AFM RSS Feed Follow Us on Twitter       
AMERICAN FOOTBALL MONTHLY THE #1 RESOURCE FOR FOOTBALL COACHES
ABOUT |  CONTACT |  ADVERTISE |  HELP  



   User Name    Password 
      Password Help





Article Categories


AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Special Teams Time Management

A Step-By-Step Plan to Maximizing Your Practice & Meeting Time
by: Michael A. Cieri
Special Teams Coordinator, Montclair State University
© More from this issue

Click for Printer Friendly Version          

Special teams is the aspect of the game where the “Hidden Yardage” can have a great effect of the outcome of a game. The MSU “Red Hawks” will win the hidden yardage weekly. This is accomplished through hard work, being well disciplined, knowing and executing the techniques and assignments and playing every play as a 101%er.

Solid special teams are directly related to sound and effective time management. The old adage of “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance” couldn't be any truer when it comes to special teams. However, it is more than that. At MSU, we feel that “Planning Perfect Practices Powers Peak Play”.

At Montclair State University, our Head Coach Ricky Giancola has made a big commitment to special teams. Coach Giancola approaches the kicking game the same way as O and D by providing segmented practice times to accomplish all of the phases of special teams. Special teams have 45 minutes daily and 50 minutes meeting time per week. Each of the coaching staff has a responsibility in assisting with special team’s development. In addition, the pool of players that are selected are from units 1 and 2 plus key multi special team players who are on the travel squad.

Special teams camp and in-season practice schedule has three segments built into every practice. Individual drills are for 10 minutes followed immediately by a 10-minute specialist period. These two periods occur after 15 minutes of the opening of practice. The team practice segment of 25 minutes occurs in the middle of practice. These segments and time are part of all camp practices. During the season this occurs on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

During camp each evening there is a special team meeting for 45 minutes with opening night having a special meeting with the specialists for 30 minutes prior to the main meeting. The general meeting installs one of the special teams (the goals, techniques, schemes, coaching points, practice drills and tape breakdown). The specialist meeting includes daily weight training and flexibility work, practice schedule and techniques to master.

During the season, Monday afternoon is dedicated to reviewing game film of our last game while Monday evening is dedicated to reviewing the scouting report, watching tape and discussing the game plan for our next opponent. Each of these sessions is for 30 minutes.

The individual period has players working on their techniques for each phase of the game. Each day, especially in camp, drills are utilized to improve the skills for the unit of the day. Once the basic techniques are mastered the next time that unit is to be covered we will utilize a more advanced drill sequence simulating more of a game approach. For example, the kickoff coverage unit’s first drill would be what we called “Chaos” where players are identified who can perform the requirements necessary for sound and effective kickoff coverage (See Diagram 1). Once the selection is made in the next time slot for KO coverage stations, drills are used to hone in on avoidance, block shedding, and tackling (See Diagrams 2, 3, 4, & 5). Following sessions, especially as we get into the season, we will be working in groups based on our coverage of how to read schemes and take on those blocks (See Diagrams 6A and 6B).

Diagram 1: Chaos Drill

Diagram 2: Cross-Face Tackle Drill

Diagram 3: Two-Gap Tackle Drill

Diagram 4: Weave Drill

Diagram 5: Wedge Drill

Diagram 6A: Team Drills vs. Scout

Diagram 6B: Team Drills vs. Scout

The specialist period consists of five stations. The punters are working with the long snappers and punt returners. The kickoff specialist is kicking the football to the return specialists. The placement kickers are working on extra points with the centers and holders. The front and second line of the kickoff return are fielding various types of kickoffs while the stingers and swatters are working on their punt coverage and return blocking techniques. That sounds fairly basic. However, each group has different things to perform each day. For example, the punters will work on normal and specialty kicks such as sky, coffin corner and directional punting. The returners will be working on breaking up field, setting blocks and burst. In addition, the kickoff returners will be practicing reverse handoffs.

On Tuesdays of the specialist period the stingers and swatter join with the punters and returners to work on their techniques in conjunction with a live punt. On Thursday they work with downing the football as the returners work on fair catch rules near the 10 yard line.

In addition, on Wednesdays and Thursdays at the extra point/field goal station, we line up the outside block specialists and protectors and work on fakes and blocking of the kicks. On Thursday, for 5 minutes we take the punt block specialists and work on their take-off, and bend techniques to block the punts.

The team period has each unit working on the opponent’s scheme. Tuesdays are dedicated to the punt and punt return while Wednesdays are worked on kickoff and kickoff return. On Thursdays we go through a script that involves all of the special teams units with the opponent’s schemes and our game plan.

Special teams have been very productive at Montclair State University and have provided the winning edge in many of our football games. Our meticulous planning and detailed practice schedule has allowed us to maximize our time, thus becoming a very effective winning component of “Red Hawk Football”.






NEW BOOK!

AFM Videos Streaming Memberships Now Available Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach



















HOME
MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE COLUMNISTS COACHING VIDEOS


Copyright 2024, AmericanFootballMonthly.com
All Rights Reserved