“Special Forces Elite 11” Creates Powerful Special Teams Identity
WE’VE ALL HEARD the theory that the difference in close games usually comes down to special teams play. Our program believes that execution, communic…
Topic
Special Teams
61 articles
“Ugly Punt” Works Beautifully
THE UGLY PUNT was borne from necessity for our team. In one of my first seasons as a head coach, we had no one on the team who could punt the ball mo…
Versatile, Easy-To-Teach “Jesse James” Punt Return Scheme “Steals” Return Yarda
LIKE MOST SPECIAL TEAMS coaches, I often find myself fighting for more practice time — usually with mixed results. Because of this challenge, we need…
“Twist” and “Sell-The-Farm” Punt-Block Defenses Can Change Course Of The Game
MANY COACHES AGREE that the punt is the most important and most dangerous play in football. A long punt return or a blocked punt can completely chang…
Kickoff, Punt And PAT Drills Fine-Tune Your Kicking Game
OUR TEAM HAS had solid special teams in all areas of the kicking game. One of the biggest reasons for this success has been our drill work and practi…
Middle Kickoff Return Offers Direct Path To Paydirt
OUR TEAM HAS had a lot of success using a middle kickoff return and has scored 8 times in the last 7 years using it. There are several reasons why we…
Evaluation, Grading Techniques Build Great Special Teams
OUR PROGRAM HAS always been very solid on special teams. One of the biggest reasons that we’ve had special teams’ success has been the approach and a…
Qualities Of The Great Special-Teams Player
The following lists the qualities of a great special team’s player. Make a photocopy of this list and give it to every player who plays on any of you…
Great Punt Coverage Begins With The “Pride” Team
IT’S IMPORTANT TO get your players to buy into your punt-team philosophy. You need to instill a mindset that emphasizes how hugely important the punt…
Focus On A Body Part: Critical Key For Punt, Kickoff Coverage
WHILE WORKING ON punt and kickoff coverage, many special teams coordinators become frustrated with players about maintaining their lanes. How many ti…
7 Ways To Be Perfect On Punt Returns
OUR TEAM CALLS PUNT returns “game breakers” because the momentum of the game can swing in an instant during a punt return. Check out seven ideas that…
The Punt: Winning The Most Important Play Of The Game
THERE’S NO BIGGER PLAY in a football game than the punt. If you can’t punt, you can’t win — it’s that simple. We’ve had the most success in the punti…
Special Team’s Drills To Work Several Tasks At Once
MAKING TIME FOR your special teams during practice is critical to success. Since practice time is precious and limited, all of our special-team drill…
Fake Punt Runs Or Passes Your Way To A First Down
FOR A FAKE PUNT to be successful, whether run or pass, you must line up close to your normal punt formation. This spread-punt formation has the ends…
Improve Speed, Accuracy With Proper Long-Snapping Techniques
A LONG SNAPPER’S ability to snap the ball back to the holder and punter is his No. 1 priority. The snap must be done with speed, accuracy and good te…
Snuff Out Big Kickoff Returns With These Coverage Schemes
OUR TEAM’S PHILOSOPHY is that the kicking game is going to win at least two games a year and should never contribute to a loss. This philosophy has l…
Blocking Extra Points, Field Goals Keeps Critical Points Off The Board
ONE POINT CAN make all the difference in the world during the course of a football game. A failed extra point can also affect a team’s strategy for t…
Proficient Punting Can Turn A Game Around
FIELD POSITION WINS and loses football games. If you consistently allow your opponent to start their drives with better field position than your team…