Snap back: The ‘invisible’ football player in the CMU starting lineup
If football fans know his name, it’s probably not a good thing.
Central Michigan University long snapper Mike Zenk isn’t worried about whether students know who he is, he just wants NFL scouts to know his name.
As a long snapper, the senior from Toledo snaps the ball on punts, field goals and extra points. After snapping the ball 10-15 yards on punts, he runs down the field to tackle. On field goals and extra points, he blocks like the other offensive lineman following the 5-10-yard snap.
“When I get down, I get my hands set and find my target point,” Zenk said. “By the time I have my target, I’ll usually have some random song in my head, just waiting for (junior linebacker Nathan) Ricketts to say set. As soon as I hear that, I have the choice of when I can snap.”
Zenk, who’s 6-foot-3, 259 pounds with a burly beard and long hair, said long snappers are mostly invisible “until (they) mess up.” They don’t come up in conversation unless kicks are getting blocked, snaps are slow and out of sync or false start penalties start piling up on special teams.
There are no pats on the back or player of the week awards. They’re expected to do their job.
While college football teams often have to convert a player from a different position to become a long snapper, Zenk made the transition in fourth grade to find a way off the bench.
“I was kind of a water boy, a practice player in my fourth-grade team,” Zenk said. “My coach at the time told me if I ever learned how to long snap, I would always have a spot. So after that, I started snapping.”
Long snappers need to be large and strong like offensive linemen, but Special Teams Coordinator and Safeties Coach Mike Dietzel said it’s often quarterbacks who become long snappers because of the need for an accurate spiral on every snap.
“If you don’t have a guy who could do it in high school (like Zenk), a lot of times you’ll grab a backup quarterback, somebody who can throw a spiral,” Dietzel said. “Then make him your long snapper. Because if he’s a good athlete and can throw spirals, then he can at least have a chance.”
There aren’t many stats that can help evaluate the success of a long snapper. After watching film and seeing Mid-American Conference players live, Dietzel said Zenk ranks in the top third of long snappers.
Head Coach John Bonamego said he’s pleased with Zenk’s performance.
“He’s been very accurate and consistent,” he said. “Those are the two things you look for.”
Dietzel compared practice for long snappers to baseball pitchers trying to hit a target.
“Just like a pitcher warms up (by throwing) fastballs into a painted tarp, we do the same thing,” he said. “They hit the fence or they hit the wall, we put up a tarp or target and they’ve got to hit a target.”
Instead of looking up to NFL players like Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning or Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, Zenk looks up to the professional long snapping experts.
“When I first started, (the now retired) Patrick Mannelly from the Bears had a website you could email,” Zenk said. “I would email him and he would get back to (me). I’ve worked with Justin Snow, who played 13 years mostly with the Colts. I’m still hoping for the day I get to meet Don Muhlbach from the Lions.”
Zenk said playing in the NFL someday is “the dream.” Most are signed as undrafted free agents.
He doesn’t care about the spotlight, though. Or the recognition.
Just like in fourth grade, Zenk just wants a spot on a team.
