- January 14, 2025
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WINDERMERE During the first week of practice of Brett DioGuardi’s junior year, Windermere Prep football coaches were looking for a long snapper.
Not having anyone on the roster with experience as a long snapper meant they had to get a little creative, so instead, they sought out somebody with a strong arm. DioGuardi had experience playing quarterback in middle school, so the coaches gave him a shot at the job.
“If you can throw the ball well, you technically should be able to snap it back,” said head coach Jacob Doss. “We gave him a shot at it and, after one or two snaps, we were like, ‘Whoa, this guy is pretty natural at it.’”
In his junior year of high school, DioGuardi became Windermere’s long snapper, a brand new position for the experienced football player who has played the game since his days in Pop Warner.
It’s a change to a position that could lead him to play on a Division I football team next fall.
In November 2014, DioGuardi attended his first Rubio Long Snapping camp. During the camp, instructor Chris Rubio held a seminar on college recruiting for long snapping.
“That’s when we really started to realize the significance of it and the impact of potentially getting into college or getting a scholarship with it,” DioGuardi said.
In the Class of 2016, there are more than 300 long snappers who attended Rubio’s camp, which ranks players who attend. When DioGuardi first attended, he started near the bottom of those rankings but, in a year’s time, he is ranked 24th in the country and first in Florida.
A good long snapper is a key component to the kicking and punting units. A fast snap allows the kicker or punter to get the ball before he is rushed by the opposing team.
“As a coach, it’s comforting to have that veteran long snapper,” Doss said.
College coaches are also more than aware of the importance of long snapping, and they are actively recruiting players who are specialize in it. To play on a DI team, coaches expect the snap to be 0.7 seconds or less — DioGuardi is clocking snaps in the upper 0.6 seconds.
He has been on unofficial visits to USF and UCF. He hopes to play for a top DI school in Florida but is also open to playing in other states if he receives offers. College coaches notice DioGuardi’s size and versatility; important qualities for once the punt has been kicked away to the other team.
“(In) punting, people don’t realize, you go from offense to defense on one play,” said Doss.
DioGuardi is 6-foot-4 and about 230 pounds, according to Doss. His size and experience lends to his versatility. In his years of playing football, DioGuardi has played quarterback, linebacker and tight end in addition to long snapper — experience that make him able to switch from offense to defense easily.
Many long snappers who attend the camps have been playing the position longer than DioGuardi, but they often aren’t as versatile. Having DioGuardi as long snapper helps Doss to relax during kicks. And Doss is confident in his ability to play at the D1 level.
“I firmly believe he could go tomorrow and play on Saturdays and start,” Doss said.
Long snappers are one the of the final positions that college coaches recruit, so DioGuardi is being patient and waiting for offers.
Contact Jennifer Nesslar at [email protected].
