Most football players gravitate toward the flashiest positions on the field. At any tryout, there is no shortage of players wanting to show off how far they can sling the ball, lay out for fancy grabs or display their speed.

Instead of trying to throw his hat in the ring with all of the players vying for a skill position, Mason Quimby has been practicing something else the last four years. In ninth grade he began dedicating time to carving out a role as Warren Central’s long snapper, and now it’s paid off with a walk-on spot with Mississippi College.

Quimby will not receive a scholarship with the Division II program, but will have a roster spot when practice begins in August.

“It’s awesome,” Quimby said of joining the Choctaws. “I’d love to play football as long as I can.”

The key to doing that is continuing to put in the hours and hone his skills, which he seems very determined to do.

“It’s all about where you put the ball when you snap,” Quimby said. “The training is basically just arm and shoulder workouts to help you get that whip and the action of the snap.”

Long snapping is one of those crucial parts of football that fans don’t really notice unless it goes wrong. Games have been lost on snaps sailing over punter’s heads or one-hopping to a holder for a field goal, but a long snapper who does his job well is rarely noticed. Quimby knows firsthand how crucial that job is.

“It’s a nice thing to know how to do, because if you know how to do it, you can change the feel of the game,” Quimby said. “If you can get a good snap and a good high punt, with a fast long snapper you can get down there and stop a punt return.”

Quimby was excited to be taking his game to the next level with Mississippi College.
“They’re really nice people, I would love to have a few years with them,” Quimby said.

However, the benefits of attending the school are much bigger than football, as Quimby sees a clear path to his career in his education there.

“They have a beautiful campus, really nice stadium and facilities, plus, my education there, they have one of the best acceptance rankings for physical therapy and that’s what I want to do,” Quimby said.