2007 SUPERBOWL 1st Quarter 14:46 Remaining 14 seconds into game Bears 6 Colts 0 KICKING GAME !! 2007 SUPERBOWL 1st Quarter 14:46 Remaining 14 seconds into game Bears 6 Colts 0 KICKING GAME !!

-4 PUNT COVERAGE PUNT COVERAGE Three Levels of Coverage Malcolm B. Robinson, Jr. March 2007

1-6-4 Punt Cover Great Youth Kicking Game Scheme

1-6-4 Punt Cover Simple concept Easy to teach Easy to learn Provides steady, reliable coverage Requires just a few minutes per week to maintain skills

OL splits - 1 foot Up Backs - A Gap protectors - 1 Yard behind OGs Personal Protector - 5 Yards behind football BASIC PUNT FORMATION

SCHEME IS NOT ALIGNMENT SPECIFIC Many alignments may be used SPREAD PUNT

Deep Set Spread Punt

Narrow Set Spread Punt

1-6-4 Punt Coverage Three Waves or Levels of Coverage

Clean Snap - snapper releases & becomes ‘Gunner’ Gunner - no rules, other than attack & tackle the football in the open field First Level -Deep Snapper:

The 6 Offensive Linemen Second Level of Coverage The 6 Offensive Linemen

Release upfield, locate angle of punt and work to be outside the ball to your side Goal is to have 3 defenders to each side of ball As Second Wave gets to about 5 yards from return man they ‘break-down’ and chop feet, staying squared-up to end zone. Expect returner to try to beat you outside (wide)

5 Yds Have each End work to align in a 5x5 relationship with ball As return man moves laterally, Ends, Tackles & Guards also move laterally to keep ball between Guards

Third Level - Safeties: Two Up Backs Fan out & Become Wide Safeties Safeties Align 8 Yards Deeper Than 2nd Level

Third Level - Safeties: Personal Protector & Punter Fan Out & Become Inside Safeties Safeties Align 8 Yards Deeper Than 2nd Level

Remaining 4 defenders of the coverage team (backs) become the third wave. Release and sprint upfield to a 4 across alignment behind the 6 defenders in Second Level - 8 yards deeper then Level Two. Third Level - Safeties:

Now, entire scheme looks like so...

First Level - Snapper

Second Level - 6 Offensive Linemen

First Level - Snapper Second Level - 6 Offensive Linemen Third Level - 4 Backs - The Safeties

has no rules; Snapper/GunnerSnapper/Gunner

has no rules; is encouraged to tackle the return man in open field; Snapper/GunnerSnapper/Gunner

has no rules; is encouraged to tackle the return man in open field; If that happens, the play is over and the next two levels of coverage have no job to do. But... assume he misses. Snapper/GunnerSnapper/Gunner

Punt Returner Coverage is effected by lateral movement as a UNIT

Punt Returner Coverage is effected by lateral movement as a UNIT 6 Second Level defenders move laterally as one, keeping 3 defenders to each side of football.

Punt Returner Coverage is effected by lateral movement as a UNIT 6 Second Level defenders move laterally as one, keeping 3 defenders to each side of football.

Third Level -(Safeties) sprint down field behind second wave and align 8 yards deeper

Safeties move laterally just as Second Level does, striving to keep 2 safeties to each side of the ball.

Punt Returner Eventually Return Man will give up going wide and attack inside. Second Level then breaks down and attacks the ball and makes the tackle.

COACHING POINTS: SNAPPER Deep snapper - be sure snap is clean before releasing; Sprint down field and make an open field tackle.

COACHING POINTS Offensive Linemen Second Level: COACHING POINTS Offensive Linemen Second Level:

Secure inside gap, deny penetration; listen for ball punted and “GO” call from punter; Release and sprint upfield, widening as you go; locate ball and bend release to accommodate angle of punt; Work to advance upfield in time and space with your Second Level teammates; don’t run away from them; As you get to return man break down at 5 yards from him; chop feet and come under control; Stay square to end zone, don’t turn shoulders/hips to sideline; COACHING POINTS Offensive Linemen Second Level: COACHING POINTS Offensive Linemen Second Level:

Whether you are Guard, Tackle or End, fight to gain and keep outside leverage on the football; We want 3 defenders evenly spaced on each side of the return man; Ends on either side of the ball should never allow the returner to get anywhere close to a head-up position, keep fighting for contain leverage, even if you have to lose ground somewhat; Ends assume a 5 yard by 5 yard relationship with the return man - 5 yards deeper & 5 yards wider. COACHING POINTS Offensive Linemen Second Level: COACHING POINTS Offensive Linemen Second Level:

Tackles and Guards -work hard to keep the return man between the OGs and to deny returner the chance to outflank your position; VIP to move laterally w/o turning hips and shoulders to sideline; Let ball come upfield to you; don’t break second level and create a hole in unified front to get to ball. COACHING POINTS Offensive Linemen Second Level : COACHING POINTS Offensive Linemen Second Level :

Ideally, the alignment would appear like so: 5 Yards 5 yards 8 Yards

COACHING POINTS Safeties- Third Level - the Safeties: COACHING POINTS Safeties- Third Level - the Safeties: Release when football is punted; Up backs fan out wide and become outside Safeties Punter & Personal Protector slide upfield inside and align as inside safeties Safeties align 8 yards deeper than second level coverage.

Key Points For Success with Punt Cover Deep Snapper must first be a reliable punt snapper; if he can play in open spaces, too - this is a big bonus; Second Level - try and match abilities here - use kids that can run and have the Ends be the better runners; - no ‘Fat Freddies’; Make sure Second Level adjusts their paths to accommodate wide punts; Rep the lateral movement of the 6 OL in Second Level. Breakdowns happen on change of direction by return man; rep this and have second level plant & change direction w/o losing their alignment.

the kicking game may prove to be more important than either of the other two phases of football. Rep it every practice ! REMEMBER…REMEMBER…

PRACTICE AT LEAST ONE PHASE OF THE KICKING GAME EACH PRACTICE In theory this is 1/3 of the game, but many times it turns into a great deal more...

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