Purdue’s search for long snapper continues at specialists camp
The footballs were flying through the air in the Mollenkopf Athletic Center on Saturday during Purdue’s specialists camp.
One of Purdue’s main goals: Find a backup long snapper.
Not a sexy search, but a necessity for a program that has just one long snapper at the moment: Nick Levy, a transfer from William & Mary who is on scholarship and just arrived in May and will be the No. 1 option at the position in 2024. He has two years of eligibility.
Special teams coach Chris Petrilli kept his eyes on a few guys on Saturday, when roughly 60-70 specialists were on hand. Among them: Five of the top long snappers in the nation in the Class of 2025, according to Kohl’s Kicking:
No. 2 Mack Mulhern of Horizon High in Scottsdale, Ariz.
No. 4 Kyler Farrow of Arrowhead High in Waukesha, Wis.
No. 5 Cain Stack of Bishop Manogue Catholic in Reno, Nevada.
No. 7 Jason Arredondo of Bishop Gorman High in Henderson, Nevada.
No. 8 Henry Searcy of Lawton Chiles High in Tallahassee, Fla.
One of the most impressive was Arredondo, who was named snapper of camp. Omar Garcia of Psja Memorial in Alamo, Texas, won best kicker honors, while Brady Lane of Mill Creek High in Hoschton, Ga., was best punter.
But Purdue needs a snapper now. Whoever the staff lands will have to come to campus as a walk-on with hopes of challenging for the job later. Ideally, Purdue would add an older snapper from portal now. The staff did welcome a portal snapper today: Claude Strnad of Illinois State.
Last year, there was more drama at the specialists camp, as Purdue offered Brownsburg (Ind.) High kicker Spencer Porath. And, he accepted soon thereafter.
There is no high-drama this time around. Purdue already is set at kicker with Porath, RJ Lopez (UCLA transfer) and Ben Freehill. Porth figures to handle placements and Lopez kickoffs.
And the staff will ride with just two punters: Keelan Crimmins (Mississippi State transfer) and Bennett Boehnlein. Levy will long snap, but he needs a backup.
Purdue will conduct a prospects camp on Sunday.
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