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Where are They Now featuring Dr. Brendan Lopez!

April 1, 2025 By Leave a Comment

Today we feature Dr. Brendan Lopez! Lopez is a 2007 TOP 12 Rubio Long Snapper….

What is your occupation?
General Dentist

Where do you live?
Seattle, WA

Married? Kids?
Married, one dog

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football?
Early morning workouts, a few game winning moments and all the great food. 

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Snapping PARENTS, what would it be?
Long Snappers: Have fun, don’t take yourself too seriously and prepare to be ready.  

Parents: Enjoy all the moments, bring an umbrella chair to Vegas and maintain your flexibility.  

For snappers and parents: floss after meals, chew xylitol gum when floss isn’t available and invest in quality dentistry when necessary.  

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason?
Monthly during group lessons because it’s fun. 

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why?
University of Washington was the right place for me but somewhere with a little more sunshine and less wind would have been great.  

Any regrets during college? Anything you wish you had done or hadn’t done?
I regret not taking those art classes that always conflicted with afternoon practice schedules.  

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated?
Walking or biking to work everyday for the last year. 

 

Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 20 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,850 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Where are They Now featuring Zack Jenkins!

March 25, 2025 By Leave a Comment

What is your occupation?
Inventory Control Specialist at Costco Wholesale

Where do you live?
North Bend, WA. About 45 minutes Southeast of Seattle

Married? Kids?
Girlfriend, she has a dog if you count that? I can barely take care of myself

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football?
Having played during COVID times, it was extremely weird time obviously so getting back to sense of normalcy and getting able to be back on the field with the guys I came in with a freshman was awesome. Ended up going 11-1, losing in the quarterfinals to the eventual national champ in the closest game they had all year (still not over it).

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Snapping PARENTS, what would it be?

  • Snappers
    • DO THE SLOW-MO DILLS! They can be annoying and monotonous at times, but they are invaluable. They are easy to do inside or outside and take all of 15-20 minutes to do and can make all the difference in the world. I admittedly was kind of lazy with them my freshman year and I could tell since I was struggling by the end of the season (ended up being left off the playoff roster due to the inconsistency of my snaps the last three weeks of the season). Refocused and went back to the basics going into my sophomore year. Did slow-mo’s daily and “only” snapped a couple times a week. Never missed a game the remainder of my time, and ended up with the best compliment a HC could give. “The past 5 years, we never really had to even think about punts/FGS”.
  • Parents
    • Be supportive and don’t make it bigger than it needs to be. More often than not, your son/daughter (shout out Kalyn) knows what to do and how to do it. 99.99% of the time, there will be more snaps and how they snap the next ball is most important. Confidence is massive with snapping and if you can help build your child’s confidence it can be massive for the snaps.

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason?
November of this past year. Helping coach special teams at a local High School and the first day I snapped with the snappers to in a sense prove that I knew what I was talking about. I ended up snapping a few balls each time I was there helping out because it seemed to make the kids I was working with snap better.

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why?
I’m not entirely sure honestly. I absolutely love and still love Linfield, both of my parents went there, and my brother ended up getting his degree from there as well. The relationships I have from there that I will have the rest of my life couldn’t have come from anywhere else and I don’t think I would trade it for anything. On the other hand, I started snapping very late and didn’t attend my first Rubio camp until I was already a junior in high school and it would’ve been very cool to have been able to compete at the highest level possible.

Any regrets during college? Anything you wish you had done or hadn’t done?
Sometimes I would get so caught up in football, that I would forget to take a sec and “take it all in”. My first 4 years were fantastic and you hear it all the time, but it really does feel like the blink of an eye. COVID obviously didn’t help and it threw everything off. We went 394 days (it was on the walls of our weight room) between losing in 3OT in the playoffs and our next game. So in a way, it kinda allowed me to take inventory and be able to go into my 5th year with the perspective of making sure I take it all in.

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated?

  • Personally
    • Being able to relatively seamlessly transition into “the real world” with a job, bills, and supporting pretty much fully supporting myself within a few months of graduating
  • Professionally
    • Was able to manage doing interviews and job applications while in my 5th I wasn’t technically graduated since I was “accidentally” one credit short of graduating after my senior year, but it was COVID year so we didn’t play any games at all. So I had to come back to take one class in order to play my final season. I had to manage practice, meetings, and lifts, while I was doing interviews throughout the week whether it was in person or zoom interviews.

 

Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 20 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,850 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Where Are They Now featuring Jonathan Den Bleyker!

March 18, 2025 By

Today we feature #1 for 2016 Jonathan Den Bleyker!

What is your occupation?
Production Control Scheduler at SpaceX. I’m a part of the team that oversees the precision tube fabrication for the Falcon 9 launch vehicle.

Where do you live?
Los Angeles, California

Married? Kids?
Recently engaged to my awesome partner of 5 years. No kids yet, but definitely planning on it some day.

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football?
My fondest memory is less so an individual experience, but the experience itself. I got to play in stadiums that I dreamed about playing in as a kid, learn from prominent coaches, and be a part of a great group of teammates for four years.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Snapping PARENTS, what would it be?
My one piece of advice for current Rubio Long Snappers would be to enjoy the experience. There will be a day where you will no longer be a part of a football program and you should try your best to live in the moment. Be where your feet are!

For the parents, I would say to be as supportive as you can be of your snapper; but you shouldn’t be the driver of this journey. Allow your child to lead and put in what they want to gain from the experience.

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason?
The last time I snapped a ball was about a year ago when I was teaching my fiancée how to snap (she has a great spiral at 10 yards!).

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why?
I would no question go to UCLA if I could do it all over again. I had the opportunity to learn from so many great coaches and educators who I feel helped shape the path I’m on today. I made lifelong friends and it’s where I met my fiancée. Attending UCLA was a great experience and I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who helped me get there.

Any regrets during college? Anything you wish you had done or hadn’t done?
I really don’t believe I have any regrets from college. I’m very happy with the journey I’m on and I feel that any highs or lows from college have helped forge the path I’m on right now.

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated?
There are two major ones that I can think of:

1). Becoming an uncle to an absolutely adorable niece.

2). Being a part of SpaceX’s last two years where we broke launch records and I had the opportunity to serve as the Orbital Welding Lead for an awesome team.

Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 20 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,850 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Where Are They Now featuring Peyton Yanagi!!!!

March 11, 2025 By

What is your occupation?
I am a College Football Coach. I am currently the Special Teams Quality Control with Army Football.

Where do you live?
West Point, NY

Married? Kids?
Recently Engaged. No kids yet.

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football?
I think the fondest memory I have of college football was when we won the Rose Bowl in 2020. The atmosphere was unique, and the game met all expectations. The bowl activities were some of the best experiences and the prep for that game was a ton of fun since it was only the football players around before we traveled down to the bowl site. We were able to bond with one another while preparing for one of the biggest games of the year.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Snapping PARENTS, what would it be?
One piece of advice I’d give to current Rubio Long Snappers is that patience is a very key trait to have. In the recruiting process, things don’t always happen as quickly as you want. Many schools will take specialist recruiting through May. The right school for you will come to you at some point. Trust the process and everything will work itself out!

For parents, the biggest piece of advice I have for you is to let your child grow independently and not hold their hand at every step. As a coach, I do the best I can to make sure the players are taken care of to the best of my abilities. On the flip side of that, there are things that they need to take care of on their own. Whether that is waking up on time to get to football activities, school, keeping their grades up, etc. I want someone who I can trust to show up on time and take care of their business. They will walk into college as adults and will be treated as such until they prove otherwise.

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason?
I most recently snapped yesterday. I like to show the snappers I work with through live demonstrations of what I’m seeing and the differences in what they are doing versus what they should be doing.

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why?
I would ultimately go to the same College if I had to do it again. The University of Oregon was a special place to be and we won a ton of games while I was there. The memories of winning two Pac-12 Championships and a Rose Bowl while also being able to make connections with some of my coaches who ultimately ended up hiring me right out of college were truly a dream come true.

Any regrets during college? Anything you wish you had done or hadn’t done?
No regrets. Everything I did had a reason and has led me to where and who I am today.

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated?
I was named the Special Teams Coordinator at the University of Nevada for the 2023 season. Being hired at that time, I was the youngest Full-Time Assistant Coach in the country at the age of 23. Our Special Teams unit performed well and ranked 9th in Punt Return Average, 39th in Punt Coverage, and 40th in Kickoff Coverage.

This past season I was a part of the Army Football team that went 12-2 and won the AAC Championship in our inaugural season in the conference. Along with the season we had, I was able to participate in the Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship with the Las Vegas Raiders for OTA’s and Minicamp. The team’s snapper got sick one day and I was lucky enough to snap and ensure that the Kicker and Punter were able to get some work in that day with a full operation.

 

Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 20 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,850 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Where Are They Now featuring John Bergeron!

March 4, 2025 By

What is your occupation?
-Student in Law School

Where do you live?
-Gainesville, FL (for school); Doral, FL (home)

Married? Kids?
Proposing soon, no kids

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football?
-October 2022 Upenn homecoming game against Yale. The specialist came out of the locker room for half time and as we’re warming up Fossil Free Penn protestors stormed the field and protested on the field halting the game for more than an hour. Pretty funny and unique experience.

-From my time at Ole Miss: Outback Bowl in Kiffin’s first year, Ole Miss @ LSU (all of my HS friends were in attendance), and the overall culture there – it was electric, everyone was bought in and Kiffin’s staff was amazing.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Snapping PARENTS, what would it be?
-Advice for current Rubio Long Snappers: Trust The Process! Put in the Work and everything else will fall into place, don’t waste time stressing over things you can’t control, and most importantly prioritize academics. Strong academics will open so many doors for you even in the football world. Always thank your parents and live everyday like it’s a gift – because it is.

-Advice for Parents: Provide a guiding hand but don’t helicopter. I was blessed with amazing parents so I don’t have the necessary wisdom to provide much advice here lol.

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason?
-Last month, a party trick

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why?
-I’d follow the exact same path because it led me to where I am today.

Any regrets during college? Anything you wish you had done or hadn’t done?
– Not really, my biggest regret is taking on the amount of debt I did for undergrad, but it helped me get a full ride for law school so I’m fine with it now.

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated?
-Attending Law School / preparing for the next phase of my life and getting my soon to be fiancé moved in with me.

 

 

Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 20 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,850 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Where Are They Now featuring JR Carr!

February 25, 2025 By

JR Carr is a TOP 12 Rubio Long Snapper from the Class of 2009!

What is your occupation?
Digital Marketing Agency Partner

Where do you live?
Encinitas, CA

Married? Kids?
Negative

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football?
There are so many when looking back, that being said I’ll provide one that is top-of-mind some may not think would be.We would see movies on Friday nights before games at the theatres. As a kid, my dad had worked for USC Football, and they would do the same. He let me tag along and go to the movies, then later the team hotel. As a little kid I remember idolizing the guys who I got to go see a movie with (the players), then hop on the bus with back to the team hotel.In college, each time we walked out of the movie theatres, and got onto the bus I got that same feeling of being so wildly fortunate. It was a great moment of weekly reflection to enjoy the little things with teammates, support staff, coaches, family, etc.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Snapping PARENTS, what would it be?
Current Rubio Long Snappers: There will be day where no one wants you on their team anymore. Meaning this moment you have is fleeting faster than you can ever imagine. Don’t get to high, don’t get too low, and embrace the ebbs and flows – You’ll look back loving both the good and bad the same.
Snapping PARENTS: Give space. Do you have to be at every lesson? Does your kid ever want to go alone or drive themselves? What I’m getting at is that your child’s inherent desire to want “this” must be greater than yours. Allow them to navigate a bit more solo, so when the time comes that they are alone, you have the utmost confidence they are where they want to be for their reasons.

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason?
About a year ago – Soley for ego purposes to show friends I still had it.

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why?
100% going back to Tennessee again. Rubio always made a great point that the season is a few months long – you have to think about where you are living the rest of the year, and Knoxville is a great city.

Any regrets during college? Anything you wish you had done or hadn’t done?
No regrets – Probably a few late nights into early morning workouts my body wishes I did not do, but really attempted to be the best student athlete I could be.

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated?
Great question. When covid hit I used it as the opportunity while starting my current business to move to the Dominican Republic for a few years. It was amazing. DR is in EST and I worked PST so every morning I had ~2-3 hours of uninterrupted surfing in warm water. The people, the culture, all of it was incredibly special to be immersed in.

Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 20 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,850 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Where Are They Now featuring Joe Lang!

February 19, 2025 By

Today we are featuring Joe Lang from the Rubio Long Snapping class of 2014!

What is your occupation?

I work as a Financial Business Intelligence Analyst at a wealth management firm

 

Where do you live?

I live in Pheonix Arizona

 

Married? Kids? 

I am married and hope to have kids someday

 

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? 

Being around all of my teammates in the offseason and on away game road trips is what I remember most, we also got the chance to play at some historic venues, ones I dreamed of playing at as a kid.

 

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Snapping PARENTS, what would it be?

My piece of advice to snappers is to not let anyone put you in a box, play as many sports, join as many clubs and gather as many experiences as possible. High school and college only happen once.

 

For parents, I would mirror what I said above, if you let your kid explore as many avenues as possible it will only make them a better snapper and a more rounded person.

 

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason?

My brother and I snapped in a lesson recently to remind everyone who the kings were. (sore for a week)

 

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why?

I would go to the same schools, Washington state was my childhood dream school because of my dad working there as a strength coach. And after transferring to UNLV I fell in love with the rebels and Las Vegas. That program really is on the rise too.

 

Any regrets during college? Anything you wish you had done or hadn’t done? 

I do regret not continuing to play another position even if it was only on scout team. I got to play tight end and full back a bit at WSU and should have continued that path.

 

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated?

That is a tough question, I can’t pin point one specific experience but since I have graduated I have moved to 3 different states, gone to grad school and gotten married. Every step of the way since college I have been able to experience so much, I am going to cop out and say the entire ride has been tremendous.

 

 

Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 20 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,850 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Where Are They Now Featuring Kyle Varnell!

February 10, 2025 By

Kyle Varnell has been with Rubio Long Snapping since 2015!

What is your occupation?

Sales executive at something inked selling merchandise

Where do you live?

Nashville, TN

Married? Kids? 

NOPE!

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? 

The locker room fun and hanging with the guys on trips.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Snapping PARENTS, what would it be?

Trust the process, it is so frustrating at times but it is coming. You get out what you put in.

Parents enjoy this time, make friends and remember rubio wants everyone to succeed.

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason?

Last week in a lesson to prove I still got it.

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why?

I mean knowing me I would go sec big time. Play in big games and get the full college experience.

Any regrets during college? Anything you wish you had done or hadn’t done? 

None in college, I loved every second of it.

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated?

Moving to Nashville to be closer to family and travel around to amazing events for my job and meet awesome people!

Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 20 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,850 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Where Are They Now Featuring Corey Adams!!!!

February 5, 2025 By

Corey has been with Rubio Long Snapping since 2006 and was the top Long Snapper in his class.

What is your occupation? Director of Accounting

Where do you live? Overland Park, KS

Married? Kids? Married (12 wonderful years), 3 daughters (9, 7, 5)

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? Reflecting on college there isn’t one memory that sticks out, rather just a collection of great memories and experiences that all blend together for an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? 

Current snappers: Don’t make long snapping your whole identity and just relax. Your time playing football is maybe 15% of your whole life, and you don’t want to be so locked in and rigid on one thing. Develop a personality, make some memories, and focus on being a good person.

Current parents: Spread out. Whether it is the recruiting process, speaking to instructors, coaches, teachers, etc., let your child take the lead on discussions and engagement. It will help them develop a personality, learn to be a functioning human being, and get comfortable with the uncomfortable. This will pay dividends throughout their life.

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason? It was a few years ago, and I was giving a lesson. Was trying to explain how to hit the “4” follow through. Didn’t go so well, and now I follow the “those who can’t do, teach” and “do as I say, not as I do” mantras.

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? From an experience standpoint, I would go to Kansas State again for sure. I loved the town, people, location, etc. HOWEVER, NIL is a variable my generation didn’t have to deal with, and hearing how much athletes are making, it would be hard to pass up opportunities that may more lucrative than others.   

Any regrets during college? Anything you wish you had done or hadn’t done? I wish I hadn’t rushed out as quickly as I did. I started as a true freshman and graduated in 3.5 years. I was so focused on trying to go pro and life after college, I kind of fast tracked anything. Looking back (especially with the landscape of college football today), would have loved to had a couple more years of school, getting to hangout with friends, working out, limited responsibilities, etc.

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated? Starting a family with my wife and watching our daughters grow over the years and see their development and accomplishments.

 

 

Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 20 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,850 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

 

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Where Are They Now? Sodie Orr

April 26, 2018 By

For the next installment of the Rubio Long Snapping Where Are They Now? series, we head to sunny Southern California to learn about Sodie Orr.

Sodie is a TOP 12 Long Snapper from the class of 2012 that was always a crowd favorite with his overflowing personality and his tendency to bring into song. Don’t believe me? Check out Sodie’s entry for a Rubio Long Snapping contest many moons ago….

https://youtu.be/Odzj5zhluOw

Sodie and his mom

Sodie went off to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo but realized that college football wasn’t for him in the long run. He had visions (or sounds) of music on his mind and he didn’t want let his musical dream fade so he ran with it! He has played under the name Sodie Orr, Sodie Aura and Wes James. Here we go…..

What is your occupation? I am currently a full time musician

Where do you live? I live in Carlsbad but am moving to the San Fernando Valley soon.

Married? Kids? No marriage and I ammmm NOT THE FATHER (yet, praise the heavens)

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? My fondest memory of playing college football is watching all the upperclassmen angrily look at me with jealousy in their eyes as they practiced while i sat on the sidelines for the last 2 hours of practice every day. Special teams was right after warm ups.

How come you no longer play football? Full time musician.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? If I could give a bit of advice to Rubio Long Snappers, it would be to really appreciate the camps and time with Rubio while you’re there. Football was cool, but being a part of the Rubio family and Long Snapping community meant more to me than anything I ever did in college. I learned a lot about life and how to be a better human as well as a better long Snapper.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? My advice to the parents of Rubio Snappers would be to push your young man harder. Make sure he’s doing his drills daily, stretching, and that his grades are up. I’ve seen a lot of my friends lives change completely in the best ways from dedicating fully to the craft. Shoutout to my NFL homies I met at Rubio camps.

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason? The last time I snapped a ball was a few months ago, on camera, to show Rubio I still sling pearls. Once a snapper always a snapper.

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? If I HAD to go back to school again and play ball, I would want to go to a different school. I didn’t enjoy my program very much, and would have enjoyed the benefits of playing for a big time football oriented university. I also realized once I got there that I didn’t love football at all. If Long snapping was an Olympic sport I would have gone for gold… but I knew that football wasn’t my path, so I left and went for my dream of making music. And if you’re feeling that way, it’s okay. Stick it out as long as you can and give it a chance to come around. But if you know deep down it’s not for you once you’re in it, don’t be afraid to follow your heart and passion.

Chance the Rapper with Sodie Aura (Sodie Orr)!

Any regrets during college? Anything you wish you had done or hadn’t done? I don’t have too many regrets about my college experience. Since my heart wasn’t in football, I do feel that I missed out on a lot of the things that were going on while I was traveling for away games etc. But I am and will always be grateful I got there through Rubio’s teachings and my own hard work.

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated? I did not graduate… instead I started writing music and decided to do a showcase in LA, where an A&R from Atlantic Records saw me and wanted to sign me on the spot. Since then, i have recorded at multiple Atlantic Records studios, opened for artists such as Curren$y, Ab Soul, Chance the Rapper, Shwayze, and more. I interned for rapper Too $hort for a year at his complex in LA, as well as producer legend Rodney Jerkins (aka Darkchild). And I believe that’s all just the tip of the iceberg. As long as I maintain BALANCE in my life (work hard/ maintain self care, grind/ get proper rest), EXTEND and network with the contacts I’ve made in the industry and beyond, and FOLLOW THROUGH on my commitments and goals… anything is possible.

Neil Diamond with Wes James (Sodie Orr)!!!!

The poster you see above was given to me by Sodie Orr. It is when he was a special guest of Neil Diamond (if you don’t know who the legend Neil Diamond, you have some severe issues) and opened for him in San Diego. I hang it proudly where I do lessons and have it right next to where all the Long Snappers snap the ball so they can see it and realize that life is not all about Long Snapping and a person has to be truly well rounded to succeed. This poster is truly one of my most valued possessions I own. Thank you Sodie!

Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,000 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Where Are They Now? Rubio Long Snapper Richard Wilcox

September 27, 2016 By

richard-wilcox3553Every once in awhile, there will be a Rubio Long Snapper that realizes, “You know what, maybe Long Snapping just isn’t for me anymore.” You are probably thinking to yourself, “Oh, I bet that really pisses Rubio off!!!” Actually, it doesn’t because it is not for everyone and like I always tell the parents and the kids when they make this decision, “As long as the kid is happy, I am happy!” Long Snapping is a great thing but being an all around great person that can also snap, is so much better in the long run.

This brings me to Richard Wilcox of Humboldt State University. Wilcox is a TREMENDOUS human being that graduated from high school in 2015. He was a very good Long Snapper and has an outstanding personality. He was always well beyond his years and we would have some great conversations at the CA camps and VEGAS.

Well, as it happens at times, Wilcox got to college and decided he needed to move on from Long Snapping to pursue a goal of his. I have been following him and his progress for quite some time and I asked if I could do a blog on him so here we go….

Where do you live? I currently live in Eureka, California attending Humboldt State university.

What is your major? I’m a business major, with a minor in writing.

What year do you plan to graduate? Well Thanks to a lot of AP classes in high school I am already an academic junior even though this is only my second year at HSU. I should hopefully graduate by Spring 2018

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? Well, I only played one year of college football at HSU but there was one time, after a game, when I signed an autograph for a little kid, yeah he probably didn’t know I was a long snapper, but he looked up to me, and that felt pretty cool.

untitled2How come you no longer play football? I decided that I wanted to focus on my degree, and my writing, to better prepare myself for my future.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Listen to Rubio and practice religiously. It’s imperative to your development as a long snapper to practice. Oh, and stay out of your head, everybody has bad snaps, they don’t define you as a snapper.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? Don’t be afraid to let your kid make mistakes, sometimes that’s the best way they learn and if a coach calls the house just pass the phone off to your athlete, that’s who they are calling for.

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason? Over the summer at my brother’s house I was snapping in the street wearing socks and I tore a huge hole in them because of the asphalt haha.untitled

What do you do other than school? My dream job is to be a video game journalist, so with my free time I focus on refining my writing skills by writing for a website, Binderbits.com. I have been doing this for a little over a year now and it has helped me improve my writing exponentially and opened me up to opportunities a few years ago I was dreaming of achieving, including going to the Electronic Entertainment Expo in LA, which is an invite only industry event. On top of my writing I also recently started my own YouTube channel, DickDoesGaming. It is pretty bare bones right now as I kind of just started it, but I’m currently in the process of working out a content schedule so I can make sure my channel keeps up the consistency at which it publishes content, and once that’s finalized I’ll be pumping out videos on a regular basis!

What is the Youtube Channel all about? One day I hope my channel Is a combination of Video game gameplay, opinions, news, and interviews with developers and video game personalities, but since I don’t have the right equipment, time, or money to do this full time, I’m going to focus about video game news and culture while interjecting my personal viewpoints’, hoping to grow it from there over time!

Where can we follow you on social media? I’m most active on my twitter (@richardw55) where I post stuff about football, video games, and the occasional dumb joke. If the type of content I do is interesting to you, subscribe to my YT channel to get updates when I post new videos, it would mean the world!

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Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

Rubio_Card_frontMAGNET

 

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Where Are They Now? Rubio Long Snapper Brian Bennyhoff

August 30, 2016 By

bennyhoff-b-cm-2009-482-089jpg-a972fc14971f59e6_smallThe next installment of “Where Are They Now?” takes us to Michigan to catch up with former Central Michigan Rubio Long Snapper Brian Bennyhoff!

What is your current occupation?

I’m a CPA with Ernst & Young in our Assurance practice, performing financial statement audits primarily in the automotive industry.

Where do you live?

I live outside Metro Detroit in Lake Orion, MI #WhereLivingIsAVacation

13626632_10157329850600121_7455014115815863114_nMarried? Kids?

I’ve been married to my beautiful wife, Kelly, for 13 months, and we’re expecting our first child in late January!

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football?

The obvious answer is winning a MAC championship my sophomore year, as well as the GMAC bowl and finishing #23 in the nation. The not as obvious answer is looking back on all the time spent in the locker room, every single day, with such good friends and teammates. When we all get together now we reminisce much more on the fun in the locker room than the time we spent on the field. When I got married, my teammates roasted me at the rehearsal dinner. Nearly all the things on the list were inside jokes from the locker room. That’s the kind of stuff you never forget.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be?

Listen to everything Rubio tells you, and I’m not just saying with snapping. He’s had more interaction with coaches, athletes, and the recruiting process than many, many other people. He knows what he’s doing, and he’s genuinely interested in what’s best for you. That includes the life advice he’ll casually offer or if you ask him his opinion. I wasn’t interested in Central Michigan when they first talked to me, but Rubio helped me keep that door open because he knew I’d need it. When other expected offers evaporated, CMU was still there, and I’d choose them again from the start if I could.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be?

The hard work helping train your son pays off. The snaps you catch every night, sometimes in the most unlikely places (i.e. hotel hallways), make a difference. Wherever your son plays next, whatever level, you take those memories with you, and the other parents you meet along the way who have made similar sacrifices will be your closest friends for the next 4/5 years during college.


10392317_10155272772120121_3908158657800194975_nWhen was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason?

A few weeks ago. I lead a Bible study for a group of high school freshmen guys, and they wanted to see if I still have it. Spoiler alert: I do.

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why?

CMU, hands down. See my previous answers for obvious reasons why. The teammates I’ve met along the way, the lifelong memories we forged, the impact they still have on me, and the impact it had on my parents and family along the way are all things I wouldn’t trade for the world. The winning was pretty great, too!

Any regrets during college? Something you wish you had done or maybe hadn’t?

This goes both ways, regrets of things I did and didn’t do, and the lesson is learning which battles to fight. Coming back from injury, there were times I pushed too hard with my coaches to get back on the field and in the wrong way, and times I didn’t fight hard enough. Know which battles to fight, and fight them with strategy instead of force.

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated?

This could be a big list so I’ll keep if succinct. Personally, I’ve gotten married, am expecting my first child, ran two half-marathons, bought our first house, and love the community we’re blessed to live life with in Lake Orion and at Kensington Community Church. Professionally, I’ve earned my CPA, am a senior auditor at the firm I’ve dreamed of working at since I was young, and seen great team success by passing a PCAOB inspection (my profession’s regulator).

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Where Are They Now? Rubio Long Snapper Bobby Shepard

June 21, 2016 By

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The next installment of “Where Are They Now?” takes us to Northern California to catch up with former Fresno State Rubio Long Snapper Bobby Shepard!

What is your current occupation? I am a firefighter.

Where do you live? I live in Lodi, California.

Married? Kids? Single, with a three year old chocolate lab.

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? Both creating lifelong bonds with teammates and getting to travel the country and play in incredible stadiums. I played for a head coach that didn’t back down from any team. I was able to play in the Rose Bowl (and beat Rubio’s Bruins!), play at Camp Randall stadium, play at Nebraska, and at Candlestick Park to name a few.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? Work your butt off. Not only as an athlete, but even more so as a student. You can only wear pads for so long. There is so much more to your life than football. Also, have fun. It truly will be the quickest four or five years of your life. Enjoy it.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? Support your son. My parents only missed two games in my entire playing career. Having them there every step of the way was incredibly rewarding. They were there for the game winning field goals and the rough losses. To this day it is something we always talk about. Very few kids get the opportunity to be a college athlete, soak it in with them.

12308534_10153718196912305_7028083895285253500_nWhen was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason? I didn’t snap a football for probably two years after attending NFL free agent camps and try outs. Then probably a month ago some fellow firefighters wanted to see if I could still snap, and how fast it was.

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? I would absolutely do it all over again and be a Fresno State Bulldog in a heart beat! Only one school wanted me to walk on for them. I am forever in debt to Coach Hill for letting me walk on. I am also beyond thankful to Coach John Baxter (USC) and Coach Pete Alamar (Stanford) for working with me. Also the city of Fresno truly cares about their Bulldogs and Fresno State as a whole. Their passion at games was unmatched.

Any regrets during college? Something you wish you had done or maybe hadn’t? My first few years in college, I didn’t really enjoy myself. My life was all football and school. While I loved that I was devoted to my sport and education, I didn’t really get to experience all that college had to offer until later in my career.

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated? Since I graduated in 2011, I was able to attend Graduate School while playing my Senior season. I earned my Master’s degree in Sport Psychology. Obviously, my job is incredible to me! As cliché as it sounds, I love being the person that gets respond to help people when they are injured or having problems in their life.

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Where Are They Now? Rubio Long Snapper Bobby Dunn

April 19, 2016 By

10304980_727548790637419_3270315977127620750_nFor the next installment of “Where Are They Now?” we head to Illinois to hear from Rubio Long Snapper Bobby Dunn who went to high school in IL, received a scholarship to the Air Force Academy and is heading toward becoming a DOCTOR!!!

1.  What is your current occupation?

I am currently in my 2nd year of medical school at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine as well as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. After graduation I will commission as a captain in the Air Force as an active duty officer and serve as a physician.  

2. Where do you live?

Carol Stream, Illinois.

3. Married/ Kids?

I recently got engaged to my beautiful fiancée Dominique in December. We will be getting married in May of 2018 after I finish medical school.

blob4. What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? 

My fondest memory of college football comes from a couple of early mornings in February before spring practices started. After the off season in the weight room the team takes part in “Cages.”. All of the players report down to the field house before breakfast and classes start to go through 2 hours of speed, agility and strength drills with all of the coaches. Although this was difficult and not particularly fun, it is my fondest memory because it was one of the rare times we as long snappers could compete directly with the rest of the players. At the end of the two day training there is a competition between starters and backups that is an “anything goes” 1 on 1 tug of war with a car tire. I think I enjoyed this so much because it was an opportunity to break the monotony of practices and show off our largely hidden athletic prowess as long snappers.

5. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be?

When choosing schools to apply to, and eventually a school to attend, try to choose a school that you could see yourself loving even if you were not playing football. Keep your dreams big and work your tail off to achieve them, just know at some point football will have to end. At that point it will be important to be somewhere with great friends and incredible opportunities.  

6. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? 

I think my parents did everything right and I appreciate everything they did along the way. The number one bit of advice I gathered from them is to ENJOY THE RIDE! Your sons will love you and appreciate everything that you do. At the end of each day make it known that you believe in them, you support them and most of all you love them no matter what happens with football.
7. When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason? 

The last time I snapped a football was about a year and a half ago in Texas at a country music festival. Some buddies and I were tailgating outside of our tent and made some friends with the guys in the spot over. One of them turned out to have played college football and he had a hard time believing that I played Division 1 football as well. Luckily he had a football so I could prove myself. There was no stop watch there but I am confident that it was a persuasive demonstration of quality long snapping.

8.   If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? 

I would absolutely choose to attend the Air Force Academy all over again. It was definitely a different college experience with some hard days, but overall I loved it. I met some of my best friends and enjoyed several unique experiences.

If there are any high school long snappers who have aspirations to serve our country and play college football at a high level you should consider one of the service academies. If you have any questions talk to Rubio and he can give you my contact information, I’d love to talk to you about it.

9. Any regrets during college? Something you wish you had done or maybe hadn’t?

I do not have any regrets during college. I had big dreams to play football all 4 years however I had even bigger dreams to attend medical school and be a military doctor. After a year of football my grades were not as competitive as I would have liked them to be, and unfortunately I had to give up football to keep up with my grades and military training. I absolutely would have loved to continue to play football longer but I know that I gave it my best shot and am happy how everything has turned out.

10.   What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated? 

I have been blessed with the incredible opportunity to stay in school and wait another 4 years to enter the real world. That itself is tremendous. Besides that I have wooed a great woman, become an uncle and been a mediocre participant in recreational basketball and softball leagues. Life is good!

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Where Are They Now? Rubio Long Snapper Cary Kriegsman

March 30, 2016 By

AAEAAQAAAAAAAAcNAAAAJDM1MjM0M2QwLTc5ZmQtNDY3MC1iNWJhLWFjYzkzN2NjMDBjMAFor the next installment of “Where Are They Now?” we head to San Francisco to hear from Rubio Long Snapper Cary Kriegsman who went to high school in Southern California, went to Cal Berkeley and is dominating the adult life….

1.  What is your current occupation?

I work for the investment management firm BlackRock, where I am responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with public and private pensions in the US and Canada Institutional sales team.

2. Where do you live?

San Francisco

3. Married/ Kids?

No

4. What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? 

On the field, my fondest memory was when I joined the team mid-Fall camp (as I was supposed to grey shirt my first Fall, but the backup snapper went down, so I was called up) and a few weeks later I was running through the LA Coliseum tunnel to play USC in the stadium I used to watch games at with my family.

Off the field, my fondest memories are the times spent in the locker room with my best friends (some of the funniest and most entertaining by far) as well as pushing through the toughest off-season workouts (especially 6ams…).  

5. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be?

I’ll give you two: 

1) Focus on your mental game just as hard as you do on your physical game. This can be through visualizations, breathing exercises, sports psychology, or film (all of which helped me). People overlook the mental game, which really sets one snapper apart from another.

2)  Your two main priorities should be school and long snapping. A commitment to both will get you to where you want to be, both during and post college. I worked my tail off in high school to get the opportunity to play for Cal. If I didn’t fully commit myself to snapping on a daily basis, I wouldn’t have been able to play college football. If I didn’t fully commit myself to academics on a daily basis, I definitely wouldn’t have gotten accepted into Berkeley. Making a commitment to both allowed me to have the amazing experiences and opportunities I had at Cal.

6. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? 

Support your son, and don’t be overbearing. My parents helped guide my focus in the right direction, but it was ultimately my own choice on whether I wanted to fully commit myself to snapping or not.

I will forever be indebted to my Mom who was the only mother at our time to warm up their son and catch his snaps at Rubio camps. If that doesn’t scream support, here’s another example: I (accidently) broke her finger during a snapping drill in High School, but she continued to catch my snaps a few weeks after this happened. Thanks again Mom! 

331031_2130949644643_712539449_o7. When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason? 

My coworkers had me snap a football down our office hallway a few months ago. Requests like these come around more than you can imagine.

8.   If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? 

I would 100% go to the same school. Cal Berkeley had everything that I wanted: academics and Pac-12 Football. It’s hard to get the opportunity to be recruited to a Division 1 school, but once you do get this opportunity, you realize it’s even harder to get the opportunity to start and play. If things don’t go your way on the field for various reasons, you still have your academics to lean on. 

Side Note: I cannot echo Rubio’s advice enough: Never Pick A School Based Off Of Coaches. In my time at Cal, I had 2 Head Coaches, 3 Head Strength coaches, 2 Special Teams Coordinators, and 2 Athletic Directors. There was not one single staff member that was there from when I began my college career to when I ended it. 

9. Any regrets during college? Something you wish you had done or maybe hadn’t?

No regrets

10.   What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated? 

After graduating, I went on a two-month solo European backpacking trip, where I went to 16 different countries and stayed in hostels. It was completely out of my comfort zone, but turned out being the best decision and experience of my life.

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Cary in Santorini, Greece.

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Where Are They Now? Rubio Long Snapper Justin Drescher

March 2, 2016 By

iFor the next installment of “Where Are They Now?” we head to New Orleans to hear from Rubio Long Snapper Justin Drescher who went to high school in Texas, received a full scholarship to Colorado and has been excelling ever since….

1.  What is your current occupation?

Long Snapper for the New Orleans Saints

2. Where do you live?

New Orleans in season and Denver in off season

3. Married/ Kids?

No wife and No kids

4. What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? 

My fondest moment on the field came my Sophomore year when I recovered a fumble to set up the tying score against OU the #3 ranked team at the time than snapping the game winner couple mins later to beat them on last second field goal. But some of my favorite moments came off the field while floating the Boulder Creek, summer workouts and the cook outs.

5. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be?

To have a balanced college experience and to find friends outside of the athletes you see everyday. It will help you get a different perspective of college and it serves as a good get away of the daily grind that can sometimes take over.

6. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? 

To give your child the support and resources so that they can make informed decisions for their future. Sometimes it may not always be the best decision but know failures can lead to great success.

temp_MH18601--nfl_mezz_1280_10247. When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason? 

About 3 hours ago at practice in punt period getting ready for last preseason game

8.   If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? 

I would definitely choose to go back to University of Colorado. It allowed me to grow up and mature while also providing me with a great degree. It introduced me to some of my best friends that I still stay in weekly contact with that I couldn’t imagine not having those relationships.

9. Any regrets during college? Something you wish you had done or maybe hadn’t?

My biggest regret was graduating and leaving Boulder Co in 3 and half years. It went by way to fast. The real world, Yes, I worked at Home Depot and Substitute taught while trying to make the NFL was not all that cool.

10.   What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated? 

I would say coolest thing for me, was going from Substitute teacher on a Monday to playing in my first Career NFL game on Thanksgiving against the Cowboys in Dallas, my hometown. It was a surreal moment for me to play my fist career game in front of my family and friends. I even rode home with my family in the backseat just like the good ol’ days of playing pee wee football.

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Where Are They Now? Rubio Long Snapper Gabriel Miller

December 18, 2015 By

For the next installment of Where Are They Now? we head to Lincoln, Nebraska to see how a career ending injury didn’t stop Rubio Long Snapper Gabriel Miller (#4 for the class of 2013, full ride to Nebraska)….

What is your current occupation? 

I am the founder and CEO of Bella Baby Nuts, LLC. I broke my back in the summer of 2014, and had surgery that fall. After undergoing a 6 hour surgery I was unable to do Gabe Miller and Rubioanything but stand up for close to a month, so I started messing around in the kitchen with some raw pecans. And after many months of perfecting my own candied pecan recipe I decided to turn it into a business. We have now been in business for almost a year and are growing rapidly. If anyone would like to see the fun things we are up to they can check out our website at http://www.bellababynuts.com/ or www.facebook.com/BellaBabyNuts. I am also still a full time student at the University of Nebraska and I am the Rubio Long Snapping Instructor for the state of Nebraska. Oh and during the summers I breed high end Japanese Koi fish on my small koi farm back in Indiana. 

*Rubio Note: I have had some Bella Baby Nuts and they are FANTASTIC! I highly recommend them for a Christmas snack at your holiday parties!

Where do you live? 

My wife and I currently live in Lincoln, Nebraska. We will be in Nebraska for at least another 3 years, my wife has 3 more years in her PhD program for Math Education. After my wife finishes her PhD we plan to hopefully move back to Indiana. 

Married? Kids? 

I am married to my beautiful wife Erica Miller. We got married last January so we are coming up on our first anniversary. And we do not have kids at the moment, except for our English Bulldog, Bella. 

Screen Shot 2015-12-16 at 1.27.38 AMWhat is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? 

My fondest moment from playing college football is definitely when we played Penn State at Happy Valley my true freshman season. It was a late day/ night game and it started to snow in the second half. We were neck and neck the whole way, and the game went into overtime. With a chance to win the game we lined up for a game winning 42 yard field goal. With 100,000 fans and the Penn State student section at our faces it was pretty crazy. I snapped a pearl back to Sam Foltz my holder and Pat Smith nailed it for the walk off field goal. It was an awesome experience and to top it off Pat and I were named special teams players of the game. 

If you could give one bit of advice to Rubio long snappers, what would it be? 

My advise to current Rubio Long Snappers is to always keep the end goal in mind. If you can remember what you want your life to look like 5, 10, 15, 30 years down the line then going through some short term pain will be worth it to accomplish your goals in life as well as in football. 

If you could give one bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping parents, what would it be? 

My advice to the parents is to be supportive of your sons. Your son is embarking on one of the toughest journeys in all of sports, and that is to get a scholarship for Long Snapping and play college football. This adds a ton of pressure to his already hectic life as a teenager, so the biggest thing you could do is support him during this crazy time. There were times when it seemed life was ending because I wasn’t getting where I wanted in my Long Snapping, but my parents supported me and gave me confidence that if I continued to work hard the results would follow. And at the time I was given a full ride scholarship from the University of Nebraska and ranked as the number 2 Long Snapper in my class, there was no one I wanted to share that moment with more than with my parents who had supported me during the whole process. 

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason. 

The last time I really snapped a football was during the summer of 2014 before I broke my back. Unfortunately bending over and throwing my head through my legs is one of the things I am unable to do anymore (haha). 

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? 

I was fortunate enough to have multiple scholarship offers coming out of high school and am extremely glad I chose to spend my college career at the University of Nebraska, and would do it again if I had the choice. The support that we received as student athletes was top notch and the whole environment around Lincoln is awesome. Getting to snap in front of 90,000 crazy Cornhusker fans every Saturday was fantastic. And I met my wife here in Lincoln, so I would say my decision turned out to be a good one. 

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated?

The thing that has changed my outlook on my future the most is my newly found love for books. In all honesty I had read probably 3 books in the first 19 years of my life, but after my back surgery I began to start to read. I am a huge leadership and entrepreneurial junkie, and have been reading a book a week for going on two years now. The saying is that leaders are readers, and that is so true. I truly believe the knowledge and wisdom of Americas greatest men and women can be used for our benefit if we just open some books and turn a lot of pages. 

Bella-Baby-Nuts

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Filed Under: Article Archives, Relationships, Where Are They Now? Tagged With: , , , , ,

Where Are They Now? Rubio Long Snapper Luke Sims

December 1, 2015 By

For the next installment of “Where Are They Now?” we head to your….ears! Rubio Long Snapper Luke Sims (Event Elite – 2010) has taken quite the journey to his next step in life. Find out more about him below…

1.  What is your current occupation? sims3

After graduating from Iowa State University with a supply chain management degree, I moved back to Denver to pursue a music career. I am currently an electronic music producer for my “band”, Bass Physics, which consists of me and my friend from high school. We have been playing music festivals all over the country and are currently in the middle of a 40 city tour.

2. Where do you live?

I live in Denver, Colorado

3. Married/ Kids? No

4. What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? 

My fondest memory of playing college football was when we played #2 Oklahoma State and beat them in triple overtime. Having the crowd rush the field around us was an amazing feeling.

5. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be?Sims2

Always have confidence in what you are doing. Whether it be snapping a football, taking a test, or lifting a weight, confidence is key to success. YOU must BELIEVE in yourself and that you can accomplish anything.

6. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? 

Never pressure you kid into doing something they do not want to do. Always be supportive of what they are doing and encourage them to put their best effort into every aspect of life.

7. When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason? 

My friend and I had been producing a track for a while in our studio and we needed to take a break. We grabbed a football, went outside, and I fired a few snaps to him to get the blood flowing again. There’s nothing like seeing life upside down.

8.   If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? 

I would not trade anything for the school I went to. Iowa State was such a good fit for me and I made so many good friends and so many good memories on and off the field.

9. Any regrets during college? Something you wish you had done or maybe hadn’t?

I really wish I had taken the academics more seriously. I wish I had gotten more involved with my major as well as more involved with the community around my school.

10.   What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated? 

My sophomore year in school I had been producing electronic music when I wasn’t studying or at football. My friend from Denver and I created a “band” called Bass Physics, and decided to produce an album for fun for our friends to listen to. One of the songs off the album got some interest from rock promoter legend Barry Fey. Ever since Barry heard our music, the right people started filing in and we began to play shows in Denver. In the off season, I would fly home to Denver to play shows with my friend and eventually we created Bass Physics LLC. After graduation, I moved back to Denver to pursue this new music business career we had manifested. Since then, we have played over 100 shows and are continuing to make things happen. Follow your dreams.

Be sure to check Luke out at:

www.bassphysics.com

https://soundcloud.com/bass-physics

Sims1

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Where Are They Now? Rubio Long Snapper Tyler Schmitt

November 11, 2015 By

For the next installment of “Where Are They Now?” we venture to the back of a camera lens to hear from Rubio Long Snapper Tyler Schmitt. Tyler was a tremendous athlete in high school, dominated at SDSU and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 6th Round (Go Hawks!)

Check out what has been going on with Rubio Long Snapper Tyler Schmitt….

1.  What is your current occupation?  11142232_711004645674731_59132459_n

Professional Landscape Photographer 

2. Where do you live?

La Jolla , CA half of the year, exploring the globe the other half. 

3. Married/ Kids? Single. No kids

4. What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? 

My fondest memory of playing football is running out of the tunnel at The Big House (Michigan) in front of 110,000 people as a 18 year old freshman. I’ve never been more terrified/excited to play in a game. 

5. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be?

Train with the linebackers, lift with the lineman, run with the defensive backs. Don’t train like a specialist, you will not grow to your full potential. Be an athlete! Practice mind control, tell yourself you are the best long snapper in the world and that is what you will become. 

6. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? 

Support your son’s dreams, whatever they may be. They have been put in his heart for a reason. If that means being a long snapper then great, if that means taking a break from football to pursue another deep rooted dream then so be it. I see a lot of parents these days forcing their own childhood dreams on their kids, this works in the opposite way as they would like it too. Thank you in advance for supporting your sons desire to be the best long snapper he can be. 

7. When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason? Schmitt_Tyler

A few months ago giving a private lesson. Partially to show the young gentleman an example of what I was talking about, but mostly to make sure I still had it in me. 😉 

 8.   If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? 

I wouldn’t change my college experience for the world. Being a long snapper at San Diego State is truly one of the best jobs on planet earth. We have quite a nice streak of Rubio long snappers continuing on to the NFL, and we plan on extending it next year. 

 9. Any regrets during college? Something you wish you had done or maybe hadn’t?

I have no regrets during my college football career. I do wish however I would have taken care of my body and mind better. Clean eating is such an important role in maintaining a healthy career. I learned this late in my career during my short time in the NFL. Athletes spend years tearing down their body with weightlifting and practice, but rarely learn how to build back up their body (through massage, stretching, yoga, meditation) until they learn from NFL veterans. 

10.   What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated? 

Since I graduated college I have had the opportunity to be drafted in the 6th round of the 2008 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks.  More importantly I am now pursuing a dream of sharing my photography with the world. You can check out my work at Instagram – @tyschmitt or www.tyschmitt.com (VERY WORTH CHECKING OUT!)

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Filed Under: Article Archives, Long Snapper, Maturity, Motivation, Nutrition, Parenting, Relationships, Social Media, Where Are They Now? Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Where Are They Now? Rubio Long Snapper Jarin Giesler

October 6, 2015 By

UAGJNJJNEPXKBIN.20070328082229For the next installment of “Where Are They Now?” we head to Arizona to hear from Rubio Long Snapper Jarin Giesler. Jarin was a member of the 20o6 Rubio Long Snapping class and played his high school ball in Cortez, CO. He earned a scholarship to Delaware St and now has quite the interesting story.

Check out what has been going on with Rubio Long Snapper Jarin Geisler….

1.  What is your current occupation?

I am an NFL agent, President/CEO of Giesler Sports World-Wide, Inc. (www.giesersports.com). We currently have four football clients and are a part of taking American Football into New Zealand for the first time in 2016 for the Southern Bowl, more on that below (www.southernbowl.com). Aside from being an agent, I am also a licensed attorney in Arizona (www.gieslerlaw.com).

2. Where do you live?

Phoenix, AZ

3. Married/ Kids? Soon, on both fronts

4. What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? 

I have many fond memories of Delaware State University, but my fondest memory is as follows: 2007 season, we were undefeated in conference with only one loss on the season. Our opponent, Norfolk State University, hadn’t lost in conference all season either, whoever won this game would win the MEAC Championship. Our team fell down early and we were down 21-3 in the fourth quarter with only eight minutes in the fourth quarter. Our team fought back, we tied the game with seconds to go on a two point conversion and won in overtime on a field goal. We ended the season ranked #10 in the nation and faced Joe Flacco and the University of Delaware for the first time in school history. That year, we won four games by three points or less.

5. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be?FBAL30S

Do your job and enjoy the moment. You are where you are for a reason and you have been trained by the top instructor in the world, remember that. Be confident in your skills and perform when called upon, confidence not cockiness. No one should know your name as long snappers are anonymous until we mess up.       Enjoy your time with the team you are on, you will build lifelong friendships, relish in the moment –those memories will be with you for the rest of your life.

6. If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? 

Listen to what Rubio tells you when he meets with the parents and make sure you meet ALL deadlines. I have seen too many student athletes miss out on playing at the school of their dreams because they were delayed through the NCAA Clearing House, don’t let your son be that athlete. I said earlier that your son is playing where he is for a reason, the same logic holds true for Rubio, he is not the top instructor in the world by coincidence. I was one of 26 long snappers to earn a scholarship in the 2006 class, up from the inaugural five in 2004. For illustration, the 2015 class saw Rubio helped over 125 long snappers get scholarship or walk-on opportunity. Rubio knows the path to success and can help avoid dangerous pitfalls, use him as a resource. I can’t think of a time where I contacted Chris and didn’t receive a text (within seconds, the man’s thumbs have to be on fire).

7. When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason?

June 3, 2015 in Auckland New Zealand for The Crowd Goes Wild (New Zealand’s version of SportsCenter, clip below). I was announcing my company’s involvement with the Southern Bowl (www.southernbowl.com), a series of two games on March 5 and March 12, 2016. The series will be coached by Super Bowl winners, Mike Shanahan and Mike Holmgren. We will feature two weeks of practice in front of world-class coaches and NFL Scouts. Our targeted player is one on the cusp of an NFL roster. We just completed the Southern Bowl Tryout Tour, across five U.S. cities to fill a portion of our roster. The remainder of our roster will be filled with top available American football talent (ie final cut players, players finishing active duty with the armed services, etc). I was featured on a segment of The Crowd Goes Wild to discuss the difference between an American football kicker and a rugby kicker. (http://www.followugby.com/videos/4127/category/Funny/9/Crowd-Goes-Wild–American-Football-vs-Rugby-Kicking)

 8.   If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? 

I loved my time at Delaware State University, I was there during a special time for the football program. My only regret is that I was across the country from my friends and family. My parents are amazing and made it to many of my games, but I would have loved to play in front of my buddies from back home. I wouldn’t change anything about my college experience, it made me who I am today.

 9. Any regrets during college? Something you wish you had done or maybe hadn’t?

I do not like the term regret, experiences we have shape who we are as individuals, how a person reacts to a situation builds character. In undergrad, one thing I always wanted to do was run for some sort of office, ie class president. I made excuses about how busy I was and never did it. During my time in law school, I was elected President of the Sports, Property and Entertainment Law Association and stopped making excuses. That year, SPELA created a Sports Law Competition Team. We were unable to secure funding from the University and had to come up with it ourselves, we were also unable to find a full-time coach. I coached our team and was also a competitor as we were able to win a national championship at the 2012 National Sports Law Negotiation Competition (the “NSLNC”).

10.   What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated?

I have mentioned the Southern Bowl and 2012 NSLNC and although I would enjoy speaking more about either experience, they fail in comparison to my time with the Oklahoma Innocence Project (the “OIP”) while I was in law school. The OIP is dedicated to identifying and remedying cases of wrongful convictions in Oklahoma. The California Chapter of the Innocence Project took on the case of Brian Banks, the standout California high school football star who committed to USC, but had his career cut short by a false accusation, several years ago and after reading his story I knew I had to get involved. (http://sports.yahoo.com/news/exonerated-ofape–brian-banksealizing-nfl-dream-%E2%80%93-in-different-capacity-005927279-nfl.html) The OIP only pursues cases in which there is credible evidence of factual innocence. During my time with the OIP, I worked on two cases of wrongful convictions. I worked with our Project Director and a supervising attorney to gather field evidence, conduct witness interviews and draft motions on behalf of our clients. Both cases I worked on are currently being heard in appellate court. I encourage anyone interested to watch the 2010 movie with Hillary Swank, Conviction or to read John Gresham’s book titled The Innocent Man. This was, by far, the most fulfilling experience of my life.

11. Do you remember your first Rubio Long Snapping camp? If so, share a memory…

I was a junior in high school at Montezuma Cortez High School in Colorado. I remember when our head coach came up to me with a post card and asked if I was interested in a long snapping camp. I remember talking to my parents and them telling me that it was a “no brainer.” Our tickets were booked the next day. The camp was at Notre Dame High School, before the Adidas deal, before Football University, but with the same caliber instruction. I remember telling my mom, this is going to become a huge event, after I walked off the field. I also remember how much Rubio loved my school colors –orange and black. I had never had instruction to become a long snapper, I filled the position at my school because no one else could do it. My life changed after that first camp and I cannot thank Rubio enough for helping me get to where I am today, both on and off the field.

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