Untitled - Fast and Furious Football

140 FOOTBALL COACHING STRATEGIES
not allow a linemarl to catch a clean kick and rc_
turn it for a big gain. The remainder ofthe cover_
age attacks! We want to force a mistake bv the
rcceiving Leam. Down through the 1ears, this
onside kick has been highlv successtul for us.
down, maintaining proper leverage on the ball.
Again, the ball should be kicked high and straight.
We attempt to kick each kickoff io it will be re_
turned.
this coverage team has a hemenalous amount
of pride. Atl of our defensive starteru want to be
on the kickoffteam. It s a higbly competitive situ_
ation, and that's h€althy for the whote t€am.
Onside Kick
Anoth€r option for the kickoffteam is the onside
kick. This is something that you us€ only when
your 'back is to the wall"; the success or failure
of an unside kick can be the determining facror
rn a rootDa| game.
In ordFr to have a shot ar gaininA Dossession
offan onside kicir'. we firsr musr have a perfecrtl
executed kick. W'rhout rhe proper kick, jou have
no chance. The kick shoutd nevej" be kicked tesb
than 10 to 12 yards. This is the frrst point of em_
phasis ro the kicker We 6rrive ro ger Lhe big hop
out of the ball. Our atisnmenr on I he oDside kick
is 6hown in Fieurc 4.
Another key is to not let the kick qo out_ot_
bounds. This i6 I he responsibjliry of ]. He ptays
JU6r rke a shorlstop covering rhe bounda4r An_
other verJ rmporlanr role is 3. a safctv $ho can_
Punt Protection and
Coverage
The laBr phase ofcoverage is our pLrnr prorec|lon
and co\ erage. The quickesl wa) Lo lose a football
game 13 to get a punt blocked or a punt rcrurned
tor a touchdown. This phase ofthe kicking same
must be executed properly every time. Nolapses.
We use the sprcad punt with zone prot€cnon.
Agam, we work hard to get the balt kicked straisht
down the field. Our atignmenr and sptjrs are il.
lushated in Fieure 5.
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