The starting center for the University of Southern California Trojans during their 1980 Rose Bowl championship season, Foote found his niche in professional football as a long snapper and special teams member.
[2] A wrestler and track and field participant in the power disciplines of shot put and discus during his high school years, it was as a football player that Foote excelled.
[2] He was named to the 50-member Parade Magazine High School All-American Team,[3] listed at the offensive tackle and nose guard positions.
"It was like so many other games this year, it was like at LSU, at Cal, at Washington — there's just that confidence we'll do it, no matter the situation," he told the Los Angeles Times.
[2] He also made a fumble recovery in a late November game against the Buffalo Bills, setting up a scoring drive as part of a 28–24 victory.
In the 1982 season he played in 12 games for the Giants as long snapper, making 5 tackles and contributing 2 assists in punt coverage.