Northridge’s Perfect Pet : John Dickman Is One ‘Turtle’ Who Never Misses a Snap

John Dickman’s job involves little glory or recognition and plenty of physical abuse.

Billy Martin’s bartender?

No, Dickman is a long snapper for the Cal State Northridge football team. His is the thankless task of hiking the ball for punts and field goals.

“You never get noticed when you do things right,” Dickman said. “Only when things go wrong do they notice.”

With Dickman, things rarely go wrong.

In his college career, which started at Golden West and will end after this season, his second at CSUN, Dickman has never made a bad snap in a game.

“He’s so good and quick that at first I couldn’t keep up with him,” said Abo Velasco, Northridge’s placekicker. “There’s no doubt that he’s the best snapper we’ve got.”

Which is precisely why he is still on the team. A pudgy 5-10, 205-pound senior, Dickman has a physique that makes him easily recognizable on the sidelines.

His teammates call him “Turtle,” a nickname he’s had since high school. “I’m not the fastest guy in the world,” he said. “But I don’t give up. When the team runs, I don’t quit. I just keep going like a turtle even if I finish last.”

Resiliency is a desired trait for both turtle and snapper.

Before Dickman even has a chance to look up after whipping the ball to a kicker, he has 250-pound linemen in his face, on his back, or both. “I don’t even see them and they’re right there,” Dickman said, flexing his hand within inches of his nose.

Dickman says he has never escaped a game without a beefy opponent leaving a little cleat tread on his chest. His derriere has scraped up more grass from the North Campus football field than the groundskeeper’s mower.

He says he has scars on his back from being stomped with cleats and is often used as a launching pad for linemen who decide to use his body as a springboard.

“One thing you always get is clobbered,” Dickman said. “You’re not looking and you don’t even know who’s going to hit you. You don’t see it coming, but it always comes.

“You’re always ready. Ready to get hit.”

Maybe a shell to protect himself wouldn’t be a bad idea. Dickman could have used one in CSUN’s season opener against Boise State. He suffered a dislocated right shoulder from a blow to the back and missed a week of practice.

“When Turtle is not snapping, I have to be more of an athlete,” said punter Trent Morgan, a transfer from Harbor College.

“Usually you pray that the ball comes to you. That’s the way it was at Harbor and that’s the way I felt last week when Turtle was hurt.

“With him I can relax because I know the ball is always coming with good speed. He’s just the best.”

Dickman was back last week when the Matadors defeated San Francisco State, 45-0. He snapped for two punts and eight placekicks.

“I felt good even though I was still a little sore,” he said.

Coach Bob Burt was even more relieved than Velasco and Morgan when Dickman returned. “He’s worth his weight in gold,” Burt said. “We’re only allowed to travel 48 guys and he travels just to snap. That ought to tell you how smart he is and how valuable he is to us.”

Dickman, who transferred to CSUN after two years at Golden West, snapped for All-American placekicker Mike Doan at both schools.

Ray Shackleford, Golden West’s coach, recruited Dickman out of Ocean View High in Huntington Beach where he played both offense and defense besides snapping. Shackleford wanted him just to snap, though.

“Our kicking was very strong and part of that was John’s ability to make good snaps,” Shackleford said.

Even as a youngster, Dickman had quick hands. He started snapping at age 8 when he played Pop Warner football.

“I played center and my coach said, ‘Since you can snap like that, maybe you can just snap,’ ” Dickman said. “Ever since I’ve just been doing it and doing it and doing it.”

But whipping the ball for a kicker in an average of .72 seconds isn’t the only thing Dickman does.

“I don’t just snap and go home,” he said.

Dickman helps coach kickers and always fills in on the scout team in practice. He plays center on offense and linebacker on defense.

“It’s like having another coach,” Burt said. “He’s an all-around, in-charge type of guy.”

Dickman wouldn’t mind coaching some day, but first he wants to fulfill a lifelong dream.

“It may be a long shot, but I want a chance to play in the pros,” he said. “That’s all I want is a chance. If it doesn’t work out, that’s fine. I’ll just have my own kids and have them snap.”