AFM Home | Back Issues | Sept 2004 | LSU

By Derek Dooley
Assistant Head Coach
Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs Coach, LSU

It is an honor to represent Coach Nick Saban and the entire LSU football program, and to share some thoughts on our organizational structure that we feel are paramount to having consistent and productive special teams play. Almost every program claims that they are committed to special teams, but as Coach Saban constantly reminds us, “Your actions speak so loud I cannot hear what you say.” At LSU, we feel that developing an organized, systematic approach to all phases has a much greater impact on player commitment and performance than mere lip service. Set forth below are “actions” we feel tangibly demonstrate a true commitment.

1. Head Coach Involvement: I am very fortunate to work for a Head Coach who is extremely knowledgeable on all aspects of special teams and who takes an active role in its operation. Coach Saban attends every one of our meetings, which helps establish the importance to the players. We discuss personnel every day, and he helps coach the players during our special teams period. Finally, he watches all opponent film to assist in our weekly game plans, which helps him make sound game day decisions. Without the head coach actively involved, it becomes increasingly difficult to sell the importance of special teams to the players.

2. Staff Organization: We believe having one coordinator for all six teams fosters better continuity and productivity. It creates one identity for your special teams, promotes smoother meetings, helps on personnel issues and makes game day decisions easier. However, good special teams play cannot be achieved without the dedicated help of the other assistants. Each coach on our staff (except the two coordinators and two line coaches) is assigned individual positions on every team. This means all 11 players are being watched and coached during every special teams period.

3. Personnel: We believe in playing the best players on special teams, and no player, no matter how talented or valuable to the team, is exempt from being a part of this philosophy. For example, our starting running back and MVP of the National Championship Game was a starter on Kickoff and Kickoff Return, and a back-up on Punt and Punt Return. It is important to create a “culture” where great players want to play on teams. We always say if a player gets tired, rest him on offense or defense, not on special teams.

That does not mean we do not include the “role” players on teams that may not play offense or defense. In fact, we have had several “walk-ons” who have made significant contributions on special teams over the years. Furthermore, we will use teams to help develop and provide game experience to our “future stars”. For example, our kickoff team last year had five to six true freshman run down as starters all season.

4. Meeting Preparedness: I have never met a special teams coordinator who did not want more meeting time. Because time is limited, it is important to thoroughly prepare for each meeting to ensure efficient presentation of information. Limit the video to exactly what the players need to see, and if there is not a clear and obvious coaching point from the clip, do not show it. It is important to use the meetings to explain exactly what you are going to do, how you are going to do it and why it is going to work. If a clip does not achieve any of these goals, it is a waste of time to show it.

5. Practice Organization: Just as meeting time is limited, practice time is also a commodity in demand. Because of your time limitations, it is important to script exactly what you want to do every second of the period. An overlooked aspect of practice organization is developing a competitive scout team and coaching them on the script and their assignment prior to practice. We should never waste a rep or a second waiting on the scout team to get it right.

6. Include the Specialists: The specialists are the most under coached players in college football. Coaches expect them to make every kick just because “all they do is kick all day.” This could not be further from the truth. Specialists need as much structure and coaching as every other position. Our specialists follow daily scripts, watch film and make daily notes on their technique and film study.

7. Control the Player’s Thinking: We believe the psychological approach to special teams is just as important as the schemes that are used. Unlike offense and defense, you only have one chance on a special teams play, and the results could be devastating to your team or the opponent. We try to have the players visualize all week what is going to happen, and by the time they step on the field, they believe they are going to make something happen. It is equally important to create focus and energy immediately before the big play.

8. Make Sound but Aggressive Game Day Decisions: We believe in constantly putting pressure on our opponents by keeping them off balance without sacrificing sound football principles. It is important to use fakes/tricks only when the other teams present you with the opportunity. It is also important to be ready to make adjustments for things you have never seen. This cannot be done without help in the press box and without anticipating potential problems every day of the week.

9. Reward Positive Performance: Every player has an ego and wants to receive recognition for good performance. It is especially important to recognize them in front of their peers. We have a Goal Board we review each week to evaluate our overall special teams performance. In addition, we keep a Special Teams Production Chart to document who is individually performing the best on a consistent basis. In fact, when the players come to our meeting on Monday, the Production Board is the first thing they look at (and argue about)! Finally, we name special teams players of the week and have their picture displayed in the locker room.

10. Quality Control: It is always important to evaluate what you are doing and how you are performing each week. We grade every special teams play, and I submit a weekly report to Coach Saban evaluating what we did well, what we did poorly, critical mistakes, personnel problems, mistakes not prepared for, etc. To stay ahead of the opponent, it is imperative that your personnel and schematic strengths and weaknesses are thoroughly evaluated each week.

11. Professional Development: Football is a game that changes each year and if you do not put the effort to study the game, the game will pass you by. Each year, it is important to evaluate what you did well and poorly, and research how you can improve. If you think you have all the answers, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

Commitment to special teams takes more than lip service. Although it is nearly impossible to avoid the periodic “bad play”, we feel that a proper organizational structure will result in sound and consistent special teams play during the course of a season.

About the author
Derek Dooley

Derek Dooley enters his fifth season with the LSU Tigers this fall. In addition to being Special Teams
Coordinator and Running Backs Coach, Dooley was promoted to Assistant Head Coach following the Tigers’ 2003 championship season. Dooley played Tight End at Virginia, graduating in 1990 and earned his law degree from the University of Georgia in 1994. You can reach him at ddooley@lsu.edu