Advice to Incoming Freshman from College Long Snappers

I offer up a ton of advice on this blog, my Twitter, my Facebook, through texts, e-mails and my camps. In my opinion, it is all good.

But, sometimes, the youth would like to hear from others as close to their own age as possible. No problem.

I asked several Rubio Long Snappers, who have just finished their first collegiate season of football, a simple question, “What is one bit of advice you would give to an incoming freshman Long Snapper now that you have essentially wrapped up your first year?”

Here are their responses….

“Earn the respect of non specialists by working hard in the weight room and conditioning so they don’t just stereotype you as being just a “longsnapper”. Will go a long way with the coaches and put you a step ahead of the guy in front of you if there is one.” Conor Fry – North Carolina

“Never be satisfied. Although you may not come in and be the starter the first day you step on campus, once you earn that starting spot on the team you cannot get complacent. If you get complacent, somebody will catch up to you. While you are resting, someone else is getting better. Are you working? Or are you resting?” Reid Ferguson – LSU

“Have fun with it, enjoy the experience. If you redshirt embrace it, and get better. Make sure you are healthy and physically fit coming into your first year. The weight room and running will be difficult, so make sure you are prepared, and finally make sure to always be on time, which is 10 minutes early. That’s the best advice I can give, really kids just got to enjoy the gift they have been given.” Nolan Dowling – Western Kentucky

“Come in CONFIDENT, not cocky. They need to remember that they are a freshman again, no one cares that you were number 1 in the nation or a 5 star snapper. Although they should because they couldn’t do it. And don’t expect special treatment from coaches anymore. Once you step on that field you’re just another player, not someone they have to impress anymore.” Jake Abraham – Georgia Southern

“Realize that the strength staff is on your side. They will make fun of your athleticism and your position at first just keep working hard and keep your confidence up and they will come around. Also, to Enjoy the Process. The off season workouts, summer lifts, practices, and season are really hard and tiring. Find your own way to make them fun. Lastly, dont think of what you’re losing out on (parties & junk) but think about how much you’re gaining. (Discipline & work ethic)” John DePalma – West Virginia

“Be prepared for anything! Coaches will go to extreme lengths just to see how mentally tough a snapper is.  You’re gonna have bad days or a bad snap every now and then; it is how you respond to adversity that matters.  If coach is chewing you out and up in your face just nod yes sir and move on to the next snap.  Mental toughness is key!” Steven Romero – New Mexico

“Have a short memory.  If you have a bad snap, coaches are going to get on you for it but you need to come back and respond.” Duke Moran – CAL

“Listen to the guys who currently share your position on the team. You may think you know all there is about physically snapping, but being a snapper entails much more than just throwing the ball between your legs (as you know). The mental aspect is more than half the game, and by creating a comfortability level with the men you share all your time with is essential to your success. Don’t be afraid to reach out to others for help, because in reality, the people you want to ask were all freshman at one point and have taken your path before. They don’t care how good you were in high school, they want you to excel at the collegiate level and to benefit the team in all possible ways.” Joe Marvin – Penn St. 

“For me one thing I never did was really practice snapping on a command and I really struggled with that coming into camp. So if I was going to give advice going into your first year for a long snapper I would say to be able to snap on a command along with on your own. Be able to snap out of your comfort zone for sure.” Matt Cincotta – Marshall

“You have to come in with a mindset that you are the best but practice like you are second string and fighting for a job. Football has a lot of distractions but the reason you are there is to get your education first. Basically this is something you have never experienced so you have to do something you have never done before.” Daniel LaMontagne – Furman

“Make a great first impression on your coaches, teammates, and professors. Also to enjoy and soak it all in because it’ll fly by before you know it.” Scott Daly – Notre Dame

“Not everything is gonna go exactly how you planned out in your head but just keep grinding, it’ll be worth it in the end.” William Eads – Middle Tennessee

“GO TO CLASS!!! If you don’t go, YOU FAIL! Also learn how to manage your time. Time management is key for a college football player, especially of you make the travel squad. Study, study, study. If your grades are not up to par the coaches will leave you at home, it happened to a few guys here.” Ryan Eustace – Arkansas St.

“Always stay warm and make sure you’re paying attention to the game because standing on the sidelines will cause your legs to get cold, and there are a lot of distractions” Ryan DiSalvo – San Jose St.

“Come to the practice, lift, or run with an intense intrinsic attitude to improve yourself because it so easy to just go through the motions being that specialists are sort of dismissed by the coaching staff at times.” Jeff Overbaugh – San Diego St. 

“The most important thing to remember as a freshman long snapper on a college team is to have fun. Seriously, it sounds cheesy but taking this sport too seriously will be the death of you. You have worked so hard to get to where you are, and now that you’re here it’s important to take a step back and appreciate what you’re a part of. I wish all of you the best of luck. You have accomplished something few people can, and you should be beyond proud.” Sodie Orr – Cal Poly SLO

“You’ve made it to college however you have not arrived. You must work just as hard as you did making it to where you are now.” Greg Hohenstein – Bowling Green

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