Glendora’s Damon Johnson talks the art of perfect spirals all the way to a Power 5 scholarship offer

On May 4, Glendora High School quarterback Matt Fink verbally committed to the University of Southern California paving a path full of potential Pac-12 Championships and possible FBS Playoff berths. Fellow Tartans’ teammate Damon Johnson might also soon commit to a Power 5 school for his impressive ability to consistently get tight accurate spirals where they need to be as well, but as a long snapper.

Entering this weekend’s Chris Rubio Long Snapping camp in Las Vegas Johnson was rated the No. 6 long snapper in the nation. May not seem like much to the average football fan, but if that is the case the average football fan does not know much about football. There is an art to long snapping and with Chris Rubio’s help that art is spreading like a wildfire. The group at the forefront of this national spreading craze… collegiate head football coaches. Not every center can accurately long snap. Now, much like a reliever coming out of the bullpen, there are long snapping specialist, and Johnson is one of them.

The 6’0”, 205 pound, 4.5-star rated snapper worked his way onto the Glendora varsity roster as a freshman because of his ability to snap well and accurately. Now doubling as not only one of the best snappers in the nation he is also in line to start at outside linebacker for the Tartans in 2015.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview we sat down with Johnson before the Vegas camp to learn more about the potential 5-star recruit and more about long snapping into a scholarship with a perennial powerhouse football team.

 

Damon, the Tartans had a really strong season in 2014 finishing 11-4. As one of the key contributors to the team did you know Glendora would have a nice run into the playoffs before the season began?

“We knew we had talent. Our senior class was definitely a big part of our winning season. Our top 11 guys on defense were seniors. Our O-line was all seniors. They were a big factor in our winning season. The juniors stepped up to get us along.”

The Tartans have lost a lot of talent from last year’s squad, will Glendora be able to replicate the same kind of success in 2015?

“We look really good. We’re really young now. We’re still trying to find some of the younger guys to step up and find out who wants to play on Friday nights. Our QB just committed to USC (Matt Fink), he’s doing great. A lot of guys are responding to him and his leadership.”

You mentioned the team is responding to Fink, what is he doing to help lead the team?

“The way he works out in the weight room and on the field. He’s easy to work with and a great listener. If you ask him a question he won’t just tell you want to do he will tell you how to do it the right way. He’s a great teammate, and he’s very reliable.”

You’ve nailed down the long snapping duties for a couple of years, do you think you’ll get the nod to start at outside linebacker this year?

“I’m trying to get that spot at outside linebacker in drills. We’ve started spring ball but not 7×7 work, that’s in two weeks. We are doing team vs. team stuff. We are really just starting out but we are coming together nicely.”

How are you looking in the early going?

“I’m looking really good. I’m competing with another guy, trying to work harder and show more effort than him. My junior year I just snapped, I want to do more. I’m hungry to go back and play multiple positions like before.”

What makes you a great long snapper?

“I think its how much I have learned up to this point. I went into it not thinking how good I’d be. When I look back after 3-4 years of long snapping, I think I’m very athletic and quick on my feet for a long snapper. Most people think of a huge lineman as a long snapper. I’m very athletic unlike other snappers in my class. When Coach Rubio saw me in Vegas in January he said the same thing.”

What separates long snappers in the rankings?

“Their skill set, everyone is the same in the top five. The thing that separates the best from the best is the athleticism and grades. A college coach can look at me and say he’s a great long snapper.”

There was a prep camp last week before this weekend’s camp. What was your goal going into the prep camp?

“My goal going into the camp was to be accurate. For Rubio, he said for me to be a 5-star in snapping, I’m a 4.5-star now, that I need consistency, speed, and accuracy. If I get those you are on a 5-star track.”

How do the camps work? What are some of the testing elements?

“At the camp they have targets. We are snapping into a net that’s about eight feet tall. There are red squares worth 3 points, yellow squares with 2 points, and at the punter’s feet is 0 points. This measures your accuracy. Last weekend I tied for the highest score with a 26. Guys starting out get a 5 or a 10. Posting a 30 is really rare. It’s a lot harder than it seems.

“Rubio said, “I watched you for most of the camps, you were accurate and you had consistency of speed, I see you getting more consistent.” That’s what he’s been on me for his my consistency of speed. He grades off how tight the spiral is, I’ve locked that down. All the things tested I’ve locked down except speed consistency. The top guys are all the same, speed is the difference.”

What is a good speed when snapping?

“I’m around 7.1 and 7.2. I went up to 7.4 and 7.5 a couple of times. He wants me to be at 7.1 and 7.2 at Vegas. If I go to USC’s camp they will time my first five snaps, if I’m all over the place that’s not good.”

How well did you snap throughout your junior season?

“On punts through 12 games I had two bad snaps, one over the punter’s head. That one was all on me. I didn’t follow through all the way. He got the ball off on time. Second one at his feet, I didn’t snap hard enough. You have to trust your form, I didn’t trust the form. The punter got that one off too. I’ve never had a blocked punt. Hopefully I did not jinx myself.”

What about your snaps on field goals and point after attempts?

“I had one bad snap all season. The ball went a little over the holder’s hand. It was a rainy day and it slipped out of my hand. I’m not used to rain playing in Southern California. It was one of those fluky one’s. I think we had eight touchdowns in that game. I messed up the first one nailed the rest in that game.”

What are your goals for the 2015 football season?

“My goals are to continue on with no blocked punts. My goal is to have every ball in the same spot. For punts the ball needs to be on the right hip of the punter, that’s perfect. It’ll look great on highlight films if I can do that. That’s one of my goals. Another goal is to be a 5-star going into the season. The Vegas camp will help that.

“On PATs, I want to be consistent. I don’t want that one bad one to haunt me. It’s all mental. Everyone can snap a ball eight yards. I want to make sure I never slow down the snap. Snap the same speed as to a punter just a little lower. I’ve got to lock it all down.”

Which schools are recruiting you right now?

“Penn State, USC through email, and Colorado coach Toby Neinas through email. Alabama invited me to their camp. UNC (North Carolina) invited me to their special teams camp. Vegas will open up a lot of doors. PSU and USC have been the two standouts though.”

Which one-day college camps do you plan on attending this summer?

“My dad, my mom, and I are trying to plan it all out. I’ve been trying to find out where do I see myself? Can I go to school there if there was no football? I’m going to hit USC Colorado, hit Washington or Washington State, one of the two. UNC and Bama (Alabama) maybe. Even if I don’t get anything good out of those two schools I can get a sense of areas outside of Southern California’s weather box.”

What are the main factors you will consider in choosing a college?

“The degrees each school offers. I want to go to a college that has my degree. The football facilities are important. How the coaches treat me is important too. I’ve heard some colleges don’t talk much to you. The degree is the main thing.”

Which degree do you want to pursue?

“I want to pursue a sports medicine degree. I’ve wanted to do that since I was a kid. My mom’s a nurse. That’s influenced me on what I want to pursue in life.”

Have you gone on any unofficial visits yet?

“I went to the Oregon camp last year, I went on a tour. All the snappers there went on the tour. They have a really nice facility. When I went to USC camp we got a small tour there too.”

Who has made the biggest impact on your football career?

“I’d have to say my dad. He’s always pushed me to do my best but has never forced me to play a certain sport. He’s never forced, always encouraged. If I do bad he’s always saying shake it off.”

What is your favorite part of playing football?

“Playing with my friends under the Friday night lights. My mom would take me to high school games when I was a kid. I always thought it would be great to be down there playing. I’ve made a lot of great friends through football.”

 

There are no guarantees for long snappers to receive scholarship offers to top programs year after year. But there is a guarantee that all college football programs need someone who is able to snap on field goals and punts. Being one of the best of the best certainly helps open up doors of opportunities for recruits like Damon.

Also helping Damon is his athletic versatility, his dedication to the job, and his off the field work. Johnson is carrying a 3.45 GPA which opens up doors to head coaches’ offices in need across the nation. In a couple of weeks we will find out if those doors are opened as a 4.5-star recruit or a 5-star recruit.

 

Written by Ryan Wright

Photo credit: patch.com; Damon Johnson

Photo credit: rubiolongsnapping.com; Damon Johnson (left) with Chris Rubio