Coach Zauner's Blog...: Zach Wood New Orleans Saints Snapper

In August of 2016 I was checking NFL Teams for their final roster cuts and I noticed some guy by the name of Zach Wood. He was listed on the Dallas Cowboys roster as a Defense Player and Snapper.

Zach Wood - SMU Defensive Player

When I called a friend of mine with the Cowboys he said Zach was a undersized defensive football player that had some pretty good snapping ability. They brought him to training camp because he served two purposes. First, he could line up on the defensive look team and secondly he served as a backup snapper.

2016 and 2017 Free Agent with Dallas Cowboys

At that point in time they did not think he had the consistency to be a starting snapper on a NFL team but they thought he had some excellent potential.

Next, I contacted Zach and told him that I was a kicking, punting and snapping coach and believed I could make him a better and more consistent snapper.

I mentioned that in the last 9 years Coach Zauner's Snapping Programs had produced 19 snappers on NFL and CFL rosters. Many had come to Fountain Hills, Arizona for ONE on ONE Snapping Lessons and or attended my Snapper's ONLY Training Camps.

He said he needed to talk to his family. Well, a couple of days later he called back and set up a ONE on ONE Snapping Lesson. On October 5th and 6th, 2016 he and mom came to Arizona to work with Coach Zauner.

My first impression of Zach was that he was a good looking football player. Well put together and solid. He was a football player that could snap. Many snappers, that's all they can do is just snap. Many NFL Coaches like snappers that have a little more athletic ability to snap, block and the bonus is ability to cover and make tackles.

Zach works Coach Zauner's Line Drill

During our ONE on ONE Snapping Lesson we worked a lot his footwork for blocking. Many players are good snappers but lack the ability to snap consistently and still able to block a rushing NFL player. We also worked on his consistency snapping tighter spirals with more accuracy.

Zach Wood works on Coach Zauner's Perfect Laces Drill

We also worked on on his ability to snap field goals with better consistency with his Perfect Laces. After the two day ONE on ONE Snapping Lesson he and his mom both wanted my opinion. I told them he had some excellent snapping potential but still needed to improve.

I gave him his training video and told him to go back and study the video and work on the drills I gave him. I tell everyone that changing your muscle memory doesn't happen over night it takes weeks or sometimes months.

I told Zach to go home and practice these drills and come back in a couple of months to my Snappers ONLY Training Camp here in Fountain Hills, Arizona in January. Come a compete against some of the best college seniors getting ready for the 2017 NFL Draft and other free agent snappers like himself.

Coach Zauner's Snapper's ONLY Training Camp

Zach came to my January camp and the first day we evaluated his progress. He had improved on many facets of his snapping game but was still having some issues snapping tight spirals.

As I told him and all snappers "No NFL Team is going to pay somebody three, four or five hundred thousand dollars to snap wobbles.

We made some minor adjustment with his had position and told him to work with it for a least one practice session at camp.

He tried it and liked the changes and adjustment. His field goal and punt snaps were much tighter and his accuracy was better.

During my Snapper's ONLY Training camps we emphasize improving a snappers field goal and punt snapping consistency, footwork for blocking and also his agility and coverage skills. I try to expose these snappers to what they would experience in any NFL mini or training camp.

I also expose them to various NFL Special Teams Coordinators philosophy on blocking technique.

Zach left camp more confident with his snapping and blocking technique. In February Zach again signed a futures contract with the Dallas Cowboys. He went to mini camp and finished the 2017 Training Camp with some good pre-season game experience.

He was released after the final pre-season game. He text me and told me to keep my eyes and ears open. Two days later he received a call from the New Orleans Saints. He and several other free agent snappers that were just released from other NFL teams all went in for a tryout. Zach Won!

On September 7th, 2017 the New Orleans Saints signed Zach Wood to an NFL contract. Zach was now the starting snapper for the Saints.

Congrats to Zach for all his hard work and passion for becoming an NFL Snapper. I appreciate Zach having enough confidence in Coach Zauner and his Snapping Programs to take his game to the next level. Coaches Coach and Players Play. All the credit goes to Zach Wood for becoming a NFL player.

Coach Zauner's Programs are "A Specialist's Path To PRO Football".