SPECIAL TEAMS

DMHS RAMS FOOTBALL

PLAYBOOK

Pre-Game Kicking Organization

End Zone

Coach ?
Punter

Punter

Short
Snappers

Kick-Off
Returners
Coach ?

Holders
?
Long Snappers

FG / Ex PT.
Kickers
Coach ?
Deep Snappers
Coach?
Punt
Returners

Visitor
Bench

Coach?

Coach
?
Kick-Off

Home
Bench

Special Teams Weekly Check List

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
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24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.

Nebraska Punt Team

Punt Fakes
Tight Punt
Delay of Game Punt
Short Punt
Jumanji Punt (kick out of bounds)
Pooch Kick
Safe Punt
Punt Return vs Punts
Kickoff Team
Onside Kick Obvious
Onside Kick Cluster
Kickoff Pooch
Kickoff Smear The Big Guy
Kickoff After a Safety
Kickoff Return Middle
Kickoff Return Right Hash
Kickoff Return Left Hash
Hands Team
Kickoff Return After a Safety
PAT
PAT Fakes
Field Goal
Field Goal Fakes
Long Field Goal and Cover
Fast Field Goal
PAT Blocks
PAT Blocks vs Fakes
Field Goal Blocks

66

KICK OFF

Left Hash

4 yds

5 yds

5 yds

5 yds

W
K

5 yds 5 yds
B

5 yds
B

5 yds
A

5 yds

4 yds

Middle

4 yds

5 yds

5 yds

5 yds

5 yds

5 yds

5 yds

5 yds
A

5 yds

4 yds

Right Hash

4 yds

5 yds

5 yds

5 yds

5 yds

5 yds

5 yds

5 yds
A
K

5 yds

4 yds

Contain: Align four yards from the sideline. Their path is

straight down the field, maintaining inside shoulder
leverage, working to ball depth. Do not open up a
running lane by widening. Fight the kick out blocks by
playing physical football, using your hands, staying
square, and squeezing the ball carrier. If you are on the
backside of a directional kick, or the ball is away, then
pursuit is no further than the hash until reverse ruled out.
Be aware of a cross field cutback, but attack at ball level
using two to three yards of leverage; i.e., keep the ball in
front by two to three yards.

Bullets: Sprint straight down the field for twenty yards,

then directly to the football. Do not follow a teammate.
Bullets are playmakers they are responsible for making a
play. Always keep the head up while maintaining inside
leverage on the ball carrier; i.e., keeping the ball carrier on
the inside shoulder. The technique used on blockers
should be based upon the distance to the ball carrier. If in
the first twenty yards or the ball carrier is far away, beat
the blocker with speed moves and maintain inside shoulder
leverage chasing down the ball carrier. If blocked, Bullets
must get back into their lane; otherwise they are creating
a running lane. If a Bullet does get knocked out of their
lane, recover and fight to get back into it. When
approaching the ball carrier, if they have maintained their
inside shoulders leverage they can attack the ball carrier
aggressively. If a Bullet has lost their leverage, then come
to balance and make an open-field tackle. Bullets will
need to adjust their techniques based upon the distance
and direction of the kick.

Alleys: Sprint straight down the field for thirty yards,

then directly to the football. Do not follow a
teammate. Always keep the head up while
maintaining inside leverage on the ball carrier; i.e.,
keeping the ball carrier on the inside shoulder. The
technique used on blockers should be based upon the
distance to the ball carrier. If in the first thirty yards or
the ball carrier is far away, beat the blocker with speed
moves and maintain inside shoulder leverage chasing
down the ball carrier. If Alleys get blocked in the first
thirty yards, get back into their lane; otherwise they
are creating a running lane. If an Alley does get
knocked out of his lane, recover and fight to get back
into it. As Alleys chase down the ball carrier, attack
blockers that attempt to block aggressively. The
players can use either a punch or rip technique. The
desire to compete, including second effort will yield
success. When approaching the ball carrier, if they
have maintained their inside shoulder leverage, they
can attack the ball carrier aggressively. If an Alley has
lost his leverage, then come to balance and make an
open-field tackle.

Wedge: The Wedge player is a specialized

Alley. He sprints down the field while reading
the return keys. If there is a wedge forming,
head straight for it looking to blow up the wedge
by colliding with it. The goal is to stop the
progress of two blockers, forcing the ball to go
laterally. This can be accomplished by attacking
any splits or gaps between two blockers, keeping
the pads down, knocking the blockers
backwards. If there is no wedge, head straight
for the football.

LEFT DEEP RIGHT

Coaching Points

Use versus a single returner

alignment.
The
kickers
skill
will
determine whether this is a
high kick with maximum
hang time, or a driving kick
attempting to slide the ball
into the end zone.
Coverage personnel must run
their lanes, find the ball and
converge on the ball carrier.
Do not follow a teammate!
The
Contain,
Bullet
and
Alley on the backside will
adjust their lanes by 5 yards
to close the gap due to the
distance they are from the
kick.

Position
Alley
Bullet
Wedge
Contain

Kicker

Technique

Straight for 30 yards then to the football; one backside player adjusts his
lane by 5 yards to close the gap to the football.
Straight for 20 yards then to the football; one backside player adjusts his
lane by 5 yards to close the gap to the football.
Use Alley technique, with an awareness of the blocking scheme. If a
wedge is forming look to make a collision with the wedge.
Path is straight down the field, maintaining inside shoulder leverage,
working to ball depth. Backside on a directional kick, or the ball is away,
then pursuit is no further than the hash until reverse is ruled out.
High kick to the end zone, 9 yards from the boundary, with maximum
hang time. Follow the wave of defenders, mirroring the ball.
If the
returner breaks out, buy time by forcing him toward the sideline. Be
ready to make the tackle!

PUNT

PAT FIELD GOAL

KICK RETURN

PUNT RETURN

PAT FIELD GOAL BLOCK