AZfootball18
04-19-2006, 03:55 PM
Junior happy with snap decision
By Ryan Finley
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 04.19.2006
UA snapper Garon McHone's sports fantasy is complicated.
But it's his fantasy, so deal with it.
"I snap the ball on a punt near the end of the game, right?" McHone starts. "I'm on coverage, the ball gets stripped, I pick it up and I run it in for a touchdown.
"But realistically, (snapping for) a game-winning field goal would be nice."
Welcome to the world of snapping, where dreams of gridiron glory often are pushed aside in favor of anonymity.
For McHone, a 6-foot-3-inch, 242-pound junior walk-on, success will be measured by the number of times he can stroll through campus, or out of the locker room, without being recognized.
The touchdowns are best saved for his dreams.
"As a snapper, the only way you get in the newspaper is the bad stuff," he said, "and that's fine with me."
That is not to say that anyone can snap.
If anything, McHone is one of only a few Wildcats who can master the strange symphony of odd movements that get the ball from the line of scrimmage to a holder or punter.
McHone grips the football with his right hand as a quarterback would, then sets it on the ground, laces down. He then puts his left hand on top of the ball, squats, and — in a quick, brutal motion — releases it.
McHone's hips roll forward, his legs snap up, and his wrists fire the ball behind him.
The movement takes strength and agility.
UA special teams coach Joe Robinson said McHone "has a natural propensity" for snapping that has improved with a rigorous off-season workout program.
"His velocity is so much better this spring than it was before," Robinson said. "You can see the work ethic is paying off for him in a lot of ways."
McHone did his best to avoid the spotlight in his first two seasons at the UA, playing on the varsity reserve as an offensive lineman and snapper.
But when junior college transfer J.C. Zahradnik left the team before the start of last season, McHone — a pre-business major from the Northern California suburb of Suisun City — became the Wildcats' starter.
"That's how it works," he said. "The coaches said I had to move to long snapper, and I was good with whatever I could do for the team."
McHone's position switch came with adjustments. He lost close to 30 pounds last season to become more flexible.
Returning to the offensive line is out of the question. So McHone is working exclusively on his craft.
McHone, kicker Nick Folk and punter Kyle McQuown run to Arizona Stadium daily to practice punts and field goals while their teammates sweat on the UA's practice field.
When he is not practicing, McHone said he is taking classes in pre-masters business management, finance and business communication.
His dream is to one day follow his father into the home-development business.
That is, if the touchdown does not materialize.
"Hopefully, I'll be playing in the fall," he said.
"I just have to make sure I do the right things and make sure I can help this team."
By Ryan Finley
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 04.19.2006
UA snapper Garon McHone's sports fantasy is complicated.
But it's his fantasy, so deal with it.
"I snap the ball on a punt near the end of the game, right?" McHone starts. "I'm on coverage, the ball gets stripped, I pick it up and I run it in for a touchdown.
"But realistically, (snapping for) a game-winning field goal would be nice."
Welcome to the world of snapping, where dreams of gridiron glory often are pushed aside in favor of anonymity.
For McHone, a 6-foot-3-inch, 242-pound junior walk-on, success will be measured by the number of times he can stroll through campus, or out of the locker room, without being recognized.
The touchdowns are best saved for his dreams.
"As a snapper, the only way you get in the newspaper is the bad stuff," he said, "and that's fine with me."
That is not to say that anyone can snap.
If anything, McHone is one of only a few Wildcats who can master the strange symphony of odd movements that get the ball from the line of scrimmage to a holder or punter.
McHone grips the football with his right hand as a quarterback would, then sets it on the ground, laces down. He then puts his left hand on top of the ball, squats, and — in a quick, brutal motion — releases it.
McHone's hips roll forward, his legs snap up, and his wrists fire the ball behind him.
The movement takes strength and agility.
UA special teams coach Joe Robinson said McHone "has a natural propensity" for snapping that has improved with a rigorous off-season workout program.
"His velocity is so much better this spring than it was before," Robinson said. "You can see the work ethic is paying off for him in a lot of ways."
McHone did his best to avoid the spotlight in his first two seasons at the UA, playing on the varsity reserve as an offensive lineman and snapper.
But when junior college transfer J.C. Zahradnik left the team before the start of last season, McHone — a pre-business major from the Northern California suburb of Suisun City — became the Wildcats' starter.
"That's how it works," he said. "The coaches said I had to move to long snapper, and I was good with whatever I could do for the team."
McHone's position switch came with adjustments. He lost close to 30 pounds last season to become more flexible.
Returning to the offensive line is out of the question. So McHone is working exclusively on his craft.
McHone, kicker Nick Folk and punter Kyle McQuown run to Arizona Stadium daily to practice punts and field goals while their teammates sweat on the UA's practice field.
When he is not practicing, McHone said he is taking classes in pre-masters business management, finance and business communication.
His dream is to one day follow his father into the home-development business.
That is, if the touchdown does not materialize.
"Hopefully, I'll be playing in the fall," he said.
"I just have to make sure I do the right things and make sure I can help this team."