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You Are Who You Hang Out With

January 27, 2016 By

A Rubio Long Snapping parent posted this photo on Facebook and I had to borrow it to show exactly what the Rubio Long Snapping family is all about AND how things continue to grow.

The picture below is from Vegas about five years ago. It shows your normal group of Rubio Long Snappers hanging out on a Saturday evening after the day of instruction. Everyone is smiling and waiting for their food. There is even a little brother thrown in the mix.

Let me give you a run down of the people in the photo. From left to right, Taybor Pepper of Michigan St/NFL., Scott Daly of Notre Dame, Cory Cheadle of Kansas St. Reid Ferguson of LSU/NFL, Blake Ferguson of LSU and Kelly Mason of Kentucky/NFL.

That is one powerful table. Next time you are sitting around with some members of the Rubio Long Snapping family at VEGAS XXVIII on May 21-22, think to yourself and wonder, will Rubio be talking about me in five years?

#YouAreWhoYouHangOutWith

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Taybor, Reid, Blake, Kelly, Cory at Vegas

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Filed Under: Article Archives, College, Deep Snapper, High School, Long Snapper, Motivation, Relationships Tagged With: , , , , , ,

All-American Team

June 20, 2013 By

Starting this year, Rubio Long Snapping and Chris Sailer Kicking will be choosing an All-American Team!

We will be choosing 4 High School and 4 College All-Americans. We will also be choosing a Most Improved Kicker, Punter and Long Snapper for the year as well.

One of the best parts about these awards, besides the honor itself, is that they will be announced on Friday, January 17th in Las Vegas. Yup, that is the day before the world’s largest kicking, punting and Long Snapping event and everyone will be on hand for the ceremony.

Also, in Vegas on that same night, Herbalife 24 will be announcing the Chris Rubio Award and Chris Sailer Award for top High School Long Snapper and Kicker of the Year!

Therefore, instead of just a handful of lucky families being able to see the Chris Rubio and Chris Sailer Award presentations, there will now be hundreds. The awards ceremony will take place in a ballroom at the JW Marriott with the front tables being reserved for the finalists and their families, while the rest of the ballroom will be open seating and free to the public. Imagine the NFL draft in your head….that is what this will look like in Vegas.

With no further adieu, here are the Rubio Long Snapping and Chris Sailer Kicking Pre-Season All-Americans….

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All-American List FILLED with Rubio Long Snappers

June 5, 2013 By

All four Long Snappers named to the Pre-Season All-American List put out by the heralded Phil Steele publication are Rubio Long Snappers!

The publication put out by Phil Steele is widely known as the number one resource for college athletics and highly respected throughout the world.

This is a huge honor for these Long Snappers, all of which were TOP 12 member, and Rubio Long Snapping. Having one nominated is good, having all four is PHENOMENAL!

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1st Team All-American Scotty Thompson

First Team – Scotty Thompson (NC State)

Second Team – Drew Howell (Oregon)

Third Team – Matt Dooley (Indiana)

Fourth Team – Reid Ferguson (LSU)

Congratulations once again to these fine Long Snappers!

 

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Rubio Long Snapper Reid Ferguson of LSU Earns Honor!

April 23, 2013 By

Long time Rubio Long Snapper, and TOP 12er, Reid Ferguson of LSU has won the Jerry Stovall Special Team Award….for the second year in a row!

This award is given out after Spring Ball by Head Coach Les Miles and the LSU staff. The award was presented to Reid for his Outstanding Performance in Spring Drills.

Winning once as a Long Snapper is impressive enough, but winning twice is just phenomenal.

Congratulations to Reid Ferguson!

RFerg Award


 

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Filed Under: Article Archives, College, Deep Snapper, Long Snapper, Maturity, Motivation, N.C.A.A. Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rubio Long Snappers in College Bowl Games

December 15, 2012 By

Here is your official guide to embracing Rubio Long Snappers in this season’s college football bowl games. Enjoy….

Gildan New Mexico Bowl – Chase Gorham, Brian Chacon and Tim Johnston of Arizona

Famous Idaho Bowl – Stone Monarch of Toledo vs Mark Hutchinson of Utah State

Rubio Long Snapper Jeff Overbaugh of San Diego St in the finals in Vegas!

S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl – Jeff Overbaugh and Brandon Koletsky of San Diego St.

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl – Nick Traub of Ball St vs Scott Teal of UCF

R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl – Charlie Coggins of East Carolina vs Jake Guidry of Louisiana Lafayette

MAACO Las Vegas Bowl – Ryan Masel of Washington vs Chris Roberson and Kevin Keane of Boise St.

Little Caesars Pizza Bowl – Nolan Dowling of Western Kentucky

Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman Bowl – Ryan DiSalvo and Art Gilbreath of San Jose St vs Greg Hohenstein of Bowling Green

Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl – Marcus Santa Cruz of Baylor vs Chris Longo and Jay Weneta of UCLA

Russell Athletic Bowl – Joe St. Germain of Virginia Tech

Meineke Car Care of Texas Bowl – Alex Chester of Texas Tech

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl – Trevor Gillette of Rice vs Harrison Elliott and Kevin Carrington of Air Force

New Era Pinstripe Bowl – John DePalma of West Virginia vs Sam Rodgers of Syracuse

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl – Joe Cardona and Josh Antol of Navy vs Easton Wahlstrom of Arizona St.

Valero Alamo Bowl – Kyle Ashby of Texas vs Michael Morovick  and Harrison Linsky of Oregon St.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl – Taybor Pepper or Michigan St.

Rubio Long Snapper Scotty Thompson of NC State on staff in Vegas

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl– Scott Thompson NC State vs Andrew East of Vanderbilt

Hyundai Sun Bowl – Peter McBride of USC

AutoZone Liberty Bowl – Luke Sims of Iowa St vs Jake Compton and Rey Higuera of Tulsa

Chic-fil-A Bowl – Reid Ferguson of LSU vs Jim Brown of Clemson

TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl – Winston Chapman and Reed Gordon of Mississippi St vs Chris Fitzpatrick of Northwestern

Heart of Dallas Bowl – Andrew Suter of Oklahoma St. and Connor Sinko of Oklahoma St

Outback Bowl – Curt Graman of Michigan

Capital One Bowl – Ty Frix of Georgia

Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio – Reed Miler and Austin Tubbs of Stanford

Discover Orange Bowl– Dax Dellenbach and Philip Doumar of Florida St.

Rubio Long Snapper Reid Ferguson of LSU on staff in Vegas

Allstate Sugar Bowl – Grant Donovan of Louisville vs Drew Ferris of Florida

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl – Drew Howell and Jeff Palmer of Oregon vs Dalton Converse of Kansas St.

AT&T Cotton Bowl – Alex Freeman and Nick Brown of Texas A&M

BBVA Compass Bowl – David Murphy of Pitt vs Will Denny and Will Few of Ole Miss

GoDaddy.com Bowl – Cade Oliver and Ryan Eustace of Arkansas St.

Discover BCS National Championship Bowl – Jordan Cowart and Scott Daly of Notre Dame vs Carson Tinker, MK Taylor and Matt Wilkinson of Alabama

Rubio Long Snapper Carson Tinker of Alabama with last year’s National Championship trophy

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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.

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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athletics, College, Deep Snapper, Exposure, Football, Long Snapper, Motivation, Recruiting Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rubio Long Snapper Reid Ferguson Receives Full Ride Offer

May 7, 2011 By

Long time Rubio Long Snapper Reid Ferguson (2012, GA) has been offered a full scholarship from San Diego St! Reid started his career with Rubio Long Snapping at the beginning of his freshman year in high school and has been dominating ever since.

Reid is someone that has worked extremely hard for what he has earned within his football career. His form is darn near flawless and his large frame enables him to snap an absolute rocket. He plays for a powerhouse in Georgia so he is used to the spotlight and definitely seems to be his best when the pressure is on. Here is a clip of him at the 9th Annual Event in Las Vegas:

If Reid decides on San Diego St. he would be taking over for former #1 Rubio Long Snapper Aaron Brewer and would be coached by Tony White who is a former teammate of Rubio from UCLA back in the day.
Congratulations again to Reid Ferguson!UPDATE: Reid has also earned offers from Tennessee and LSU!

NEW UPDATE 6/20: Reid has committed to LSU!

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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.

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Meet the “TOP 12” Long Snappers!

April 14, 2011 By
Going to Vegas in January for underclassmen Long Snappers means several things: seeing what all of the commotion is about, doing your absolute best, getting your ranking solidified, watching in awe at the top seniors that you have read so much about and, of course, making the exclusive TOP 12 list! The TOP 12 is chosen from underclassmen in January and they are simply the best of the best in January. They are the ones that snap the hardest, the most accurate, have the best blocking and are able to handle the pressure of the entire weekend. You make this list and you are on way to greatness….if you keep working as hard as you did to make it. The TOP 12 Long Snappers of January will be listed below and get the most exposure possible. They are invited to exclusive TOP 12 and EVENT ELITE camp this summer. You are only allowed to attend this camp if you prove yourself at one of our Vegas Events (January or May). Therefore, in May, I will be choosing the EVENT ELITE. They will be the best of the best in May and combine with the TOP 12 during the summer for the invite only camp. Some simply aren’t ready for January Vegas and need May to make a name for themselves. This happens. I know it. One particular instance would be Jonathan Weeks. He came in January, was not ready, worked his tail off and came back to dominate May. FYI: Jonathan Weeks in now doing this for his job. Side note: after reading his bio on that page, try to figure out what special teams camp the coach found out about him:) Think about this….come this summer…will you be reading daily about the TOP 12 and EVENT ELITE camp this summer or will you be participating? MAKE IT HAPPEN. ENOUGH EXCUSES. See you in May. PROVE YOURSELF!!! With no further adieu, here are your TOP 12 Long Snappers of 2011….. All information in this article is current as of April, 2011. Click on each individual players names for more information. Chris Fitzpatrick fitzpatrick_chris.jpg High School: Anderson County
State: KY
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #5
Height: 6-1
Weight:  235
GPA: 3.5
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. LSU 2. Purdue 3. Boston College 4. Northwestern 5. Western Kentucky
Hobbies: 1. Weightlifting 2. Fishing 3. Cooking
Chris Says: “My dedication of always trying to improve my long snapping abilities makes me the best Long Snapper in the country.” Chris Rubio Says: “Fitzpatrick  has grown a great deal with his body and his Long Snapping. Has transformed into one of the top Long Snappers in the country. Very, very solid speed that dips into .7s quite often. Very accurate and moves well for being so big. At this pace, he might be a five star by May Vegas. Keep a very close eye on this long time Rubio Long Snapper.” Cory Cheadle cheadle_cory.jpg High School: Hilton Head Christian Academy
State: SC
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #4
Height: 6-3.5
Weight:  255
GPA: 2.85
SAT / ACT: 1360
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Clemson 2. Auburn 3. Alabama 4. Tennessee 5. Maryland
Hobbies: 1. Fishing 2. Gofing 3. Boating
Cory Says: “My ability to snap well under extreme pressure is what makes me the best Long Snapper in the country. ” Chris Rubio Says: “Cheadle continues to impress me. Blocks very well, incredible flexibilty, solid personality and body, and he has the ability to snap the ball rocket fast. Cheadle continues to woo me with his overall snapping ability. Even under a bit of pain, he is doing well. Watch this one. I fully expect May Vegas to be his welcome party into the 5 star club.”Grant Meersand meersand_grant.jpg High School: Mira Costa
State: CA
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #3
Height: 6-1
Weight: 218 GPA: 3.3
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Colorado 2. UCLA 3. Northwestern 4. Arizona St 5. LSU
Hobbies: 1. Playing football 2. Paddle Boarding 3. Hanging at the beach with friends
Grant Says: “I am the most consistent and can handle pressure better than any other person in the country and that makes me the best Long Snapper in the country. ” Chris Rubio Says: “Grant handles pressure as well as anyone in the country. The bigger and stronger he gets, the better he is. Easily one of the best forms around on a Long Snapper. Darn near flawless and picture perfect. Blocking is very solid. Speed improves every week. Very, very solid Long Snapper right now.”Jeff Overbaugh overbaugh_jeff.jpg
High School: Service
State: AK
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #6
Height: 6-1
Weight: 235 GPA: 3.5
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Michigan 2. UNLV 3. WSU 4. Oregon St 5. LSU
Hobbies: 1. Downhill Skiing 2. Sea Kayaking 3. River Rafting
Jeff Says: “My proven ability to snap fast and accurately and block well in two Play Off/State Championships as well as the Tanoa Bowl Classic (Alaska vs Washington) makes me the best Long Snapper in the country.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Overbaugh is very fluid and smooth. Starting to look effortless. Very strong. Blocking and speed of the ball will really bump him up the rankings board. Love his confidence. Definitely looked like a man on a mission in Vegas.  Once he stops thinking and really lets the ball go he will be amazing.” Kyle Ashby ashby_kyle.jpg
High School: Brazoswood
State: TX
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #8
Height: 6-0
Weight: 240 GPA: 3.7
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Oklahoma 2. Missouri 3. Stanford 4. Texas A&M 5. La Tech
Hobbies: 1. Activiites with Church youth people 2. Hunting/Fishing 3. Working out on Long Snapping
Kyle Says: “My Accuracy, Consistency, Smooth, Tight Spiral, and the best work ethic of anyone in the country makes me the best Long Snapper in the country.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Ashby is really coming into his own. He has turned himself into a terrific young Long Snapper. Very, very smooth. Love to catch his snaps. Almost fall into your hands. Great spiral and his frame is terrific. One of the most accurate within his class. Once he gets his body really involved and trusts his form, he will be top 5 and move closer to the elusive 5 star rating. Very solid Long Snapper.” Matt Cincotta cincotta_matt.jpg
High School: Charlotte Catholic
State: NC
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #14
Height: 6-1
Weight: 195 GPA: 3.74
SAT / ACT: 1090
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Notre Dame 2. Duke 3. Wake Forest 4. Va Tech 5. Virginia
Hobbies: 1. Target Shooting 2. Basketball 3. Golf
Matt Says: “I am the best Long Snapping in the country because I offer the combination of a consistent long snapper with the quickness, speed, and athleticism of a linebacker.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Cincotta is making the turn to greatness. Ball has always been fast and on target but he had an issue with his spiral. Left hand used to move a tad which caused the spiral to disappear. Well that problem is almost completely gone which is great for him and terrible for the other Long Snappers ahead of him. The more size and muscle he gets, the better he will be. Watch this one!” Patrick Gerrits frix_trent.jpg
High School: Wellington
State: FL
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #9
Height: 6-2
Weight: 222 GPA: 3.3
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Villanova 2. Tennessee 3. Va Tech 4. La Tech 5. Purdue
Hobbies: 1. Building Robotics 2. Traveling 3. Collecting historical swords
Patrick Says: “I am the best Long Snapping in the country because I  am consist, accurate, focused, and always improving are four words that I feel describe myself best. In the last two years I have consistently snapped over 100 times without a single blocked punt in a game.  Under the most pressure situations I stay consistent, accurate and focused. Every day I try to find ways to improve, and every year I find that I Improve in some way, for example my blocking and snapping speed have increased significantly over the past year.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Patrick is one of the smoothest Long Snappers in the country. Does well under pressure and RARELY misses. The bigger and stronger he gets, the better he will be. Almost looks like he is not even trying when he snaps he is so fluid. Pretty soon he is going to realize how good he and his form are and he is going to just let the ball go and then watch! Great kid and personality. Blocking continues to improve.” Reid Ferguson ferguson_reid.jpg
High School: Buford
State: GA
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #2
Height: 6-2
Weight: 240 GPA: 3.7
SAT / ACT: 1550
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. LSU 2. Tennessee 3. North Carolina 4. Florida St. 5. South Florida
Hobbies: 1. Playing football (preferably Long Snapping) 2. Spending quality time with friends and family 3. Watching movies and eating
Reid Says: “The attribute about me that makes me the best Long Snapper in the Country in my work ethic.  I am willing to do anything to be the best at what I do.  Especially if you give me a challenge, I will go above and beyond to try and reach that goal.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Reid is ready right now for the next level. Terrific frame, speed and accuracy. Blocks very well. Can’t say enough good things about him. Been a true student of Long Snapping for quite some time and it has paid off.” Scott Daly daly_scott.jpg High School: Downers Grove South
State: IL
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #1
Height: 6-3
Weight:  235 GPA: 3.0
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Northwestern 2. Notre Dame 3. Stanford 4. Michigan St. 5. Iowa
Hobbies: 1. Working out 2. Golfing 3. Traveling with my family
Scott Says: “I am the best Long Snapper in the country because I have a phenomenal work ethic.  I’m teachable and I never feel I have learned enough.  I always strive to become better and I prepare myself so that I can only get better.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Daly is a machine. Went from average with potential to the most dominant Long Snapper in his class in one year. Works like a horse and built like one too. Kid is beyond smooth and fast. He is a no brainer scholarship Long Snapper.  Continues to dominate. Ball explodes out of his hands. Beyond fast. Almost shocking. Very, very smooth Long Snapper. Body is excellent. Very athletic.” Scott Sypniewski sypniewski_scott.jpg
High School: Marquette Academy 
State: IL
Graduating Class: 2013
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #2
Height: 6-1
Weight: 215 GPA: 3.4
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Michigan 2. Western Michigan 3. Nebraska 4. Illinois 5. Oregon
Hobbies: 1. Working out and becoming better 2. Hanging with friends 3. Playing sports
Scott Says: “I am the best Long Snapper in the country because I dont let anyone out work me.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Sypniewski is growing with his body and snapping. This Long Snapper is just flat out great…..ALREADY! Very, very smooth and accurate. Needs a tad more pop to really pick up his speed (which is already excellent for his age). Great snapper and person. ” Trent Frix frix_trent.jpg
High School: Calhoun
State: GA
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #7
Height: 6-0
Weight: 190 GPA: 4.0
SAT / ACT: 1030
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. LSU 2. Tennesee 3. Georgia 4. UAB 5. Alabama
Hobbies: 1. Hunting  2. Fishing 3. Hiking
Trent Says: “I believe I am one of the best long snapper in the nation because I have been the starting long snapper on my varsity high school team for the three years I have been in high school. I also started at outside linebacker this past year and have also played receiver and running back during my high school career. During the time I have been in high school  we have went to the Georgia state championship three years in a row and have an overall record of 40-4. I have also started the past two years at center field on our baseball team which won the state championship in 2010. I have also been practicing on my long snapping and competing in camps since I was in the 6th grade. I think that my overall athleticism, experience, and work ethic separates me from the other long snappers and makes me one of the best in the nation.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Frix is going to be great. He already is beyond good. VERY athletic and strong. Hands are like rockets. Body is solid and getting better by the day. Form needs a couple quick tweeks but looks as though he is definitely headed in the right direction. Blocks well and runs even better. Watch this one.” William Eads eads_william.jpg
High School: Hoover
State: AL
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #13
Height: 6-0
Weight:  202 GPA: 3.65
SAT / ACT: 23
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Alabama 2. Ole Miss 3. Mississippi St 4. Wake Forest 5. Florida St
Hobbies: 1. Fishing  2. Golfing 3. Hanging out with friends
William Says: “I believe I am one of the best long snapper in the nation because I have experience blocking in games and I came through for my team in many clutch situations throughout the last season.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Eads has really grown into his body. Oozing confidence, which I love, and is snapping is benefiting. Body is getting bigger and stronger and his snaps are quick. Blocking is coming along. His form is absolutely fantastic. When he gets all the way back and lets it go, he is amazing. The bigger he gets, the better he is going to be simply because his form is so darn solid.”    
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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 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 14 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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athlete, Deep Snapper, Exposure, High School, Long Snapper, Motivation, TOP 12 Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What Makes a Long Snapper Great?

March 3, 2011 By

Rubio-Ad.jpgI work with hundreds of Long Snappers per year and often get asked the question, what makes a Long Snapper great? The answer is something that I should be able to (don’t worry, I can) spray out to someone pretty darn clearly and with the utmost precision for a couple different reasons.

First, I rank Long Snappers for a living on RubioLongSnapping.com so I probably should know what I am talking about and not just go off something like a ball hitting a target. It would be pretty ignorant of me to completely demolish a Long Snapper’s ranking simply because he missed a target by a quarter of an inch (would you punish a quarter back if he was aiming for the center of a receiver’s chest, but was off a quarter inch….didn’t think so). So much goes into the art of Long Snapping, but very few actually know what it entails.

Second, I get asked by coaches of all levels that exact question (what makes a Long Snapper great? in case you already forgot) simply to challenge me. They are actually testing me and want to hear what I say to decide if I actually know what I am talking about. Can you imagine asking a world class chef why his food is so tasty and he responds with “um, well, it is hot and, um just tastes good.” You would not trust him and definitely would not think he knew what he was talking about.

My answer needs to be precise and broken down so the average Joe can understand. For some reason, not everyone is as into Long Snapping as I am so I try to stay away from getting too technical. I know it is pathetic and sad, but it is what it is. I will work on the people I meet and you do the same. Hopefully, sooner than later, enough of us spraying can enable people to see the light and figure out that the “center just doesn’t do the snapping for punts too.”

Those of you on my e-mail list have already received something similar to this, but I thought I might make it even clearer. Here, in my opinion, is what makes a Long Snapper great……

SPEED – This is easily one of the top things everyone sees when they watch a Long Snapper and it should be. How fast is your snap from 15 yards? We are talking from the instant you start your snap (that is when the defender can get moving) to the instant it hits the punter’s paws.   You are looking for something below .78. Most top tier Long Snappers nowadays flirt with the high .6s. Obviously, the quicker you are the better your rank and the more people/coaches/agents will be drawn to you. Easy way to judge speed is to simply watch the ball from the side about ten yards away. Does the ball have an arch or is it still rising when it hits the punter? Arch is bad, rising is good….told you I would break it down for you:) Check out this video of Rubio Long Snapper Tanner Gibas (2011, CA – headed to Kansas) and how his ball is rising:

Please note on this video: Gibas is basically trying to kill the person catching the ball. I love this (sorry Mr. Sue) because I ALWAYS teach my Long Snappers to snap the ball through the punter and not to him. Mr. Sue actually looks like he is trying to defend himself. I love it! Sorry, yet again Mr. Sue.The average high school Long Snapper hovers around the 1.0 second region. Most high school coaches don’t care simply because they just want the “ball to get there” (sound familiar to all of in the high school world?). The average college Long Snapper is mid .6s to high .7s.The pros are usually right around the same as college but they just don’t ever miss. They are like machines.

ACCURACY– This is usually the third thing someone notices about a Long Snapper. How accurate are you when snapping. Meaning does the punter/holder have to move around a lot to catch your snaps. Best possible location is the right hip (for a right footed punter). Even though some punters like the ball at their chest, this is actually not that great of a spot since they (punters) have to turn the ball over and, for some reason, they can have troubles with this process. A great Long Snapper is not going to make their punter/holder move. Good way to test this is to have someone catch your snaps from about 15 yards away while sitting in a lawn chair. How many footballs in a row can you snap without making that person move? Five, ten, fifteen, fifty? Anything less than ten and you need some work in my book.

Here is a good example of a Rubio Long Snapper, Scott Daly (2012 – IL – Starting at Notre Dame now), showing some very solid accuracy. The ball is in the same spot on all snaps.

CONSISTENCY– This one is a bit tricky to understand since everyone always tries to lump it in with accuracy. Little bit different since consistency, in my eyes, means the ball staying the same speed the with each and every snap. Basically, you and the punter/holder/kicker are trying to create a rhythm. Given, the whole process starts with the most important person on the team, the Long Snapper. Your snap needs to be a good, consistent tempo at all times. It is very hard for a punter to get a rhythm with a Long Snapper if one snap is a rocket and the other is a floater. If you snap a .75 that is great, but is it like that every time? Varying your time from .7 to .8 is a massive valley to cross and can screw up the timing of everything. It is similar to seeing fast ball, fast ball, fast ball, change up…it would screw you up. Big issues with this category come when a Long Snapper has to snap and block.

Below is a great video for consistency from Rubio Long Snapper Reid Ferguson (2012, GA, now at LSU). When you watch this masterpiece, note how the speed is almost identical on every single snap. It almost looks like one snap, cut and pasted over and over again.


SIZE– This is either the first or second thing someone notices about a Long Snapper. Even before you snap a ball someone is going to judge you on your looks. Think about it. You ever look at the old time Cadillacs and say, “Man, I bet that thing hauls!” Not even close. You see a massive ride that isn’t going anywhere quick (quite comfy though).How big are you? How strong are you? Are you built well? Do you pass the eyeball test? If you got off a plane to visit a college coach, what would be the first thing he thought when he saw you? Size and look of your body is a big thing with colleges and, therefore, a big thing with me.Given, not everyone is 6’4″ and 250 lbs so you have to do the best with what you got. How would you look in just your underwear? If vomit is making its way to your mouth right now, you might want to hit the elliptical and some weights. If you are undersized you will need to make up in other ways to compensate (grades, perfect form, blocking, speed of ball, attitude, aggressiveness). Perfect example would be someone like Rubio Long Snapper Scott Thompson (2011, CA – headed to NC State). He is not a giant, but uses his solid Long Snapper frame….meaning massive butt and legs which is a good thing for a Long Snapper:)…exceptionally well. Watch this video to see Scott really utilizing his backside almost like a trebuchet…love it!


Ideal Long Snapper frame? Rubio Long Snapper Nick Boyle (2011, NJ – headed to Delaware) is pretty darn close:

Yours truly and Nick Boyle
Please Note: I am not a small fellow (over 6 ft tall and above two turns on the scale)
and Nick is making me look like a child.

ATHLETICISM– how athletic are you? Can you move down field? Would you be able to divert the punt returner or even tackle him? Are you light on your feet or are you causing the ground to shake…in a bad way? Solid athleticism can really help out a ranking if you are under and over sized. It is not a deal breaker, but man oh man can it help a Long Snapper that is battling against another one in the coach’s eyes.

On that note, I can reflect back on quite a few Long Snappers that are beyond sub-par athletes (think doing a layup, mind you with no one around, and launching it well over the backboard….not even kidding) that are exceptional at Long Snapping.

BLOCKING– how well do you block? “My HS coach does not require me to block” doesn’t fly with me. It shows toughness and coaches will want to know if you can block. You say the school/coach you are getting recruited by does the spread punt….awesome! What happens if/when that coach leaves and the new one wants to see you block since he is doing the pro style? You aren’t going to say “sorry I don’t block” you are going to do exactly what you need to do to get/keep the starting spot.

Blocking is a major selling point for a Long Snapper. You can jump up the rankings very quickly by being able to snap AND block. Like I always say, there are thousands of people that can snap a ball, and there are thousands that can block, but there are very, very few that can actually snap AND block.

Look at this video of Rubio Long Snapper Samuel Rodgers (2011, PA – headed to Syracuse) and how his snap is the exact same (phenomenal) when he is blocking. Such a huge win to be able to do both.


SPIRAL– This one is pretty basic. Either your ball spirals or it doesn’t. You can look at this one two ways. 1) Scientifically: tight spiral cuts through the wind due to less resistance. 2) Caveman: Bad spiral is hard for the punter, who is already fighting an uphill battle since they aren’t a Long Snapper, to catch. How well does your ball spiral? Having a very fast snap and little to no spiral will crush your speed, your ranking and the opinion of you in a coach’s eyes. Just think if someone didn’t know a ton about Long Snapping, wouldn’t a nice, pretty spiral be something that catches their eye? The answer is undoubtedly YES.
MENTALITY– This is a huge one for Long Snappers and can absolutely crush you. Being a Long Snapper is extremely challenging because you essentially can never obtain a rhythm. A lineman misses a block and he has about forty seconds before he can redeem himself. You might have to wait for twenty to thirty minutes.  You snap a perfect ball, jog off the field and have to wait for a large chunk of time to get back in there. The only time you are on the field a ton is if your team is great (pats) or terrible (punts).How well do you handle pressure? Look at the picture below. Would that bother you or would you thrive on it?

Being a Long Snapper is a difficult position. If it was easy, quarterbacks would do it:) Coaches and I need to see how well you handle pressure and awkward situations. When you are playing in front of 100,000 people are you going to tell them all to shoosh? Nope. Didn’t think so.

When you combine all of these factors with a solid work ethic, you will get a Long Snapper that is simply a juggernaut. See, that is the trick. Finding someone that has all the attributes AND is willing to put in the time and effort. When you mix them all together you will obtain something along the lines of this (turn your volume WAY up so you can fully embrace)…..


For those of that don’t know (welcome back from living under that rock you have been calling home for the past 8 years), in the video is long time Rubio Long Snapper Christian Yount. He is someone that got into Long Snapping simply to get a spot on the bus. After hearing his HS coach tell him to “not even bother with Long Snapping since no one goes to college simply for that”,  Christian accomplished the following….

  • He went out and received a full scholarship to UCLA during his junior year (first to ever do that)
  • He was the only member of his HS team to get a full ride (the irony on this simply delicious)
  • He started all four years at UCLA
  • He was a two time Playboy All-American (the first one to ever be chosen)
  • He was selected to the Senior Bowl
  • He played in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, Cleveland Browns and the New England Patriots.

To top it all off, and in the Long Snapper way, Christian is a superb human being. Combine it all and you have a Long Snapper that is, well, great.

Told you I could answer the question:)

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Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio 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.

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