[youtalkfunny]

I can only presume that you think the long-snapper has his head down, and is looking at the holder when he snaps the ball.

I can assure you that any center who tries that will be DOA before the ball gets to the holder. He will be utterly clobbered.

A long snapper only looks back there not to guage the distance, but to get the signal from the holder to snap the ball. Once he gets the signal, he picks his head up, and looks the nose tackle in the eye while firing a no-look snap to the holder.

Expecting him to be able to do this accurately for varying distances might be asking for a little too much. The pros make these snaps look easy, but it's a much tougher job than the kicker has--the kicker isn't being clobbered as he kicks.

Also, backing up means the defensive ends take a different angle and can rush at the holder from the front, instead of from the flanks, out of harm's way.