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“He’s been a coach for 50-plus years,’’ said Spaziani of his pops who once played for football’s original pop in Joe Paterno at Penn State. “Pretty much everything about football has gone through him, my inspiration. Of course, my mom gave me support, but I’ve pretty much been around football my whole life.”

Argos defensive line coach Kerry Locklin played for Frank Spaziani at New Mexico State.

Frank Spaziani also played baseball and was drafted by the Cleveland Indians straight out of high school.

Instead of forging a career on the diamond, the Spaziani patriarch played linebacker at Penn State in the mid-’60s.

At the time, Paterno provided a quote for the ages when discussing Spaziani.

“Don’t get the idea that I like him because he’s Italian. I like him because I’m Italian.”

The Argos liked Joe Spaziani from the time they started to scout him.

At Virginia, he played quarterback for three years.

And during his junior season, he was thrust into the role of long-snapper in a game against Wake Forest.

“When I was younger, I’d mess around with long-snapping with my dad,’’ said Spaziani. “It’s like playing quarterback, but it’s through your legs. I kind of had a knack for it and just kept working at it. I started to watch film of guys and been grinding it every since.”

Long-snapping is far from easy, a nuanced skill every team must have, despite its lack of glamor and attention.

“I’m prepared,’’ said Spaziani of his pro debut. “I feel like I’ve been preparing to be a starter for three years going back to college, keeping my routine simple, keeping the fundamentals as the focus and working to be consistent.