Today's Tidbit... Alternative Snapping Techniques

Football’s rules do not require the center to snap the ball through his legs, though that general technique is almost universal. An alternative form of center snap, the swinging gate, is known to anyone who played pickup football games. Now used primarily on trick plays by players who do not normally snap, the snapper stands at the line of scrimmage with shoulders perpendicular to the line. He snaps by swinging the ball across his front and back legs, releasing the ball toward the target.

Another centering technique used in the early spread and in Single Wing formations was the sideward spiral. With this technique, the center approached and grasped the ball as he would when snapping between the legs. However, he snapped by swinging the ball across one leg or the other, releasing an underhand pass to a teammate positioned wide in the backfield or motioning outside the tackle.

(Oakes. Football Line Play. 1948)The

While the Swinging Gate has earned recent attention, the sideward spiral has not. It could be a fun surprise from a coach that finds a player who accurately passes the ball underhanded.

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