PART 1. A two Tiered Circuit Drill Program that Fine Tunes the Development of Critical Punt Pressure Skills
The Red Hawks football program considers special teams to be “The Core” of the football operation. We firmly believe our offense and defense cannot be successful if “The Core“ isn’t at its strongest. Our head coach stresses a philosophy that places a high degree of emphasis on our special teams. A continuous effort by the coaching staff on special teams and reminding our players of this philosophy has led them into buying into what we are doing. As a result this dedication to special teams has translated to success on the field.
One of the special teams units that have been exceptionally strong has been our punt pressure unit. Based on our success with this particular unit, it isn’t acceptable to simply think of the “Punt Pressure” team as a unit solely to gain and protect possession of the football.
This unit can change a game in a number of powerful ways, including:
• By having the potential to score every time they take the field via a punt block or punt return.
• By playing a critical role in the field-position battle.
• By stopping the momentum of the opponent and re-gaining that momentum.
Our “Shark’s” punt pressure team from 2003 to the present has been a top unit as borne out by national and league statistics and rankings. The Red Hawks’ have four touchdowns from punt returns; produced 29 blocked kicks, and scored a total of 30 points from those efforts. The Red Hawks have ranked number one punt returns for six out of the last eight years in the very strong New Jersey Athletic Conference. In 2010 and 2011, the punt return units ranked in the top 10 nationally among Division III teams, with the nation’s second-best punt returner.
As Special Team Coordinator, I believe that the Two Tiered, part to the whole teaching method is critical. This approach allows our players the necessary techniques to be successful and to find out who can help us on the “punt pressure” unit requires various type of skill players (swatters, punt blockers, scoop and scorers, punt returner as well as the trail and fit personnel). Punt return and punt blocks techniques are introduced and drilled to players in simple circuits. This provides our coaches ample time to explain the drill, teach the proper technique for success and allow the opportunity for the players to perform numerous repetitions.
Our head coach provides the support that we need to maintain our excellent special teams’ play. We utilize 25 minutes of the 45 minutes allocated to special teams for these circuits. This provides our coaches ample time to review and re-teach the technique for success and allow the opportunity for the players to perform numerous repetitions. During the first tier players are in small groups and all are performing the same technique for the duration of the time period. This saves time rotation for the groups and allows the special team coordinator to evaluate all the players skill level. We keep our one station on tasks in our introduction circuit. Keep in mind that all techniques are taught in a meeting the night before the skill will be drilled. We keep it simple not to overload our players with too much information.
Each station of the introductory Tier One is run for five minutes, each on two early fall camp days. When entering our spring practice or fall camp, we utilize our 6 station punt pressure circuit.
The 6 Stations are:
• Get-off and Bend
• Maintain Low Pad Level
• Run the Hoop/ Block Technique
• Drive/ Come to Balance (Inside & Outside Force)
• Trail & Retrace
• Punt Returners
The first 5 stations have the players change the technique but stay with their group. Station #6 has the punt returners staying in the station for the duration of the 25 minute period.
Tier One
Drill 1: Get Off and Bend
Drill # 1 – In Tier 1 the first station is Get off and Bend. The objective of Get Off and Bend is to teach the punt pressure personnel the concept that getting off, staying low, and bending properly which enhances the opportunities for blocking kicks.
Utilizing a lineman’s chute and placing the cones as shown in the diagram, aligns the rushers on the line of scrimmage slightly under the chute. After the center’s simulated snap, each rusher performs a get off, exploding under the chute, bending with a plant on the outside foot at the first cone, dipping the inside shoulder, pointing the inside foot toward the block point, and ripping with the inside arm. As the rusher runs past the last cone, his arms and hands should extend properly to block the kick.
The coaching points are:
• Perform the drill to the right or to the left.
• A coach or player could hold a soft ball to simulate the ball on the kicker’s foot.
• Timing the drill helps with identifying a potential punt block specialist.
Drill # 2 – In Tier 1 the second station is maintain low pad level. The objective for this technique is to enhance staying low and keeping the shoulder pads under the blocker when rushing the punter.
Drill 2: Low Pad Level
The center simulates a snap and a rusher explodes off the line of scrimmage. Another player stands two yards away holding a shield. As the rusher approaches the blocker (shield holder) he lightly pushes the shield down on the rusher. The rusher must keep his shoulder pads under the shield, plant his outside foot, dip and rip, and explode to the block point.
The coaching points are:
• A player can be on a knee at the block point with a soft ball being presented so that the rusher uses proper hand placement to block the ball down.
• Two rushers from each side do the drill simultaneously with the one side being a scoop-and score player. After the soft ball is batted down, the scoop-and-score player recovers the ball and sprints upfield.
Drill 3: Run the Hoop
Drill # 3 – In Tier 1 the third station is Run the Hoop. The objective is to teach punt pressure players the proper approach to block a kick based on the punter’s foot and takeoff alignment.
Place five hoops as shown in the diagram and space them out according to the alignment of the punt unit. One the snap of the ball, one rusher takes off toward the punter using the proper rush techniques (i.e., get off, bend) that have been developed in previous drills. This drill is a rapid-fire drill that goes down the line. If the punter is right-footed, the outside rushers on both sides and the inside rusher away from the punter’s kicking leg cross over the punter’s leg. The inside rusher to the kicker’s foot must get to the block point turned sideways (i.e., parallel to the kicker’s leg) to avoid the kicking leg.
The coaching points are:
• Make sure players use the proper block techniques with the hands and body, and correct as needed.
• This drill can be timed for selection of personnel.
Drill 4: Drive and Come to Balance
Drill # 4 – In Tier 1 the fourth station is Drive and Come to Balance. Drive and Come to Balance’s objective is to improve the ability of the punt pressure player to maintain his block on the punt defender as long as possible during the punt return phase.
Have the defender either fit to a blocker or have the defender get off the line of scrimmage on the snap of the ball and meet the blocker. The blocker will execute a kick-slide (zone protection) or protection technique. The defender will use his hands and execute a butt-and-press technique (shock and lock) on the blocker, running his feet and driving the blocker back. The more the blocker gets driven back, the wider the feet go to create a sound base (cha-cha feet). When the blocker escapes, the defender drops his hands immediately, comes to balance, turns, and looks for the returner and the ball position, which establishes the trail and fit path for the defender. The defender runs with the blocker for 10 yards in an off-trail technique, not contacting the blocker and eyeing the position of the returner to maintain the trail path.
The coach point is:
• The defender must keep his hips and shoulders square to the blocker until the blocker tries to escape. At that point, the defender immediately drops his hands, turns, looks downfield, and runs.
Drill 5: Trail
Drill # 5 – In Tier 1 the fifth station is Trail . Trail teaches the proper off-trail mechanics and blocking techniques for a successful punt return.
Set up the drill as shown in the diagram with two groups executing the drill at the same time. The punt pressure personnel is aligned one to two yards behind the coverage person. On the go command, both players sprint down the field to a cone (approximately 20 yards). When the players are halfway to the cone, the coach in the center flips the ball to the returner. The defender now closes in on the ball carrier. The hips and shoulders should now be perpendicular to the defender’s shoulder pad. He should keep his feet moving to keep the defender from escaping the block.
The coaching points are:
• Don’t have blockers come in contact with the defender down the field.
• When the defender closes, the blocker needs to spring into action.
• The blocker maintains his leverage by peeking at the position of the returner and the defender for timing of the block.
Drill 6: Re-Trace
Drill # 6 – In Tier 1 the fifth station is Re-Trace. The objective of this companion drill is to teach the punt pressure player to block when the coverage player stops and comes back over the top to tackle the punt returner
This drill is set up and executed the same as drill # 5. The difference in this drill occurs when the defender attempts to close on the returner. As the defender hits his landmark to close, he stops and works over the top. The punt pressure blocker needs to either zone turn or man turn (defensive back technique) to retrace his position and block the defender as described in Drill # 5:
The coaching points are:
• The punt pressure player must keep his eyes on the defender and the returner to set the point of the block and know when to retrace
• Blockers should never overrun the defender.
Station Six is soley for the punt returners. Various drills are use to develop the skills and techniques to be an excellent punt returner.
Drill 7: Getting North and South
Drill # 7 – In Tier 1 the sixth station is Getting North and South. The objective is to develop the returner’s awareness of a defender coming toward him; to develop the returner’s ability to catch the ball under pressure and make the defender miss the tackle.
Set up this drill according to the diagram. A coach starts the drill by throwing a ball to simulate a punt. The returner catches the ball using the proper mechanics (shoulders square to the line of scrimmage, elbows tight to the body), sets his eyes upfield, and locates the defender. Once the defender is sighted, the returner runs up the field towards the defender. The returner makes the defender miss the tackle and busts upfield. The returner must stay inside the cones.
The coaching points are:
• The returner must first focus on catching the ball properly and then on setting his eyes on the defender to plan his escape move from the defender.
• As an option on this drill, the returner can work on administering a proper fair catch signal and performing a decoy fair catch.
Drill 8: Read & React
Drill # 8 – In Tier 1 the sixth station is Read and React. Read and React’s objective is to teach the returner to accelerate upfield and cut to the open hole.
Set up the drill as shown in the diagram. The returner catches the ball from a coach or another player and accelerates toward the middle barrels. As the returner approaches, a coach holding a hard shield steps into one hole. The returner reads reacts, and accelerates up to the open hole.
The coaching point:
• If the returner makes a poor read, the coach should use the shield and the returner should blast through the pad, using a stiff arm, lowered shoulder, or tight spin.
Drill 9: Noodle Catching
Drill # 9 – In Tier 1 the sixth station is Noodle Cathing. The objective of noodle catching is to improve the returner’s ability to catch a football properly with his elbows tight to his body. Place a swim noodle under a returner’s armpits and around his back. The returner uses arm pressure to squeeze the noodle as the ball is approaching in flight.
The coaching points are:
• The returner must maintain equal pressure with both arms.
• The noodle should barely protrude pass the armpits.
• A rolled up towel can be substituted for a swim noodle.
• Players can be used to run by or stop in front of the returner to maintain concentration on the ball and arm pressure.
Once the introductory circuit has taught the players the essential techniques and the coaching staff has evaluated the skill level, tier two is utlilized. These drills are more advanced and will concentrate on combining the key skills necessary for great punt pressure while schemes are being installed.
Aside from the very beginning we’ll also utilize this circuit during the season to reinforce concepts and have players building punt pressure skills instinctively so that they play fast on game day. Drill 1 and 2 are performed in a individual situation while PODS is a full team approach.The station drills are performed in rotation groups.
About the Author: Mike Cieri is in his 13th season on the staff of Montclair State University, serving as both special teams coordinator and defensive line coach. He has over 42 years of coaching experience with more than a quarter century on the collegiate level. Cieri also coached at Farleigh Dickinson University-Florham and was the head coach at Boonton High School (NJ) for three years.