Breaking down special teams tape can be a pain. Luckily, Buffalo Bills assistant Bobby April, the NFL’s special teams coach of the year, is here to help. The Bills scored three special teams touchdowns in 2008-09, including a fake field goal that April says is the most memorable of his career, to help him earn the award for the second time in four seasons. Coach April visited with Gridiron Strategies’ David Purdum about pinpointing opponents’ special teams weaknesses, the NFL’s new kick off rules and the fake field goal.
Q: What should coaches focus on when looking at game film on an opponent’s punt return unit?
A: When you’re looking for a weakness, it primarily starts with the team’s punt returner. What weaknesses does he have that are going to hinder his ability to return the ball against you? The classic example is if a guy has a tough time catching it on the run, you want to make him move because you not only have a chance to eliminate the return, but you also have a chance for a turnover.
Q: How about when scouting a team’s punt coverage unit?
A: Primarily, you’re going to look at the center and the get-off time. If that snapper is not very good, you want to take advantage of that by rushing. Now, in our league, we don’t see that very much. But I got to believe in a 10-game high school schedule, you’re going to find at least one kid that’s going to struggle. I would start right there [with the snapper]; Time him, and really see what you could do to apply pressure to that punter.
Q: How about kickoff coverage?
A: The first thing I would do is chart where the balls are going, because you have to build a formation. If you have a pretty good idea where the balls are going to be kicked, you can get a jump on building that formation.
Study the kicker’s approach to the ball. See what angle he takes to kick it to the left and the right. Also, locate their best coverage player. Identify him with a tackle/hit chart, when you watch the film. You want to do whatever it takes to deny their best people on the coverage unit. In most cases, you need to double their best guy. Everyone could be blocking, but if they have one really great player, he’s going to make almost every tackle.
Q: And finally kickoff return?
A: Obviously, if they have a really explosive guy, you don’t want to let him get his hands on the ball.
Do whatever it takes to make him move and try to eliminate him. Also, study the blocking patterns. Get a feel for what their blocking pattern is. And, again, take away what they’re best at.
Q: The NFL changed a rule this season and will allow only two-man wedges on kick-off returns. How will this impact your strategy?
A: Whenever you try to lessen the amount of contact in the game, you’re going to have to make some compromises. The essence of the game is contact. Forever, the essence of the kickoff return has been the wedge. Most people have used a wedge as a point of attack. Well, if you take that guy out of there, you have to deploy him somewhere else. I think everyone is going to continue their same returns, their same beliefs. But they’ll have to deploy one or two guys differently. When you do that, obviously, there are some structural changes to the scheme. I think returns will be fine. It will just take a little bit for everyone to adapt and become efficient in those changes.
Q: What’s the most memorable fake kick or punt of your career?
A: Last season, the one we did against Seattle really gave us a lot of momentum. We left the guy out wide and threw out there with the punter (Bills’ Brian Moorman threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to defensive end Ryan Denney on a fake in Buffalo’s season opening 34-10 win over Seattle). It was so well done by Ryan Denney in terms of how he came on, checked in with the official then came off. Then, Brian Moorman’s ability to communicate with the snapper to snap the ball early and raise up and throw a very good ball. It was really well done.