Left Handed

[EmeraldBullet]

So we have a left handed center, first one I have ever seen. I have discussed this with a lot of my friends and have received a mixture of opinions.

I have one friend that is adamantly against it, claiming that it's like having a left handed short stop in baseball. I personally don't see why it would make that big of a difference (where as I do understand how it would with a short stop), but then again the most competitive football I have played took place in the back yard.

Another one of my friends that played football at the collegiate level said it shouldn't affect the QB, since the QB actually first touches the hiked ball on top of the ball and since it's hiked with such velocity the wrists naturally will turn to catch it.

I was really just curious what everyone else thinks on the topic, and interested to see if anyone has some insight into whether or not handedness of a C actually makes a difference or not. Look forward to your replies.

[NorthHawk]

I've never been a QB, but I would think any adjustment would be minor and quick.
As long as the snap has the laces in the place the QB wants and he doesn't misfire while in shotgun, I can't think of a reason for it to be a concern.

[RiverDog]

When I played, our coaches taught centers to snap the ball directly up without rotating it 90 degrees, but that required snapping the ball with both hands, and I suppose they did it because it was easier for the center as being younger, our hands weren't big enough or well developed enough to snap it with one hand.

Although I've never been a QB or a center, I would tend to agree with your last comment, that the ball is snapped up with such velocity that it doesn't make a lot of difference, at least not a great enough difference that couldn't be overcome by repetition. But if you were to have to change centers in the middle of the game it might make a difference IMO.

[EmeraldBullet]

When I played, our coaches taught centers to snap the ball directly up without rotating it 90 degrees, but that required snapping the ball with both hands, and I suppose they did it because it was easier for the center as being younger, our hands weren't big enough or well developed enough to snap it with one hand.

Although I've never been a QB or a center, I would tend to agree with your last comment, that the ball is snapped up with such velocity that it doesn't make a lot of difference, at least not a great enough difference that couldn't be overcome by repetition. But if you were to have to change centers in the middle of the game it might make a difference IMO.

That makes sense. It seems having to change centers in the middle of a game usually causes enough issues as it is.

Anyone think it makes a difference if you run more to the left or right side? That's the only other difference I can think of, but it seems like that would be pretty minor.

[burrrton]

Anyone think it makes a difference if you run more to the left or right side?

Well, reflect whether you've ever thought "Oh no- don't run to the left side- we've got a right-handed center!" (or the converse).

In other words, if you've never thought the dexterity of the center mattered before (and I doubt anyone ever has), why would you think it would matter now?

[RiverDog]

That makes sense. It seems having to change centers in the middle of a game usually causes enough issues as it is.

Anyone think it makes a difference if you run more to the left or right side? That's the only other difference I can think of, but it seems like that would be pretty minor.

Again, I'm not going off first hand experience, but it would seem to me that if there was any effect at all, it would be on the QB-center exchange, so to answer your question, no, it wouldn't make a difference which side the play is going to.

[EmeraldBullet]

That makes sense. Thanks for your imput.

[Mo the Toe]

A left handed snapper will probably lead with rt foot and a rt handed snapper with his left. So the feel for the quarterback would be a bit different. Hands need to follow the crotch pocket. Of course 75% of the snaps are out of the shotgun so only the rotation matters then.