Interview: Navy LS Joe Cardona

Q: First, Joe thanks to the commitment you and your teammates make to our country, why was the Naval Academy the decision for you?
A: The Naval Academy was the right decision for me because I’ve always been interested in serving and I come from a military family. My dad was in the Navy so when I got the offer from Navy it just made sense. It was always something I wanted to do and I knew the opportunity that I had so I took it.

Q: Coming out of high school, being a long snapper, you’re not going to be that highly recruited and then you come all the way from California, how many other opportunities did you really take a look at before committing to Navy?
A: Being a long snapper a lot of times you have to walk-on at places and try to earn a spot and getting an offer from Navy was a full-scholarship so it was kind of a no-brainer for me at the time. I could’ve sat around and waited for some more options to come to fruition but I wasn’t going to sit on my heels on an offer from the Naval Academy. 

Q: You play a position that doesn’t garner any attention unless you do something wrong, what’s it like to be seen as one of the best long snappers in the country?
A: It’s a tremendous honor. I know a ton of other great long snappers out there and to be compared to these guys and be called the number one guy is really humbling. I’m grateful for the opportunity that the Senior Bowl has given me and I’m really excited for it.

Q: Educate us a little bit on life as a long snapper, what’s the best trait that a long snapper has to have, in your opinion?
A: In my opinion, I think consistency is first and foremost. You got to be able to go out there and do your job time after time without getting any attention and then after that, athleticism and being able to run down the field and contributing on the punt return.

Q: You like to get down the field and make a play too don’t you?
A: I love it. We get a lot of punts fair-caught but I get excited every time I get a chance to get in on a play.

Q: You’ve got a forced fumble on your resume too but if you could play another position, what would it be?
A: I think I’d play outside linebacker or inside linebacker. I played it at the prep school here at Navy and all throughout high school. I love playing defense. I have that kind of mentality to come down hill. It’d definitely be linebacker.

Q: You’re a four-year starter at the position, what’s been the key to maintaining your success? 
A: It’s just taking every snap as its own. Don’t think past the snap that’s in front of you. Keep your world small and just focus on exactly what’s at hand. Don’t think past the snap right in front of you.

Q: It’s been well documented how tough it is to be an athlete at the Naval Academy, give me a quick rundown of a day in the life of Joe Cardona, the Navy football player.
A: Wake up about 6:45 and get to formation. The uniform has to look good. Formation’s at 7. Head straight to breakfast and pretty much heading straight to class after that. Class until about noon, eat a quick lunch – in and out in about 10-15 minutes – and head to either meetings or workouts at lunch. Specialists have workouts, position players have meetings. Then head back to class after the workout for an hour or two and then head straight back over to the facilities to get ready for practice. Practice just like any other team out there for two hours or so and then eat a quick dinner after that and head straight up for homework. So it’s a busy day here at the Naval Academy but I’m sure it’s not that much different than any other school out there. I know a lot of guys out there are hard-working guys.

Q: What’s your major?
A: I’m an economics major here at the Naval Academy.

Q: So the hardest class you take is what?
A: The hardest class I take right now is called engineering in the littoral zone. Basically you’re learning the properties of building stuff on or near the shore. We’re learning stress loading on bridges and stuff.

Q: I got to see you at practice when I was up in Annapolis and the way your head coach Ken Niumatalolo does things and operates with that calm demeanor, leadership is a big thing at the Naval Academy, is that the kind of leadership that resonates with you or are you more of a fiery passionate guy. 
A: No, I like to think of myself as a lead by example guy. I’m not a big talker obviously as a long snapper. I’m not the most physical guy on the team so I prefer to just set the example by the work I do and the work I put in not by the words I say.

Q: I heard there was a lot of uncertainty in your future not knowing if you’d get a chance at the next level and not knowing if you’d have an opportunity to showcase yourself in any of the college all-star games, when Coach Niumatalolo informed you of the Reese’s Senior Bowl invitation, what was that moment like?
A: I was just tremendously excited. It’s something that I really wanted – to play in any all-star game let alone the Senior Bowl – and it was a big surprise, especially getting the news so early and being a part of this first wave of invitees to accept so it was really exciting.

Q: At the Naval Academy, it’s not like you can just drop everything and leave for a week so what’s the process for you to be able to come down here to Mobile for a week?
A: We’re already getting started on the paperwork to get me down there. Basically, I have to get my entire chain-of-command, everybody above me in rank, to sign off and give me the OK to go. We’re getting that pushed up through basically the superintendent so that’s like the president of the college that I have to get to sign off for me to go and play in the Senior Bowl.

Q: Congratulations on accepting the invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl and we look forward to having you in Mobile.
A: I look forward to being there. Thank you for the opportunity.