RICK KELM, head coach at Wisconsin’s state-champion Ripon High School, is a big special teams proponent. The 2003 state coach-of-the-year makes his case by citing stats, key sequence times and the odds of scoring from various starting field positions.
From the first practice to the last, special teams are the first item on Kelm’s schedule. “I’ve realized that teams aren’t as successful when special teams time is at the end of practice,” he says. “Instead, we make special teams our first priority.”
With each special teams play resulting in a change of possession, or a direct attempt to score or defend a score, Kelm maintains that 40 percent of all games are decided by special teams. This is clear, he says, when teams dominate on both sides of the ball yet still lose.
Members of the kickoff, kick return and punt block teams are all regarded as Ripon starters. (No separate “punt return team” exists; a block is “on” every time.)
Among Kelm’s keys to top special teams play are:
- The best players for the position will play. Special teams aren’t for “awarding” playing time.
- A detailed special teams game plan is developed for every opponent, and all coaches are assigned responsibilities for special teams.
- Great special teams play is acknowledged.
“Opponents know we’ll try anything at any time,” Kelm says. Because onside kicks are always likely and the punt team is run from the base offense, worry is always present on the opposing sideline. If the read calls for a kick, the quarterback shifts to become the personal protector and the fullback punts. Because of the surprise factor, some opponents don’t send anyone deep, resulting in a great net field position advantage.
The survey on page 9 shows that the programs that spend 9 or more hours a week on special teams enjoy a higher winning percentage. “If one of every 5 plays on the field involves special teams,” says Kelm, “we should spend 20 percent of our time on it.”