Interview with Simi Valley’s John Aloma, a Chris Rubio Top 12 Long Snapper

Skilled special teams work on the NFL, collegiate, and high school level has taken a page from Major League Baseball. From a correlation standpoint field goal kickers would be on par with a team’s closer, a punter would be the equivalent to a long relief specialist, and the all too often forgotten long snapper would be the set-up reliever. The kicker gets the glory, the punter is truly only appreciated by diehard fans when flipping the field or downing the ball within the 20-yard line, but all would be lost without the set-up man, the long snapper.

Simi Valley High School’s John Aloma should have his own theme music when taking the field, another page taken from MLB when a closer comes out of the bullpen or a hitter comes up to the plate. Aloma is a professional at what he does, even at the high school level. He is a long snapping machine that never makes a snapping mistake. In 41 punt snaps last season each and every 15 yard snap between the legs found the punter directly. Same can be said for all 34 rushing touchdown point after attempts (PATs), all 32 receiving touchdown PATs, and all the other touchdowns score by the Pioneers in 2014 along with seven total field goals attempted (all stats per MaxPreps).

Most college football fans will not get excited about any long snapper committing to their program but Aloma is one of the nation’s best per long snagging guru Chris Rubio. Rubio is the go-to guy college football coaches trust and respect and the 6’1”, 200 pound, Simi Valley snapper is considered one of the best for the 2016 recruiting class.

A couple of weeks ago Rubio held one of his biggest summer camps in Vegas, one of the last times regional recruits can make a bid to becoming a 5-star long snapping recruit. Aloma is currently ranked as the No. 13 snapper in the nation, a 4.5-star recruit, but Rubio’s final rankings have not been completed. Aloma has already been invited to Rubio’s Elite 12 Camp adding more confidence to the Simi Valley recruit’s abilities over a long period of time.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview we sat down with John to discuss his role on the Pioneers squad, the 2014 season, Simi Valley’s 2015 squad, and his opportunities for landing a Power 5 Conference scholarship offer as a long snapper.

 

John, Simi Valley had a hard start to the beginning of the season but then turned it on finishing 8-5 before losing in the third round of the playoffs. Walk us through the season. What spurred the team forward that deep into the playoffs?

“Going into the season we realized it was one of the best senior classes at Simi Valley in a while. Our coaching staff really came together. Early on we were dealing with injuries and stuff like that. It really came together in league games. We went through league undefeated. We had couple of great players our quarterback was fantastic. We went into the playoffs. I don’t know if anyone else expected to have the run that we did but as a team and in the locker room we knew we were capable of doing that and capable of winning a championship.”

Now that spring ball is over how do the Pioneers look for the 2015 season?

“We lost a lot of seniors from our team last year. I think we lost 20 of our 22 starters. We have a new defensive coordinator. We are learning a brand new defense. We are picking it up pretty quickly, they are actually doing really well. Our quarterback this played in a few games last year, he has some experience. Our team is looking pretty good. From a talent standpoint there will be some inexperience with kids that have not played a whole lot but watching the team in spring ball we look really good.”

How did last year go for you?

“Last year was the second season I just snapped. My sophomore year I was playing quarterback and wide receiver and I was trying to do other things but coach pulled me aside and told me I should just snap because I was going to get pulled up to varsity my sophomore season. So I figured that was the smart thing to do and I enjoy snapping.

“Last season personally, I was 41 of 41 punt snaps. I didn’t miss any PAT or field goal snaps. I’m not sure how many I had because we had a lot. I was the team Special Teams MVP for the season. I was really happy with how I was snapping the ball.”

What is your speed consistency range? Are you 7.1, 7.2?

“Usually I’m in the mid 6’s. I’ve been to camps where we’ve done speed competitions at the end and I won a couple of them. I’ve been timed as low as 6.1 by Rubio. I’m in the mid-6’s like 6.5, right around in there.

How did you score on accuracy at the Vegas camp?

“At the Vegas camp with the targets I did not do as well as I wanted to. I snapped well, I was just missing the target by a couple of inches here and there. Missing by a couple of inches can be zero points but that happens. I wasn’t too frustrated. Rubio knows what I can do. In the past I’ve made the finals for Vegas with a 29 and a 26. Last time I scored a 16 because I was right around the corners.”

Rubio’s overall score is called a RSI, what was your RSI?

“I scored a 16 on the targets. My overall RSI, I think, was a 28 or a 29. I’m pretty sure that is what it was.”

Where does that place you in comparison to the other snappers?

“Compared to other kids, there were a lot that did better on target than I did. The target event is a big part of the competition. I just didn’t do as well this time around. A 16 is average or a little bit above average for the 2016-ers.”

So a 29 puts you far above average?

“Last year I scored a 29 I was the No. 1 sophomore there. In January I scored a 26 or a 27. I think I was the No. 3 junior there.”

What are your goals for the 2015 football season?

“For this season I am really hoping to do what I did last year to have perfect snaps. This year I am also focused on getting down field to have around five tackles and be a part of our coverage and contribute in that facet of the game. Last season I had two assisted tackles. I want to help out more in that sense.”

Will you play any other position in 2015 other than long snapper?

“Just snapping, I don’t want to risk injury. It is something I enjoy doing and I take a lot of pride in it so I don’t mind just long snapping.”

What schools are showing interest in you right now?

“I’ve talked to coaches from Utah, San Diego State, and Penn State. Penn State along with San Diego State is showing some pretty heavy interest.”

Which college camps do you plan on attending this summer?

“As of right now I’m signed up for camps at Penn State, San Jose State, San Diego State, Fresno State and I think those are the only camps I’m signed up for.”

What type of feedback have you received from these colleges?

“The coaches look at what Rubio writes on his website. They watch my film and the coaches all like how I snap the ball. One of the coaches says it compares to one of the guys they have now. They said they want me to work on my coverage down field, which I have been working on this offseason. I got with a sprint coach and a football coach to do private sessions with me. I’ve been working on my 40 time and getting down field and worked on my lateral movement. That’s the big thing coaches want to see out of me this season.”

Say you have 10 scholarship offers by the end of your senior season all from great schools, what will influence which school will get your verbal commitment?

“First and foremost for me a big part of it is my education. In my opinion I really think college is a 40 year decision not a 4 year decision. I want to be able to go to a school where I can get a degree that will benefit me and help me be successful in life. I want to be happy where I go and play the game I love for another four years. Another thing for me, I want to be able to go to a school that I enjoy. It’s not just about football, I want to go to a school I see myself being happy there and stuff like that.”

Have you taken any unofficial visits yet?

“I’ve taken a couple. My most significant one was to San Diego State. I took a visit – I talked to a couple of their coaches. They showed me around the school. I watched one of their practices. I talked to their current snapper, Jeff (Overbaugh – Service High School, Anchorage, Alaska). I know him from the Rubio camps I have gone to. That is what I love about Rubio is all the schools I’m looking at all have guys on the roster that have gone to the camps. I know these guys, I can talk to them and get a feel for the school. I got to talk to Jeff to see what he had to say about San Diego and all that.”

You mentioned previously that you are working on your speed and lateral movements in the offseason, are you working on anything else in preparation for your senior year and the college camp circuit?

“I want to get my 40-yard dash time down. I feel like I can get it down but it’ll obviously take some time. The big part is my athleticism. I’ve talked to Rubio about it. Just looking fluid running down field and working coverage drills. I’m working on getting down field quickly and being able to make a play. With my weight I’m hoping to get up to around 215 or 220 by my first game of the season, solid weight not the wrong kind of weight so I’ll be the full package.”

 

John may not be the prototypical football player with gaudy tackle numbers, video game rushing stats, or a 40-yard dash time that will attract attention at a future NFL Combine but what John does have is a talent that is an essential part of the game of football, the ability to snap accurately and consistently on field goals and PATs and on punts.

The one other thing that makes John an attractive recruit for college coaches at any level is his dedication to his work in the classroom. Aloma has a cumulative 3.9 GPA and scored a 1670 on his SAT. Once on campus coaches can rest easy knowing a scholarship player like John will do his part on and off the field and contribute to the team’s overall Academic Progress Rate (APR) and graduation rate, another oft overlooked aspect of running a successful college football program.

 

Written by Ryan Wright

Photo credit: chrissailerkicking.com; John Aloma

Photo credit: Simi Valley HS; No. 18 John Aloma