In the current college football scene, there are many things to complain about. You can point fingers at bad officiating and confusing blitz packages, or even the transfer portal and NIL deals, if you’re feeling a little crazy. But whether it sounds funny or serious, we now know that clapping really gets under former NFL coach Jon Gruden’s skin.
The Super Bowl-winning coach recently shared his thoughts in a viral video, tearing into the modern trend of quarterbacks using claps as a snap count. And in classic Gruden fashion, his message was both funny and packed with old-school football firepower.
Jon Gruden Goes Off on College QBs for Clapping Snap Counts
In recent times, most quarterbacks use a clap to signal the snap instead of calling out the stereotypical “Blue 80, set hut!” This is common in shotgun formations and loud stadiums because a clap is easier for the center to hear than a voice. It’s a quick, clear, and silent method that helps prevent false starts when the crowd noise is high.
However, critics like Gruden visibly hate this system. He believes clapping takes away a key part of being a real quarterback. In the NFL, quarterbacks need to lead with their voice. They need to analyze defenses, call protection, and manage play timing, but clapping skips all of that.
Some NFL QBs have even been penalized for false starts when they tried to clap like they did in college. If college quarterbacks lean too heavily on clapping, they might have a tough time adjusting when they move to the NFL.
So, Gruden’s frustration makes sense. He shared his thoughts with a hilarious rant on X.
Three big words this football season:
NO. MORE. CLAPPING. pic.twitter.com/oCc60Hc262
— Jon Gruden (@BarstoolGruden) June 18, 2025
He starts, “I can’t take this clapping anymore. Clapping is for Broadway musicals. It’s for tennis. It’s for golf. It’s not for a snap count. I don’t want to see one more clap on a football field. It’s ridiculous. That’s what cavemen did before electricity when they were hungry.”
As he continues to get worked up, as he often does in his rant videos, he continues, “If your quarterback is clapping, boycott the game or boo the offensive coordinator. I even had these t-shirts made. No more. The quarterback has to communicate. Get your hands under the center, or you’re in the gun.”
“Hey, bang, yell! No, no, no, no, no. Let’s go Mike 52. Mike 52. Set up. 85. Back, back, bang, yell! Bang, yell! Blue 85, set up! You can’t just stand back here,” he added, imitating pre-snap calls and motions.
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This really reflects a broader concern. Those who only follow college football might not feel it, but many veteran coaches and NFL scouts believe college football is failing to prepare quarterbacks for the next level.
Logically, clapping is one of those reasons because it’s just a shortcut method, which is not allowed in the pro league. Per Sportsrush, Gruden recently explained, “Parts of the game are dissolving, and the snap count has almost totally dissolved.”
He pointed out that Jaxson Dart, the Giants’ new quarterback, used claps, too. And so did Riley Leonard, Will Howard, and Quinn Ewers. In fact, nearly every QB Gruden interviewed in preparation for the 2025 NFL Draft had the same habit.
His campaign for “NO. MORE. CLAPPING” could spark a significant debate. It will be interesting to see how this campaign affects the future of football, as this new era of quarterbacks will take the field as rookies in September.
