IRISH INSIDER: Snapper climbs from walk-on to veteran
By CHRIS FEDERICO
Sports Editor
John Crowther has lived the Notre Dame student's dream.
The Irish long snapper, who was virtually un-recruited out of high school in his hometown of Edina, Minn., entered his freshman year at Notre Dame with intentions no greater than simply playing dorm football for Morrissey Manor.
Little more than a week into his first year of college, Crowther got a surprise call from one of the Notre Dame football coaches to tryout for the team.
"It started when I first got here, staying in Morrissey Hall," Crowther said. "I went out for the interhall team there. Father Bill Steech was the assistant coach, and he called up the head football coach for me and got me a tryout with the team without my knowledge or anything.
"I got a tryout on the team, actually made it and then a week later the backup got hurt, so I got to travel about a week and a half after I made the team to Michigan State for my first game," Crowther said.
That first game was bittersweet. The freshman walk-on combined the excitement of running out onto the field with one of the most storied football programs in history with the despair of witnessing one of Notre Dame's worst losses in recent history.
"It was the first time I had ever dressed, and I was really excited coming out and hearing the band," Crowther said. "The only bad thing was I believe we were down at halftime 42-3. It was one of our worst games, and we had a good year that year. I was really excited to be out there, but they just kept scoring on us, and I was just thinking, `Wow.' It kind of ended the excitement real quick, but it was still a memorable moment."
The Irish ended up losing that game 45-23, but things were only just beginning for Crowther. By his junior year, he had worked his way up the chart to the starting snapper for field goals and extra points, and he would soon become the snapper on punts as well.
At the end of last season, after two years atop the depth chart at snapper for Crowther, the senior walk on was offered an opportunity to return for a fifth year.
It was an opportunity he could not turn down.
"I was very excited when I met Coach Willingham for the opportunity to come back for a fifth year," Crowther said. "I've been with the same guys on this team for a long time, an we've been through a lot of ups-and-downs. I felt that as a group, we could still really accomplish some good things."
Over the summer, Crowther was offered a scholarship to return for his fifth year. That only made the dream complete. The former Morrissey center has climbed from walk-on backup, to starter, to scholarship veteran.
"It's been a pleasant surprise, and I've definitely enjoyed it," Crowther said. "But looking back on it now, I couldn't imagine going through my four years at Notre Dame without playing on the team. It's such a great experience, and it completely changed my outlook and my view of Notre Dame."
All Sports Stories for Friday, November 22, 2002
