Special Meyer and the rest of the Utah staff, we would like to thank the AFCA for giving us this opportunity to speak about our philoso-
Teams Wins phies and ideas on our special teams at
Utah. This past season, we finished No. 1
Games in the country in kickoff return average with
28.2 yards per return, and 27th in punt average, with a 2.2 yard return average. Our kickoff team held our opponents to 16.2 yards per return average. Each member of our staff has a role on special teams, that lets the players know that special teams are important and each position is coached with great detail. Coach Meyer and our staff have the philos- ophy that all phases of the kicking game are the third component of how we win at Utah. I will go through our philosophy of a great bearing on the outcome of the special teams, our goals and then I will give game, but will reflect across the country you more details to our punt, kickoff return what Utah Football is all about. There is and kickoff coverage teams. only an absolute to being a member, fly Every time our special teams take the around and hit the opponent. field, they have an opportunity to positively influence the outcome of the game. As a 3. Score Points/Set up a Score staff, we have researched and developed We believe our special teams philoso- our special teams phases with the philoso- phy and approach will greatly increase our phy to remain as non-complex as possible, chances of scoring points for our team or but have enough diversity to handle all sit- place our offense in the most advanta- uations. geous position to score. Each phase of the Utah Special Our special teams can score points in Teams has three simplistic goals: the following ways: 1. Win the battle of field position. A. Field goal. 2. Out hit the opponent. B. Extra point. 3. Score points or set up a score. C. Punt return for a touchdown. D. Kick off return for a touchdown. 1. Win The Battle of Field Position E. Punt block for a touchdown. During the course of a game every time F. Field goal block for a touchdown. there is a kicking situation, there is the G. PAT block for two points. opportunity to gain or lose 40-plus yards in H. Cause a fumble on a kickoff return or field position. Statistically, it is critical to a punt return and advance it for a touch- understand that the ability to score points is down. directly related to the point where the drive will begin. Utah Special Team The chart (Diagram 1) will demonstrate Game by Game Goals the significance of field position during the 1. Win. course of a game. The offense’s probabili- 2. Better average field position after a ty to score a touchdown increases 11 times kickoff than opponent. when the drive begins on the plus-side of 3. Better net punt average than opponent. the 50-yard line. 4. Better punt return average than opponent. 2. Out Hit the Opponent 5. Score or set up a score. To be a member of the Utah special 6. Give the offense the ball at least one teams is a privilege. Each member must time on the plus-side of the 50. take great pride in this privilege and work 7. Never give the opponent the ball on hard to keep it. Every player on a special our side of the 50. team unit is as important as any position on 8. Perfect execution (holds, snaps, ball offense or defense. We will play only the security). best. Our special teams will not only have 9. Have at least one game breaker. A. Score. Snapper - velocity and accuracy in snap. Diagram 4 B. Block a punt. Personal Protector - quarterback of the C. Block a kick. unit; toughness and speed. D. Recover onside kick. Punter - get away, hang time, distance E. Cause a turnover. and accuracy. F. Recover a turnover. G. Down a punt inside the 10-yard line. Punt Team Alignments H. 60-yard change of field position. Diagram 2 Position Responsibility 10. No penalties. Gunners Ball Slots #1 Punt Protection and Coverage Tackles #2 I. Philosophy Guards #3 Unquestionably, this phase of the kicking Center Left #4 game is the most volatile for us. For that PP Right #4 reason, this team will consist of 11 soldiers, • All vertical set straight back and as that will strain every opportunity we have. Center - Aligns first by setting his feet at long as possible. Gain depth before you The complexion of many games has turned his selected width before he touches the domino out. Hold apex. Speed and depth due to a blocked punt or a long return. For ball. is key. these reasons, this area of the kicking game Guards - Take a six-inch split from the demands more practice time and maximum center (left guard, one-inch split). Punt Coverage concentration by every soldier. Tackles - Take a six-inch split from the Diagram 5 guard. II. Physical and Mental Requirements Slots - Align with the outside of your A. Athletes with a strong sense of inside foot on the outside of the tackles out- responsibility, people we can count on to do side foot. their job. Gunners - maximum split (middle of B. Athletes with intelligence, people that field- bottom of numbers, on hash, field know what to do and how to do it. gunner on the hash, boundary gunner C. Hitters. between numbers and boundary). Personal Protector - five yards behind III. Punt Team Goals right guard. A. No blocked punts. Punter - thirteen yards deep. B. No punts returned for touchdowns. Punt coverage is based upon a lane rel- C. Net punting average of 36.5 yards. Vertical Sets ative to your leverage on the returner. Your D. Average punt return of 8.0 yards or less. lane is a direct course to your leverage Diagram 3 spot. This spot is defined when you get to IV. General Information a point 15-yards from the returner. At that A. Timing - We must adhere to perform point, you close to your leverage responsi- our snap-to-punt process within the follow- bility. ing standards. 1. Snap..................... .08 seconds Coverage Progression Punter....................1.3 seconds 1. Protect. Total time of kick....2.1 seconds 2. Shed. 2. If our time-to-kick sequences takes 3. Sprint to your lane spot. longer than 2.1 seconds, we risk the possi- 4. Press up to the returner and come to bility of a blocked punt or premature balance with proper leverage. release by our coverage team. 5. Keep the returner inside and in front These are the job descriptions we look of you. for at each position. They are tight end, Technique: Kick with back foot gaining 6. Tackle and strip. runningbacks, linebackers, safeties and ground back, while driving thumbs to your corners. chest. Drag up-foot back. Be prepared to Coverage Assignments Gunners - big play makers; force two kick three times before you domino out. Gunners - No lane; inside No. 1 lever- blockers to control you. Zone: Man assignments, with deeper sets. age; keep it in front; make it go lateral. Slots - contain men; excellent speed Man: Man assignments, with shorter sets. Attack opposite shoulder of returner. and blocking skills in space. Depth of set is critical. Pooch coverage, defend the goalline to the Tackles - strong blockers with speed. returner. Guards - bigger, tougher, stronger Black Protection Slots - 15-yard lane spot, contain lever- blockers. Man protection with zone drops. age, close to seven yards outside at ball level. Fold after ball is certain through and Tackles: Aggressiveness as the clean- will all use a left shoulder block technique. away. up man on double team blocks. Ability to They must keep there shoulders square Tackles - 10-yard spot, force leverage, block in space and speed to cut-off cover- and be in a football position. Block the keep returner inside and in front. age on returns away. coverage man with their left shoulder and Guards - Five-yard spot, heavy lever- Tight Ends: Explosive hitter to set the loose their man away from the side of the age, keep returner inside and in front. corner on returns to his side with “Ambush” return. Our fullbacks will lead the return up Center - Ball leverage, go after the block. Very good speed for cut-off block on the right side and will double team kickout returner. returns away. Must possess good receiv- No. 9. The off returner will block No. 10. Personal Protector - Ball leverage. ing skills and judgment for “Sky” kicks. The rules just flip for us to run our left Fullbacks: Aggressive players with size return. Lane Adjustments and strength. Contact players. Ability to One of the keys to using this type of If you beat the man inside of you on your work well with a partner. Good hands to return is knowing the depth and direction of release, exchange lanes and take his lane. field short kicks. each kick and how it will effect the cover- The man coming out late will replace out- Returners: Great speed, extraordinary age lane of the defender you are trying to side. Example - If the guard gets held up, vision and exceptional acceleration. block. By having a simple scheme that the tackle will replace him at five yards from Competitor with flair. Must also have the does not change, we are able to spend the returner. ability and desire to block one-on-one. time on the little details that are involved in Ability to catch the football and hold on to it. the return. Our practice time incorporates Kick-Off Return Courage. individual technique work for this team. By At the University of Utah this year, we We spend a great deal of time finding having several coaches involved, we are were able to lead the nation in kickoff return players that fit these job descriptions and able to have players that understand and average without returning one for a touch- have the desire to get the job done. This trust their assignment and technique. In down. This was a result of having a con- year, we did not have one offensive or our program under the instruction of Coach sistent scheme that we believe in and a defensive starter on our return team. This Meyer, we place as much emphasis on consistent performance by our players. We also allows members of the team to work each phase of special teams as we do on have six different staff members that coach on their technique. offense and defense. This can be seen in different positions on the return team. This We use two returns, a right (Diagram 6) the pride that our coaches and players individual coaching allows us to pay great have in the kickoff return team as well as Diagram 6 attention to detail. every other phase of special teams. There are four objectives that we preach to our team: Kick Off Coverage 1. Force the opponent to not kick deep. At the University of Utah, we are primar- Become the most feared return unit in the ily a deep-left kickoff team. country. We hang our hats on being discipline 2. Secure the ball for the offense. with our landmarks, and have all 11 players 3. Average starting field position past do their jobs with fanatical effort. In 2003, the 30-yard line. we were ranked second in the Mountain 4. Cross the 50 with a return one time West Conference with 34 attempts against per game. us yielding 550 yards at 16.2 per attempt It is important for every member of the and zero touchdowns. Our great effort and team to understand and believe in these discipline on kickoff coverage played a objectives. large role in this year’s conference champi- Another important aspect of the kickoff onship run. return team is making sure that you are not asking your players to do something that Mechanics they are not capable of doing. You must Stance: Turned at 90 degrees with match your personnel to the job description hands on knees. of the position. The following is the job Takeoff: Anticipate kicker ’s rhythm and descriptions we have for our personnel: hit the line full speed. Center: Most demanding and critical Vision: Cover with speed, maintaining position on return team. Must possess and a left return. The rules are the same good vision and anticipate where ball is great change of direction skills, speed and only flipped with each return. In our right being returned. Read return, it is a play good size to handle single block on No. 5 or return, we want our right guard and right (Diagram 7). No. 6. Must be a great competitor. tackle to set the return by double teaming Coverage: Anticipate where the ball is Guards: The ability to get depth in drop No. 8 of the coverage team (we count 1-10 going (speed zone). and agility to block in the open field. He is left to right). Our right tight end will then Converge: After covering through your the post man on double teams with return block in No. 7. Our center, left guard, left lane and up the field, start converging on to your side. Needs speed to cut off cover- tackle and left tight end will block numbers ball by attacking through the blocker’s age on returns away. six, four, three and five respectively. They shoulder (hard hat) in the appropriate direc- C. Sky right Diagram 7 Diagram 9 D. Squib right E. Surprise onside F. Onside check
3. On Field: The kickoff team will line
up in a bunch alignment on the field six- yards behind the ball. 6 5 4 3 2 17 LM M K RM 4. Alignments: After the referees com- mand the kicker will give the command “set.” Sprint to your alignments. 5. Stance: Turned at ball, hands resting on knees. the returner, keep leverage on returner. 6. Take off: The kicker will have his arm Right Missile (RM): Outside number of raised awaiting everyone to get aligned. the returner, keep leverage on returner. The kicker will say “Ready” as his hand No. 1 - Contain player; landmark L2; tion of the return man. Attack the ball car- comes down. bottom of the numbers, inside shoulder rier by using inside shoulder force. 7. The game is now in control of the force, never let ball outside (21 Rule). Contain: The assigned people must be kicker. He will approach the ball when he No. 2 - Force player; landmark L3; two disciplined to maintain their course and be is ready. We must move with the kicker yards on top of the numbers, inside shoul- sure nothing gets outside them. and time it up to be sure we are not offsides der free. Safeties: Sprint up field through lane (sprint). No. 3 - Force player; landmark L4; split and come to balance at 40-yard line. You difference between numbers and hash. must make the stop. Deep Left - Rules, Landmarks Inside shoulder force. Missiles: Be first down field with oppor- and Coaching Points No. 4 - Force player; landmark L5; hash, tunity to make the first hit. Low and hard. inside shoulder force. Diagram 8 Work around wedge. No. 5 - Field player; landmark L6; near upright, inside shoulder force. Coverage No. 6 - Field Contain; landmark R6; far 1. Huddle on our sideline at the 50-yard upright; (21 Rule) never let ball outside of line. Get call from Coach Meyer. you. 6 5 4 3 2 17 No. 7- Field safety; 40-plus; goal post; Do LM M K RM not let ball outside of you. Never cross the 2. Missile will set the huddle and make 40-plus. Keep the ball on inside numbers. all huddle calls: Kicker: Boundary safety; 40-plus; num- Huddle Calls: Missile (M): Nose up returner, fly direct- bers; do not let ball outside of you. Never A. Deep left (game plan) ly to the ball. cross the 40-plus. Keep ball on inside B. Squib left Left Missile (LM): Outside number of number.
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