Name: Greg Tarr
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Washington (MI) Romeo
Position: Long snapper
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #36
Last year: I did not rank Tarr. He redshirted.
TTB Rating: N/A
Michigan has just two long snappers on the roster, Tarr and last year's starter, William Wagner. It's not often that the backup guy matters, but it's also not often that the #80 player in the countdown matters, either. (Last year it was the great Carl Myers!) So we're still in the mostly irrelevant portion of the countdown, and at 6'2" and 200 lbs., Tarr is pretty light to get on the field. They're not supposed to be hit, but they still get bumped sometimes and they have to be able to tackle, too. So Tarr is probably a little ways away from playing unless Wagner gets hurt.
Prediction: Backup long snapper
Long snapping: field goals, extra points, and punting ... I would think the one that has the greatest potential "physicality" is punting; with extra points being the least. Two questions: (1) Would I be correct? and (2) Would coaches platoon long snappers like that, or is the thinking you give a LS all the work so they stay in the groove?
ReplyDeletePunting is definitely the most physical. A lot of times you see long snappers as the first guys down the field, because they can't be hit immediately, so a lot of them sneak past. Of course, some return units just let them go since they're usually some of the least athletic guys on the field and will probably miss the tackle, anyway.
DeleteI think extra points and field goals are about equal.
Michigan has "platooned" long snappers before. In that case, you usually have a long snapper (punts) and a short snapper (XP/FG). I think the last time that happened at Michigan was during the Brady Hoke era, in 2011 or so. I remember Jareth Glanda was the short snapper, and I think Tom Pomarico might have been the long snapper.