’s shoulder pads.

Here is the Rule as it existed for the 2009 season:

During a field-goal attempt or a Kick Try, a Team B player, who is within one yard of the line of scrimmage at the snap, must have his helmet outside the snapper’s shoulder pads.

Here is Rule 7, Section 2, Article 2 for the 2010 season:

During a punt, field-goal attempt, or a Kick Try, a Team B player, who is within one yard of the line of scrimmage at the snap, must have his entire body outside the snapper’s shoulder pads.

The new Rule mentions that it does not apply if the team does not present a kicking formation.

With NFL training camps opening in a few weeks, the number of teams with an extra snapper is decreasing.  In the last few weeks the Rams (Clint Mower) and Lions (Sam Scroggins) each released a snapper.  Heading into camp, just the Ravens, Bengals, Saints and Steelers have more than one player at the snapper position.

The Canadian Football League season is now underway and the eight snappers are all Canadian non-import players.  Below are the snappers for each CFL club.

British Columbia 70 Dan McCullough

Calgary 56 Randy Chevrier

Edmonton 53 Tim St. Pierre

Hamilton 51 Jordan Matechuk

Montreal 37 Martin Bedard

Saskatchewan 59 Jocelyn Frenette

Toronto 82 Chad Rempel

Winnipeg 65 Adam Bestard

NFLDraftScout.com does an excellent job of evaluating and ranking long snappers and they have just updated their rankings of long snappers for the 2011 NFL Draft.  Below are the 16 snappers that have been ranked so far.

1 Christian Yount LS UCLA 6-0 240
2 Keenan Bratcher LS Memphis 6-2 235
3 Patrick Scales LS Utah State 6-4 228
4 Danny Aiken LS Virginia 6-4 260
5 Neal Dahlman LS Bowling Green 6-1 240

6 Aaron Feld LS Mississippi State 6-1 225
7 Cooper Stephenson LS Southern California 6-3 215
8 Scott Albritton LS Colorado State 6-3 228
9 Zach Enyeart LS Washington State 6-1 257
10 Jordan Van Royen LS Wyoming 6-0 234

11 Jake Ekkens LS Central Michigan 6-4 245
12 Jerry Barlow LS Temple 6-3 215
13 Zach Nolan LS Stanford 6-4 226
14 Brandon Long LS Rice 6-0 225
15 Kurt Schnittger LS Grand Valley State 6-3 255

16 Andrew Schulze LS Iowa 6-5 260

There were a number of snapping transactions this week.  The Falcons released undrafted rookie Justin Drescher from Colorado, while the Bucs cut Chris Mauriello from Penn State.  The Dolphins signed veteran snapper John Denney to a new contract that lasts until 2013.