Loud Crowds

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Between screaming fans, stomping feet, and clapping hands it can be extremely hard to hear snap calls when you’re the opposing team. As Senior Quarterback Riley Nelson explained, communication with the center is essential.

“He’s only five yards in front of me and can’t hear a single thing, and I’m yelling at the top of my lungs. He can’t hear a single thing I say; so yeah, those crowds are very effective, and they do impact the game,” said Nelson.

The Cougars are averaging around seventy-five plays per game, and even if just one snap goes wrong, the end result could be points on the board for the other team.

As Senior Center Ryan Freeman explained, “When it’s a loud game and you have a silent count, there’s a lot of communication that has to go on. The center has to communicate when he’s going to snap the ball to the rest of the line and then he has to make sure that he gets the communication from the quarterback that he’s ready to receive the snap.”

The Cougars have already given up two defensive touchdowns this season. This is two more than they would have liked.

“When there’s a lot of noise and you’re on the road, all kinds of things can be going on in a center’s mind and with the quarterback, so you have to be real dialed in,” said Nelson.

Look for the Cougars to be dialed in tonight as they take on the Hawaii Warriors. With a three home-game stretch, the loud crowd should work in the Cougars’ favor, at least for a few weeks.

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