Feature on Jake Ingram

About focusing on his job as long snapper, Jake Ingram said:
"Last year I really buckled down, but this year from the offseason all the way through I had my mind set 100 percent on, 'I'm a long snapper and I want to be the best at it.' " (HSB)

HSB Note: "Ingram takes pride in performing a duty best rewarded by anonymity and has fired 111 snaps into Tim Grasso's hands on punts and place-kicks without incident this season entering Saturday's senior-night game against No. 13 Cincinnati. Although he averages 9.25 opportunities per contest, Ingram estimates the number of practice snaps he'll make on the sideline during the game at close to 100."

About how many snaps he does in practice, Ingram said:
"One time Tim and I tried to do the math - it's thousands. It's a lot." (HSB)

About how Ingram might be drafted, Rich Miano (UH's liaison with NFL teams) said:
"Every single guy knows about him. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets drafted if someone needs a long snapper." (HSB)

About how he was asked to replaced injured long snapper T.J. Moe before UH's game at Louisiana Tech in 2005, with his first snap coming on a 2nd-quarter punt, Ingram said:
"That was probably the least pressure I ever felt as a long snapper. I remember it like it was yesterday." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The Mililani graduate figured he'd still be in the mix at defensive end, having seen playing time early as a freshman. But it soon became clear his substitute role had become permanent."

About how JJ removed him from the kickoff-return team against NMSU, Ingram said:
"Coach (June) Jones noticed I was out there and he was 'What's Jake doing out there? Get him off the field. He's going to get hurt.' From then on I had to come to the realization that I was a long snapper." (HSB)

About how he wanted to be able to play DE and only reluctantly took the long snapper-only role, Ingram said:
"I struggled with it for probably a year. I still wanted to play defensive end. I felt like I was selling myself short. Really I wasn't, but at the time I thought I was. I was still defensive minded and wanted to make my name as a D-end. But times change and you have to adjust." (HSB)

About Ingram's reaction when Grasso had to reach up for a snap against BSU this season, special teams coordinator Ikaika Malloe said:
"He didn't have to jump for it, but he caught it over his head. Jake is upset about a snap like that. As long as it's catchable, it's a good snap to me. That's how important he takes his job." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Malloe said Ingram consistently gets the ball to Grasso in 0.67 seconds, 0.65 if he really muscles up on one, contributing to a goal of getting the kick away in less than 2 seconds and taking pressure off the protection unit."

About how he enjoys helping to cover punts, Ingram said:
"My favorite part is when I get to run down the field and you get a chance to make a play, hit somebody, make a tackle." (HSB)

Not worried about the NFL right now because he's focused on their last 2 games, Ingram said:
"I'll be blessed if I can do it at the next level. Right now, I have to take care of business the last two games. One bad snap and it's done." (HSB)