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


Improving Your Kickoff Coverage

by: David Hood
Quality Control Special Teams Coach Vanderbilt University
© More from this issue

Click for Printer Friendly Version          

High school rules in many states mandate automatic touchbacks for any ball kicked into the end zone. Automatic touchbacks eliminate the risk of a big return and eliminating risk is as desirable in football as it is in other areas of life. To exploit this rule, many high school coaches ask their kickers to get the ball into the end zone. With the popularity of soccer and the requirement that high schools’ kick off from the 40-yard line, finding a kicker who can reach the end zone is not too difficult. However, unless the kicker has college-level power, he will strike higher on the ball so as to drive it the necessary 60 yards. This technique reduces hang time in order to ensure adequate distance. This strategy works well until cold weather, sloppy fields, penalties, injuries, wind, or lack of a strong enough leg prevent your kicker from reaching the end zone.
College teams, who are required to kickoff from the 30-yard line with no automatic touchbacks and severe penalties for out-of-bounds kicks, rarely have an athlete strong enough to guarantee touchbacks. When the above factors come into play, it’s obvious that few coaches, high school or college, have the luxury of relying on a single, “pound it deep” kickoff strategy, and kicking line drives into the hands of a dangerous returner is a recipe for disaster. Since guaranteed touchbacks are rare, sound schemes and aggressive execution are key components of effective college coverage units.
We researched the country’s top 20 kickoff coverage teams in 2008 and 2009, searching for ideas to improve our Vanderbilt coverage units. We looked at returns, coverage unit schemes, and techniques, using the 20-yard line as a benchmark of success. The statistics were very interesting. Overall, in the 2009 season, 25 out of 119 FBS teams (21%) held their opponents under 20 yards per return. Another 20 teams (17%) held their opponents under 21 yards per return, so the large majority of teams averaged worse than the benchmark.
Better kickoff coverage does not necessarily correlate with increased wins. This was evidenced by 14-0 Alabama which was ranked 117th in the FBS in kickoff coverage and 5-7 Kent State which ranked first. The kickoff team is simply one part of the kicking game and your team’s overall performance, but it can be a decisive part when performed at a high level and a discriminator between otherwise equal teams. Field position can make a huge difference in whether or not an offense scores. Unfortunately, kickoff coverage is often overlooked and perhaps misunderstood by many high school and college coaches. With that said, let’s discuss specifics regarding improved kickoff coverage.
Most successful college teams force opponents to field kicks outside either the left or right hash. They may kick from the middle of the field, but most of the time they place the ball to the return team’s weakness or to the coverage team’s strength, either right or left. Very few college teams will intentionally kick to the middle of the field. A middle kick does not reduce the field in any way. A kick to the middle of the field by the kickoff coverage team gives the return team the distinct advantage, allowing them the entire field to execute a right, left or middle return. Directional kickoffs have two main objectives:

1. Exploit a spot or area on the field where the coach has seen a return unit personnel or scheme weakness.

2. Reduce the field available for the return team by a third and allow the coverage team to use the sideline as a 12th defender. If the coverage team is successful in controlling the wide side of the field, the returner has few options but to run straight ahead between hash mark and sideline.
The starting or tee position is largely a matter of preference. With a right-footed kicker most teams will kickoff from the middle of the field to the left hash mark and kick to the left numbers in order to play a natural draw and tap into as much of the kicker’s power as possible. The kicker will attempt to kick the ball to the top (field side) of the numbers. Another option available is to kick to the top of the numbers on the right side of the field. This type of kick is the same as in a left kickoff in the sense that you are reducing the field for the return team to execute a return; however, it is more challenging for a right-footed kicker to kick the ball right than it is to kick the ball straight or left. A right-footed kicker can often leave his hips open resulting in an out of bounds kick. Starting position can play a part in this circumstance because teeing the ball between the middle of the field and left hash gives the ball a better chance of staying in bounds if your right footed kicker opens his hips on the kick. Starting position and direction will also need to be modified according to wind speed and direction, game situations, opponent capabilities, and the abilities of your kicker.
Taking all these factors into account, our kickoff strategy at Vanderbilt is to emphasize hang time. We want as much hang time as possible, 3.9 seconds or better, with a 60-65 yard directional kickoff. We feel this type of kick forces the kickoff return team to hold front line blocks longer which delays the return. This gives our kickoff coverage more time to get downfield, read the return, avoid blocks, and be in position to tackle the returner inside the 25-yard line. Using this approach, we gained an advantage on our kick-off coverage team.
Since these kicks almost always result in returns, accurate personnel evaluation is essential to improved kickoff coverage and plays the major role in your eventual success. Along with directionally kicking the ball with good hang time and intentionally reducing the field, putting more speed in the middle of our coverage team has moved the Commodores into the top 20 coverage teams in 2009. In addition to raw speed and regardless of position in the coverage formation, all players must able to move well in open space, change directions on the run, and have good field vision. Reading return trends, defeating blocks, and proper tackling techniques are keys to successful coverage.
Most schemes employ speed-type skilled players (defensive back, wide receiver, or running back) in the 1 and 2 positions. At the 3, 4, and 5 positions, players may be a little slower, most likely linebackers or defensive-end types (See Diagram 1).


At Vanderbilt, we believe placing speed-type players in the 4 or 5 positions (either side of the kicker) increases our chances of defeating front-line blockers, leaving more remaining coverage players than the return team has back-level defenders available to block. This strategy gives us a better chance of success as well as the ability to exchange those players when game planning an opponent. In addition to selecting for speed, we also evaluate all positions for the ability to move in space, avoid blocks, and tackle well. Consistent fundamental drill work that emphasizes lane integrity, speed and the ability to avoid being blocked has improved our coverage unit. Some of the fundamental techniques that we teach are:

u All coverage players should start their forward run with the movement of the kicker and be running at full speed as the kicker strikes the ball.

u Each player must run in their correct coverage lane as they sprint down the field (See Diagrams 2 and 3).





u The players should try to keep the ball on the same side of their body as it was prior to the kick. This is often referred to as a front side or ball side charge or a butt side charge.

u Players need to avoid any blocker (when blockers are added to the drill you are running) on the side of the ball, as it is returned up the field, and then quickly get back into their coverage lane.

u Players should be coached to never run in the footsteps of a fellow player.

u Players need to shorten their stride, widen their base, come under control, and be prepared to tackle the return man.

u Check that the kicker and the safeties are in position to stop any long return, should the return man break free by moving to the side of the return.

Winning the field position battle will give your team a great advantage. It is important that your kickoff coverage teams try to keep the kick returner pinned as deep in their end of the field as possible. Players selected for this important phase of the game need to be able to run, be aggressive, have great desire, and demonstrate the ability to tackle.
Quality coverage takes the full unit; that is, a good kicker who can place the ball in a variety of locations on the field while not compromising great hang time and 10 other players running at full tilt one yard behind the kicker when the ball is kicked who can read the return, avoid blocks and tackle at full speed in open space. If you are blessed to have several players with this ability, you will have success in covering kicks. And, yes, it also takes a bit of luck.






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