Main goal is obscurity

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Aug 11, 2007 | by JAKE SCHALLER THE GAZETTE

If all goes as Tony Norman hopes, this will be the last time this season his name appears in a story about Air Force's football team.

That's because Norman, a senior from Dennison, Ohio, is slated to be the Falcons' longsnapper. And Norman knows the best longsnappers are anonymous -- fans typically aren't concerned about them until a snap goes awry.

"The worst sound as a snapper you can hear -- I've never really heard it myself -- is you snap and you hear the 'Ohhhh' (from the crowd), and then it's silent," said Norman, who snapped for the Falcons' junior varsity as a freshman and was the varsity's reserve snapper the past two years. "That's something we want to avoid this year."

Long-snapping has become a kind of family business for the Normans. Tony's older brother, Drew, recently graduated from Ohio State, where he was the Buckeyes' starting long-snapper in his junior and senior seasons and played in January's national championship game.

Tony Norman was two years below his older brother in high school, and when Drew graduated, coaches asked Tony to take over snapping duties.

"The first couple weeks were a little iffy, but then it just kind of clicked," said Norman, who is the flight commander of his squadron and made the dean's list last fall. "So I snapped my junior and senior years, sent a tape out here and they got back to me and said, 'Yeah, come on out.'"

In high school, Tony Norman played offense and defense in addition to handling snapping responsibilities. At the academy, however, he has become a long-snapping specialist, which has required a mental adjustment.

"The biggest thing is just to make sure you stay calm, because you go from playing 120 plays to seven or eight a game," he said. "You've got to make sure you stay focused and you've got to stay into the game and be ready to go at the drop of a hat. But you can't be so hyped up because there might be a third down and then the offense converts."

While Norman is listed as the team's top long-snapper, coach Troy Calhoun has said the competition is open. That's good, as far as Norman is concerned.

"It pushes us to do a little better and keeps that pressure on us so that whenever you step into a game situation, you're already used to that pressure and you put it on the money," he said.

And nobody notices you.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0365 or jake.schaller@gazette.com

TROY NORMAN'S ART OF LONG-SNAPPING

The setup: Norman stands with his feet a little wider than shoulderwidth apart and puts both hands on the ball.

The eyes: When snapping to a punter (who typically is about 14 yards behind him), Norman looks forward while he snaps the ball. "I like to keep my head up so I can see what the defense is doing because a lot of teams will shift on us." For field goal attempts and extra point tries, however, Norman will look at the holder (7 yards behind him) when he snaps the ball. "I'll go ahead and look back and kind of zero in because the margin of error is a lot smaller than punts."

The snap: His right (dominant) hand does most of the work, while his left hand serves as the guide. "That's what gives you the spiral. So on a windy day, your left hand needs to be strong, because if we're throwing ducks back there, (the ball is) going to be all over the place."

Practice: In summer, Norman averages 50 to 55 punt snaps per day and an unlimited amount of snaps for field goal attempts. During the season, however, he attempts no more than 35 to 40 punt snaps and 20 to 25 field goal snaps each day. "Because otherwise your legs are going to become like sand. It's kind of like pitching.... Now (in the season) it's about limiting your reps and making sure you're perfect."

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