Football a Snap for Jacob Rice

NORMAN, Okla. -- Senior deep snapper Jacob Rice has had more than his share of exciting moments on the OU football team. The sociology major says one of those moments came in his very first game.

Rice says he remembers standing on the sideline during the 2002 Tulsa game taking in everything. The next thing he knew, coaches were calling for him to take the field.

“Whoa, that's me,” he thought. “I'm supposed to go out there now. It's really happening.”

That snap was the first of 423 consecutive successful snaps over the last three years. Snapping has become the perfect position for Rice.

Jacob Rice Bio, Stats & Photos | Sooner Gameday Central - UCLA

“The beauty of my position is that I get to do the same thing over and over again - it's perfect,” Rice said. “It's also a low key position, so it's better for me.”

Snapping is a task that Rice has been perfecting since grade school.

Rice's father, Fred, was the one responsible for teaching Jacob many of the things he knows today. Most notably, “Always pay attention to what is going on around you,” and, of course, how to snap a good deep ball.

Fred Rice, who played college basketball, had a good friend who was a deep snapper in college. Fred often watched his friend practice. Following the advice he later gave his son, he paid attention to what was going on around him and eventually learned how to snap the ball.

Years later when Jacob was in fourth grade, Fred noticed that Jacob loved to watch football. After this realization, Fred's hopes of Jacob following in his basketball footsteps drifted and thoughts of Jacob as a football player emerged.

Fred told him, “Let me show you the only football skill I know. Let me show you how to snap the ball.”

After learning how to snap, it was two more years before Jacob could join a team and put his skills to use. Since the sixth grade, he has been the deep snapper for each of his teams. Although he has always been a snapper, Jacob also excelled at other positions, including tight end, defensive end and linebacker.

“I enjoyed playing all the other positions, but it all just fell into place with snapping. It's worked out pretty well so far,” Rice said. “I still get to do all the workouts and practice, which I like to do, but I don't have as high profile of a position, which I also enjoy.”

Jacob's father said he never thought his son would take the skill he taught him in fourth grade so far.

“When I taught him how to snap, it never occurred to me that he might be doing this in college,” said Fred. “And if it takes his football career even farther, that's great. But ultimately I want whatever Jacob wants.”

The younger Rice, as well, is glad that he has found his niche.

“I love football and snapping is great. I've gotten to do a lot of cool things playing for OU. I love the camaraderie and hanging out with the guys, even though they give me a hard time because I'm from Norman,” said Rice, who grew up in the shadows of the stadium and is the only player from Norman.

“It's great knowing that I'm playing my little role and doing what I can.”

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Sooner Feature by Eliot Weatherly
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