There are no official statistical categories for offensive linemen.
Linemen won’t set a game record for most receptions or most rushing yards.
They won’t block punts, grab interceptions or return a kickoff for a touchdown.
What left tackle Adam Snyder will do is keep the other team away from his teammates.
“I like the aggressiveness and the intensity that comes with (playing football),” Snyder said. “Every time you step on the field, it’s like a legal street fight. You’re out there just going blow for blow every down. It just really drives me, it feels great to be out there.”
Snyder is being rewarded for his hard work.
After Oregon’s 31-27 win against Michigan on Sept. 20, the California native was given the Pacific-10 Conference Offensive Player of the Week award. He is the first offensive lineman in the conference to earn the award since UCLA’s Jonathan Ogden did so in 1995 and Oregon’s first since Gary Zimmerman in 1983, a year after Snyder was born.
“That (award is) huge because linemen don’t get that often,” offensive tackle Mike DeLaGrange said. “He just livens everybody up with his work ethic. He’s real playful most of the time but serious when he needs to be — real focused. He’s an awesome guy.”
The 21-year-old redshirt junior has played football since elementary school, but only on two teams before Oregon. Snyder played for a junior team in California during fifth grade but didn’t play again until his time at La Serna High School in Whittier, Calif.
“My dad played when he was in high school, and I loved watching football,” Snyder said. “When I got to high school I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”
Snyder was ranked as one of the top 80 prospects in California by SuperPrep Magazine during his senior season. He was a team captain that year and a starter during his junior and senior seasons.

“We were 6-6 my senior year,” Snyder said. “We ran for like 300 yards a game my junior year. It was good fun.”
Now, Snyder’s fun is about getting along with his teammates — particularly the offensive line — and enjoying playing in each game as a Duck.
“He brings kind of this young feeling,” center Dan Weaver said. “Everything just kind of rolls off him. Nothing sticks to him. He’s just very easy going.”
There is one thing that sticks to Snyder. Six things actually; six tattoos on his arms.
“I drew one of them myself,” he said. “I have my dad’s initials on the front of my arm. (I have) my last name. I have the cross for Christ. Just stuff I liked.”
When he speaks, a speck of silver also appears — a silver bar that goes through his tongue.
“He’s very free-going, just a happy-go-lucky guy,” Weaver said.
Snyder knows when to focus, though, and that’s when he’s on the field. While some guys are pumped up before the game, Snyder said he’s pretty relaxed in comparison.
“When I’m in the locker room, I just get dressed, and I wait until I’m outside to use all my intensity,” Snyder said. “I listen to music every once in a while, kind of get away from everybody else and just think about what I’ve got to do.”
His passion for the game and intensity on the field earned him a start against Southern California in 2001 during his freshman season. He played in 11 games during Oregon’s 11-1 season.
As a sophomore, he started 10 games and was the Ducks’ top lineman against Washington.
This season, Snyder is the only Ducks player to earn a Pac-10 weekly award, and he was also named Oregon’s offensive player of the week for the same game.
He started the first two games of the season at right guard, then shifted to left tackle against Arizona.
Combining their efforts, Snyder and the his fellow offensive linemen have helped the Oregon offense to 857 rushing yards and 1,742 passing yards this season.
“We’ve got things we need to work on,” Snyder said. “At the same time, we’ve got things we’re doing well.”
After Snyder works hard on the field with his teammates, the fun begins the moment practice is over.
“We call him Sean Connery,” defensive end Devan Long said on Tuesday as he passed by Snyder.
“No they don’t,” Snyder said.
“Seriously,” Long said. “We do call him Sean Connery. Write that down.”
After Long walked away, Snyder laughed.
“Yeah, once in a while (I’m a jokester),” he said. “But when it’s time to get down to business, I get down to business.”
Eventually, that business will be work. Another reason Snyder loves football is that it prepares the players for the future.
“I like the discipline,” Snyder said. “It’s hard. It’s going to help later in life. If you don’t go on to play in the NFL, it’s definitely going to help. You always have somewhere to be, you always have something to do.”
The pre-journalism major — officially he wants to major in public relations — doesn’t have specific career plans yet, but he has an idea of where he wants to be.
“I want to stick with athletics somehow,” Snyder said. “I’m thinking maybe athletic director somewhere.”
That will come when football finishes its fun with Snyder. After December, his senior season awaits, with doors possibly opening from there.