2013 Recruiting: *** California Long Snapper Cole Mazza Commits to Alabama ***

TiderJack

Hall of Fame
Jul 9, 2010
12,230
6,256
187
Inverness, AL
Re: Calif. LS Cole Mazza

My opinion is that we need to trust coach Saban ,if he offers a long snapper a scholarship than i believe that Coach Saban was planning for that scenario. And if Coach plans it that way, then my way of thinking is that what he does is good enough for me!:biggrin2:
You make a good point Cindy. As you stated, he planned it and had this position in the 20+ (whatever number he signs) scholarships we sign and got who he wanted. A plan for everything.
 

Hankster2

All-SEC
Jan 18, 2006
1,025
2
57
in a house
Re: Calif. LS Cole Mazza

If this guy affords an extra 1-2 10th's of a second during every kick/punt over our next viable option... well how much closer to the intended flight path of the ball does a defensive player get in that amount of time? How much more effective is a punter or kicker when he has that much extra time to go through his motion? Kicks regularly come within inches of being blocked. If the difference between the block and a field goal in the first LSU game was a long-snapper scholarship, I wouldn't care if we had two on the roster.

I never time the snap when I'm watching a game so unless the snap goes over someone's head I rarely blame the long snapper when something goes wrong, but that just means I'm naive.

Any move that bolsters our kicking game - I'm in full support of.
 

KrAzY3

Hall of Fame
Jan 18, 2006
10,615
4,540
187
44
kraizy.art
Re: Calif. LS Cole Mazza

Any move that bolsters our kicking game - I'm in full support of.
I have to say this, if any part of having an additional tenth of a second or what not, actually contribute to made field goals I'm all for it. I'm not sure how much a scholarship is worth, but you have 85, and if he accounts for 6 points one way or the other he's well worth it.
 

uafan4life

Hall of Fame
Mar 30, 2001
15,608
7,414
287
43
Florence, AL
Re: Calif. LS Cole Mazza

I think we've gotten spoiled by Tinker. He's one heck of a long snapper who happens to be a walk-on. When's the last time we had a long-snapper as good as Tinker? Not all walk-ons, very few actually, are as good and as consistent as Carson Tinker.

Saban is just making sure that we'll have someone who can be at least as good as Tinker, if not better, to replace him after this year. If he really is as fast and as accurate with his snaps as people are saying he is and he can do that from the get-go in games at Alabama then he's very likely worth his scholarship.

How many blocked punts have you seen where the defender just barely got his fingertips on the ball? And extra .1 to .2 seconds could prevent every single one of those. How many shanks have you seen on punts that the punter had to rush because of the pressure, giving the opponent great starting field position? An extra .1 to .2 seconds, especially if it's an accurate snap, may give the punter just enough extra time to get a decent or even a good kick away more times than not when he would have rushed it and shanked it without that extra time. If the long snapper can do that and average saving one punt (either a block or a shank) per game then, over an entire season, he's just taken several hundred yards of field position away from your opponents. How much is several hundred yards of field position worth in a season? I'd say it's definitely worth 1 scholarship out of 85.

And that's just on punts.

How many blocked field goals have you seen where the defender just got his fingertips to the ball? How many times have you seen a field goal missed or blocked because the snap was a little high or a little to the side, taking a little bit of extra time to the ball placed, causing the kicker to have to rush the kick? An extra .1 second, especially if the snap is consistently very accurate, could easily mean that several of those misses are now points on the scoreboard. If the long snapper saves one Field Goal every two to three games then he's basically given you an extra 15 to 18 points or so over a full season. Is an extra 15 to 18 points a season worth 1 scholarship out of 85? I think so.

Of course, giving a scholarship to any player is a gamble, especially giving one to a specialist. It's kind of like calling a fake punt. If it works out then you're a genius while if it doesn't work out then you're an idiot. :)

Given how good this kid appears to be and the impact he could have, especially when compared to the possibility of spending a season or two without finding a quality replacement for Tinker, then I think we would be stupid not to offer him a scholarship.
 

CrimsonTheory

All-American
Mar 26, 2012
3,799
2,209
187
CrimsonBleedRed
Re: Calif. LS Cole Mazza

I think we've gotten spoiled by Tinker. He's one heck of a long snapper who happens to be a walk-on. When's the last time we had a long-snapper as good as Tinker? Not all walk-ons, very few actually, are as good and as consistent as Carson Tinker.
I agree with you on all points, but Tinker has been fantastic as LS but so was his predecessor Brian Selman.

But getting a quality LS like Cole Mazza is a very good, underrated move.
 

TideMan09

Hall of Fame
Jan 17, 2009
12,187
1,156
187
Anniston, Alabama
Re: Calif. LS Cole Mazza

A bad snap in a close game could be the difference in a good season or a national championship season..We're at a point in "The Process" where we're able too fill a specific need like a long snapper..I can see why the rest of the country hates us with a passion..Let our rivals make jokes..We'll have the last laugh when it's all said & done..
 

buzzincuzzin

All-American
Jan 8, 2006
4,963
0
0
73
Re: Calif. LS Cole Mazza

I'd be hard pressed to believe CNS dosen't know who his top half dozen LSers are and exactly what they can and can't do. I don't think he really wants to spend a valuable scholarship unnecessarily.

There's two times you spend money....
1)when you can afford to.
2)when you can't afford not to.

Bet the farm he's right in this one.
 

HitMan54

1st Team
Jan 29, 2007
566
0
0
Only the Government Knows
Re: Calif. LS Cole Mazza

Next thing you know......we will be watching long snappers on youtube!
I was a longsnapper in high school. Kind of art, kind of power. I look forward to seeing if this turns into a "waterboy" effect. If BAMA gets a gem, longsnappers will be a comodity like a returner or just listed as an athlete.

Either way, every teams has to have one, why not get the best since this guy is legit??
 

gamersfuel

All-American
Jan 20, 2008
4,174
89
72
Auburn/near a cow pasture
Re: Calif. LS Cole Mazza

i think it's part of Coach realizing we cant neglect any spot on special teams because a national championship can and almost came down to it. he's basically leaving no stone unturned in a pursuit for championships.
 

RTR91

Super Moderator
Nov 23, 2007
39,407
6
0
Prattville
This is an interview Cole had yesterday with Scarbo and Scott Griffin.

http://www.973thezone.com/Player/101421331/

A few points from the interview:
Scott asked about how many drills Cole does - 10 or 12? Cole says more like 20.
Scott asked if Cole was promised the starting job. Cole says he was not promised anything, but the Bama coaches expect him to start.
Scott asked the UCLA coaches' response to him changing his mind. He said they were angry and upset. Said he was making the wrong choice and they were making a resolution.

I'm not sure who "they" are or what resolution is going to be made.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
84,528
39,619
437
Huntsville, AL,USA
This is an interview Cole had yesterday with Scarbo and Scott Griffin.

http://www.973thezone.com/Player/101421331/

A few points from the interview:
Scott asked about how many drills Cole does - 10 or 12? Cole says more like 20.
Scott asked if Cole was promised the starting job. Cole says he was not promised anything, but the Bama coaches expect him to start.
Scott asked the UCLA coaches' response to him changing his mind. He said they were angry and upset. Said he was making the wrong choice and they were making a resolution.

I'm not sure who "they" are or what resolution is going to be made.
That is a very strange comment from them, indeed. Are they trying to imply that some illegal inducement was offered, I wonder?
 

BoroBama

1st Team
Jun 12, 2008
494
0
0
That is a very strange comment from them, indeed. Are they trying to imply that some illegal inducement was offered, I wonder?
I do not believe that is what was meant by that statement. The UCLA coaches have been telling him that an Alabama degree will only get him a job in Alabama and will do him no good anywhere else. So that is what they meant about making a mistake. I believe the resolution remark meant that it is a new coaching staff at UCLA and a new resolve to compete for championships.
 

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