It's hard to believe that Big Ten Media Days are two weeks away, with the season itself getting underway in seven weeks. The next player on our countdown to that season kickoff is the rare recruited long snapper. Both John Finch and Kevin Ballinger have been quite the characters of late at that position, but Jesse Schmitt was a ground freshman during his redshirt last year.
Jesse Schmitt - Fr. (RS)
Hometown: Louisville, KY (Trinity HS)
Long Snapper
6'2", 225 pounds
2011 Projection: Likely redshirt
When we decided to give a scholarship to a long snapper I was a bit skeptical. Most long snappers go the way of John Finch, and our current guy, Kevin Ballinger. They come to the program either as walk-ons or as a scholarship guy at another position. Andy Huffman, our previous long snapper, was the same as Finch.
Schmitt was different though. He was rated as the number two long snapper nationally by Ray Guy/Pro Kicker.com. After winning the Kentucky Class 6A state championship in his first three years of high school his Shamrocks came up short in this year's title game. He is a smart kid that is majoring in movement and sports science. He certainly looks promising based on his glowing reviews.
Boilermakings Notes:
Chasing the Dream: Semis dead locked at one game a piece in the best of seven
More from Chris Kramer about playing down in the Puerto Rican Playoffs.