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Drills Report: Kickoff Return – The Alley Drill

by: David Cunningham
Assistant Coach, Minnesota State-Mankato
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Anyone who has coached special teams at any level will usually list three problem areas that can sometimes make it difficult to excel in the kicking game. One is personnel. It is a constant challenge to balance utilizing your roster to the max yet also getting the best players on your team involved in the kicking game. Another is how much time is allotted to special teams practice. If you are in high school or college, your practice time is often limited. Unless you have a head coach who really understands special teams, it is often the first part of practice to get cut when there is a time squeeze. The third would be getting a full speed look in practice, especially on kickoffs and kickoff returns.

It is very difficult to go 11-on-11 in a kickoff setting and get a true look without risking serious injuries. The first two problem areas may be out of your control. However, if you can incorporate drills to simulate a full speed kicking situation, these can help with the third potential problem area.

The Alley Drill is designed to work mainly with the front five of the KOR unit. It also has applicable skills for end/up-back players as well. In addition, the players on the coverage part of the drill are working KO cover skills. In pre-season, when you are trying to determine your core special teams players, you can just flip the lines so players get work in both areas. Once the season begins and you have a two-deep KOR unit, then you can use redshirts, scouts, etc. to be the players in your coverage line.


The “Alley” area is 10 yards deep and the full width of the field. The KOR line starts out at the numbers on the 10-yard line. The coverage line starts out on the sideline at the 20-yard line. Diagram 1 shows how the players are lined up at the start of the drill. The KOR line will be labeled as Xs, the coverage line as Os. There is a cone placed on both sidelines on the 10 yard line.

The X line is angled, facing the O line. The return is designated as a left return, so ideally, the blocker will attempt to block the cover man while staying between the cover man and the returner (which the cone represents). The coverage man can use any legal means to beat the blocker and get to the cone. He can beat him with speed, run over him or counter and come back inside of him. However, if he is forced outside the alley, then he is blocked and the turn is over. The coach starts each pair with a signal. Once the first pair has completed the drill, the coach starts the next pair. If you can have two or three coaches involved, it helps the intensity of the drill. Emphasize to the return line the importance of staying clean; that is, no clutching, grabbing, holding, or blocking in the back. When the pair is done they stay over on the far sideline.


Once everyone has gone through the drill you now repeat the drill as a right return. Diagram 2 shows the set up for the right return version of the drill. Everything is still the same. The coverage men have the 10-yard alley and the width of the field to work to the cone that represents the returner. Once you have gone through the drill this way, the return line has worked both ways, left and right. If you have time, you can flip the two groups. Now it becomes a combo drill where both groups work on return blocking and then beating blocks while maintaining some semblance of lane integrity.

The main teaching points of the drill are to (1) have both sides go full speed; (2) keep it clean; (3) emphasize to the cover players that they have to stay inside the 10-yard alley; (4) the blockers must keep between the defender and the cone; and (5) stress the competitive nature of the drill – each side of the drill can make the other side better – by working hard.

About the Author: David Cunningham recently joined the staff of Minnesota State University-Mankato as an assistant coach. He previously was on the staff at Mississippi Valley State serving as both special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach. Cunningham also coached at Nicholls State, Kentucky Wesleyan College, McPherson  College and Sun Bennett College.






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