Willis McGahee well-versed in art of long snapping

After rookie Morgan Cox tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the Ravens’ 20-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 26, many members of the media covering the team learned that running back Willis McGahee was the backup long snapper.

That may have come as a surprise to reporters and fans alike, but McGahee said he has experience snapping the football.

“I’ve been doing it since college,” said McGahee, who left the University of Miami to enter the NFL draft after the 2002 season. “That’s something I had to learn when I was in college. The running backs coach [Don Soldinger] was the special teams coordinator, so we all had to do something.”

McGahee, who has never snapped in a game, said special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Jerry Rosburg rushed over to McGahee after Cox sustained his injury.

“He actually came and got me ready, but Morgan went out there,” McGahee said. “Being the trooper that he is, he still went out there and snapped.”

McGahee said he doesn’t mind snapping in practice because he’s keeping an eye on his future.

“It’s going to benefit me when my career is over as a running back,” he said. “That’s when I’m going to go do it.”

So how good is McGahee?

“I’m better than most second-string long snappers,” he said. “But I am the last resort when your long snapper goes down.”

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(baltimoresun.com)