Morgan Cox and the Quest for the NFL Dream

Written by Darrell Owenby | 01 May 2010

Former Tennessee Vol long snapper, Morgan Cox, is defying the odds.  Many undrafted free agents sign tender contracts with NFL teams, but the chance of making the team is slim.  The odds become even slimmer if you fill a specialist position.  At least that is the general line of thinking ... which is not always true.

What is better?  Being drafted in the Mr. Irrelevant position of the NFL Draft or being invited to try out as a free agent?  While being drafted at all parlays bragging rights to many players, being in the position of an undrafted free agent is actually the better position for players to be in.  Even if a player is drafted dead last, that player is stuck with that team.  If the player had simply gone unnoticed one more selection, he could essentially pick and choose which team he wanted to try out for, while giving him the best opportunity to select the team with the higher need.

Enter Morgan Cox, the former long snapper for the Tennessee Volunteers.

While it would have been a reach to expect a long snapper to be drafted, it is not a reach to see Cox being signed by the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent ... keep in mind, Cox was selected for the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl.

So, who is Morgan Cox and can the former Vol make the Ravens team as a long snapper?  The answer to the first question is apparent the instant you either talk (or in our case, e-mail) to him.  Morgan Cox is one of the 'character guys' that you always like to hear about in college athletics.  The second part of the question is actually somewhat complex, but the short answer is a resounding 'yes'.

Through a mutual friend, James Wilhoit (former Tennessee Vol and current private kicking coach), we were able to set up an e-mail interview with Morgan.  SECRivals definitely appreciates James' help in getting this done.  Don't forget, if you are a football specialist and want to elevate your game to the next level ... then you need to give James Wilhoit a shout because he is the real deal.  You can reach James via his website James Wilhoit Kicking Coach.

SECRivals:  Morgan, You have been a long snapper for a long time (since 5th grade) ... looking back at that time frame in my own life, I can remember atleast ten long snappers on the teams I played on ... having the same snapper coming through the pipe is very rare ... looking back what are the top three to five pieces of advice that have stuck with you ... the advice that you can point back to and honestly say "Yes, that made a HUGE difference"
Morgan Cox:  The best advice I can give in snapping is REPETITION! There is not one thing that is going to make a person just start snapping great.  Just as in golf, once you learn the basics of the swing, it is up to you to develop your own style of how you hit the ball. The only way to do that is through quality repetition.  Knowing what you did and why you did it is incredibly important.  Also, people all along the way are going to be filled with doubt that taking the next step is impossible for you. The only thing that matters is whether or not YOU believe if you can do it.

SECRivals:  Coming through high school at Evangelical Christian School (Memphis) did you play other positions or were you primarily the long snapper on the team?
Morgan Cox:   I played defensive line during freshman year, offensive and defensive line as a sophomore, and offensive line as a junior and senior.  I didn’t get in a varsity game until my junior year when the first snapper caused a safety with a high snap during the first game.  I only started as the snapper during junior but played center and long snapper as a senior.

SECRivals:  Who are the athletes that you look up to ... not necessarily the ones that you model your game and skills after, but rather the ones that are your personal heroes?
Morgan Cox:    Growing up my role model was “Pistol Pete” Maravich.  I watched the movie based on his life and was inspired by his work ethic and love for his skills.  I respect any athlete who plays the game for the satisfaction of trying to be the best at his skill.

SECRivals:  Long time Washington Redskins snapper, Ethan Albright, mentored you prior to your Senior year in high school.  What difference has that made in your career as a long snapper?  What was the difference in attention from Division 1 schools when comparing your Junior year to your Senior year?
Morgan Cox:  Ethan gave me a lot of confidence in my abilities.  It was important for me going into the start of my career as a long snapper.  The difference in my snapping abilities from my junior year to senior year was very distinct.  My junior year, the balls floated back to the punter but my senior year, they were much quicker and more accurate.  I did not get recruited by any schools except for Tennessee because I did not go to any camps other than the Tennessee specialist camp.  At the time, I did not know how important or highly recruited snappers were.  For me, I just knew I could do it.  Until I got the call from Tennessee, I was just going to make my college decision then walk-on as a long snapper.  Looking back, I wish that I had someone to give me advice on how to get recruited and take advantage of that scene.

SECRivals:  As a Freshman at UT ... during your first home game ... the team runs through the "T" ... do you still vividly recall the experience?
Morgan Cox:  The experience of doing the Vol Walk and Running through the “T” was one that I will never forget.  The most memorable thing that I have from my first time was thinking “DON’T TRIP, DON’T TRIP, DON’T TRIP!” Once I safely made it through the opening past the goal post, I was able to soak up the massive amount of orange that was in front of me.  Indescribable feeling.

SECRivals:  You attended UT during a tough transitional period ... in other interviews you have mentioned the differences in how special teams were approached under the different sets of coaches ... from a fan's perspective, the difference in special teams play was very noticeable ... did the special teams players feel as if they were essentially ignored / left out on a limb during Coach Kiffin's only season in Knoxville?
Morgan Cox:    I did not feel ignored by the Kiffin staff.  Having a coach devoted to special teams was a new experience.  In the previous four years with Coach Fulmer, position coaches were devoted to the separate tasks of game planning each section of special teams.

SECRivals:   What are the top three technical deficiencies you see high school (and perhaps college even) aged long snappers making on a regular basis?
Morgan Cox:   The most glaring difference between high school and college long snappers is usually the blocking ability.  When I first got to UT, I had no idea how bad I was at blocking after the snap because I had never legitimately done it.  Being coachable and adaptable was a very important part in my development.  It took me many repetitions just to figure out the basics of blocking in college.  However, with the popularity of the spread punt growing, blocking is losing its importance because it is not required with a shield in front of the punter.  I was fortunate to have Coach Eddie Gran implement the pro formation in my last year so that I could gain valuable blocking experience and film for the NFL.

SECRivals:  You were recently signed as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens ... the Ravens' long snapper, Matt Katula, has battled an elbow injury in the past ... looking forward, you have an outstanding shot of making this team ... now look back to just a short time ago ... when you received the phone call from GA Geep Wade asking you to be a Volunteer ... compare those two events in your life (being offered by UT and being signed by Baltimore).
Morgan Cox:   Matt Katula is a phenomenal snapper and athlete.  I have followed his career for a few years now and I am truly honored to get to compete with him.  He has been coached by Coach Gary Zauner who I have also been to for lessons and advice with snapping.  No matter who I am competing with, I have to snap exceptionally well in order to make the team.  As far as the experiences, Geep Wade’s phone call was out of the blue for me at the time.  I was star struck just to be called from the Tennessee Football team.  With the NFL, I was hoping for an opportunity to get on a team.  Now that the opportunity has come, I am honored and thrilled to be a part of it.  Very few people can say they have been in my position and I feel blessed to be in this situation.

SECRivals:  Some teams carry ... three quarterbacks or five running backs ... there are usuallywhat?  One or two long snappers on an NFL team ... how do you channel the stress and pressure that has to create into positive energy?
Morgan Cox:   NFL teams can only afford to carry one long snapper that is totally devoted to the job.  Teams’ reserve snapper is usually another position player that can also do it for one game until the team can sign another snapper.  As far as the pressure, playing at a big school like Tennessee has taught me to deal with the pressure of every snap counting.  In the NFL, one bad snap can lead to you losing your job.  Having a family to provide for can change the dimensions of each snap rather than it just being about a football game.  The NFL is such a big business year in and year out that every snap counts toward your career.  Trey Junkin is an infamous example within the football and long snapping community of how a player can have an exceptional career but at the very end have one bad game and that is what he is remembered for.  The goal of every long snapper is to remain unnoticed and unnamed. That is the sign of a good snapper.