Drills Report: Special Teams Organization for Competition Drills and Circuits

One of the greatest challenges for coaching special teams at all levels is how to get maximum quality reps in the most efficient manner possible during practice. Teaching multiple skills and techniques to 60+ players takes the combined effort of the entire coaching staff. I rely on all our coaches to help teach our players different aspects of the kicking game. It also takes a great deal of planning and organization so that your time on the field is efficient.

One organizational concept that we used last year was splitting our roster into four teams for the purpose of special teams. We used these teams for competition drills and for circuit work. It was an easy, very effective way to organize our team for on field instruction and get some great practice in while competing.

Special Teams Draft

We named four of our best football players’ captains. Two were offensive players and two were defensive players, all of which, had contributed significantly on special teams. These players would set the tone for the drills. Then, four coaches drafted players off our 105 man pre-season roster. We drafted every player except offensive linemen, quarterbacks, and defensive tackles. The teams were a mixture of offensive and defensive players at all different positions. The diversity among position groups on each team created a great environment for offensive and defensive players to work together.

Special Teams Meeting

In the special teams meeting we showed the players what team they were on and who the captains were. Then we showed the guys a detailed field diagram and explained our competition drill for practice the next day. There were two head-to-head match-ups. The two winning teams would not run sprints at the end of practice while the rest of the team conditioned. This provided plenty of motivation for players to compete doing the drill. This meeting was critical so everyone knew exactly where to go and what was at stake.

The Competition Drill

This drill is a speed/avoid drill designed to work both kickoff and kickoff return. It is designed to simulate the first level block that occurs on a kickoff. This is a great drill to use for competition because the speed of the drill provides the most realistic look. One team will be on kickoff and one will be on kickoff return for the entire drill. Using cones, we create a funnel for the kickoff return player to set up in. The kickoff return player lines up five yards closer to the funnel. Diagram 1 shows the dimensions for the funnel.

Both players start on the coach’s whistle. The kickoff player tries to beat the kickoff return player with speed by avoiding but staying within the cones. He has a two way go, but cannot stop his momentum or get forced outside the cones. If the kickoff player can run by the kickoff return player staying in the funnel, he wins. Meanwhile, the kickoff return player tries to sink back and widen the kickoff player outside of the cones. If he can stop the kickoff players’ momentum or force him outside the cones, he wins. This competition lasts ten minutes. Coaches chart wins and losses to determine the winner. We did this drill several times throughout the pre-season so that both teams got work on kickoff and kickoff returns.

Kickoff/Kickoff Return Circuit

At the next practice we utilized the teams again to work a kickoff/kickoff return circuit. The entire circuit consisted of 20 minutes. We had four separate five minute stations. For this circuit we also split up our coaches so that we got the best teaching and coaching at each station. For example, we used our defensive line coach, Ernie Logan, to teach the fit, shed, and fold station in the circuit. He teaches the same technique and hand placement we teach our defensive linemen when taking on a block. All our coaches are involved. The players were already with their teams, so we just sent them to the area of the field to start their specific drill.

The Drills (Diagram 2)

The Speed Avoid Zone Drill is a drill designed to teach the kickoff cover team to beat blocks with speed. We used two large pop up dummies to simulate the kickoff return blockers, an agile bag, and a stand up dummy to tackle. This station was run by our safeties coach Jake Grande, who coaches our kickoff team. We teach our players different techniques to beat frontline blockers. One we use is a stick, rip move. The kickoff player wants to stack the bag (that is, get even with the bag and cut down the space between). Once he nears the bag, he sticks one way and uses a rip move to get on top. We really emphasize turning the shoulders and getting skinny, then getting the hips on top without getting off course. At the end of the drill, the kickoff player comes to balance at the agile bag and makes an angle tackle on the stand up dummy.

The right shoulder and left shoulder block station works kickoff and kickoff return. All you need for this station is cones. This is a great fundamental drill for blocking and tackling. The kickoff return player will sprint back, turn on the appropriate shoulder and engage his block. The kickoff return player wants to maintain his block with great hand placement (hands inside on the breast pad). The kickoff team player will take on the block with hat and hands and try to two gap the kickoff return player (that is, being able to shed in either direction). A return man waits for the block to occur and then has the option to go right or left of his blocker. We use thud tempo on the returner and emphasize staying off the ground.

Fit/Shield/Fold is a three-on-three drill emphasizing two-gap technique when you are approaching the returner. This encounter usually occurs in what we refer to as the “hard hat zone.” The three kickoff players will engage with three kickoff return players. Next, they will read the path of the returner and shed blocks to end up on the ball side. The furthest kickoff player will fold to the side the returner chooses. We want to emphasize getting extra hats to the ball. For this drill you can use the players in the drill to service one another.

Every year we strive to find better, more efficient ways to practice, meet, and prepare for the season. During the off-season I try to meet with other teams to get ideas about organization andbetter ways to practice. Last off-season, I met with the Mississippi State coaching staff to gather ideas about competition drills and circuits. I firmly believe splitting the teams up into smaller groups and combining offensive and defensive players together is a great way to maximize your time. 

So much of the pre-season is spent with the two sides of the ball going against each other.  Any time you can create competition with offensive and defensive players working together, while learning important technique, it’s going to help your football team. I also think that it means a lot for your young players to see the best players on the team competing and working in special teams drills. At the end of the day, the essence of special teams is having both sides of the ball come together to make plays for the team.

About the Author: Kerry Webb joined the Jacksonville University staff in 2007 as running backs coach. He was given the additional responsibility of coordinating special teams in 2013. Prior to Jacksonville, Webb  coached for two seasons at Valdosta State. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Florida and a Master’s Degree from Valdosta State.