Spanish Fort Football

1. Spanish Fort Football Developing Special Teams Coach Ed Stephenson

2. SPANISH FORT FOOTBALL • Suburb of Mobile, AL • First Season – 2006 (0-10) ; 2007 (4-6) • Record since 2007 – (121-19) • 5A State Champions – 2010, 2012, 2013 • 6A State Champions – 2015 • 15 State Championships in various sports

3. 2017 Season Stats Record 11-2 Quarterfinals Score 7 touchdowns this season Blocked 3 punts leading to 3 scores (16 points) Created 5 turnovers Played over 77 percent of the players on our team Punted 30 times for 38.2 yard average No punt returns for more than 10 yards (3 yd. avg.) 1 turnover on KO return Opponents averaged 15 yards per KO Return

4. Our Philosophy Fundamentally Sound • Techniques (Most important) • Schemes (Conservative, coach fundamentals) Win Field Position • Field Zone Percentages • Hidden Yardage Atmosphere and Tempo (Signals) • Physical Play – Introduce ourselves • Aggressive – Relentless pressure Explosive Plays • Get great athletes the ball in space • Eliminate big plays

5. Importance of Kicking Game Big Plays WIN Games – Momentum Plays • 12 ways to score • 14 types of Big Plays - Momentum • The less dominate team can change the game Field Position • Improve your scoring capability • Decrease your opponents scoring capability • Control the game – Control field position Develop Players • Create a football culture • Increase the number of contributors – “Team” • Increase depth on both sides of the ball

6. Field Zones

7. Development of the Kicking Game Challenges (players buying in) • Establish the importance (Winning) • Rewards (POW, Big Hit, etc..) • Coach with enthusiasm, demand enthusiasm Coaches • Head Coach involvement - emphasis by him • All coaches coach some aspect daily • Meeting time/film review same as OFF/DEF. Player Development • Players can prove themselves • Leaders form through peer coaching • Create an identity

8. Weekly Schedule Sun. – Game Film Review Punt Team – Net Coverage (2 returners, pooch, fast pace) KO Return – ½ Lines – Kick Recognition (Onside, Sky, Deep) Punt Return – Hold up and Block techniques (Half lines) KO Cover – Take offs with net drill. Mon. – Opponent Scout Film Review Punt Team – Protection, Release and Cover 10 KO Cover – Speed, Avoidance, Butt Up Tues. – Punt Team – Backed Up Punt (Inside 5) Cover to Returner KO Return – All Returns versus Scouts Thurs. – Punt Team – All situations (Safeties, Fakes, Pooch, Regular) KO Cover – All Coverages (Deep, Onside, Sky) Punt Return – All Returns and Blocks KO Return – All Returns vs. various kicks Wed. – Punt Return – Install Block and Return KO Cover – Sky and Onside Coverages KO Return – Sky kicks and Onside, Hands Team

9. Specialty Schedule Monday and Tuesday of each week. Coaches are assigned fundamental and specialty stations. 10 minute period. Snappers – Split between punters and place kickers (Rotate) Punters – Punt to returner group #1 Kickoffs – Kick to returner group #2 Returner groups – rotate catching different types of kicks Field Goal Unit – scripted locations and scenarios Fundamental Groups -- rotate through the circuits (3 stations) Sunday – Punt Return / KO Cover circuits Monday – Punt Pro (Releases, Redirect, Net) Tuesday – KO Return (Mirror, Angle, Catches)

10. Specialty Field Assignments

11. Unit Specific Circuits • Most important fundamentals for each unit • Use crossover terminology from both sides of the ball to enhance teaching • Use teaching progression KO Return Circuit Station #1 – Angle Block Station #2 – Mirror Block Station #3 – Ball Drills

12. Unit Specific Circuits Punt Team Circuit Station #1 – Releases Station #2 – Redirect and release Station #3 – Net Coverage relationships

13. Reminders • Have a plan for every special teams situation • Keep the schemes simple • Coach fundamentals and techniques -- film • Maximize your time (circuits and team periods) • Use the best players – both younger and older • Get all of your coaches involved • Create an Identity • Set the tempo – Have fun

14. Contact Info Ed Stephenson Email: estephenson@bcbe.org

15. SPANISH FORT HS PUNT TEAM

16. Punt Philosophy • Most important Special Teams Unit • Practice daily – Use signals – Adjust to pressure • Variety of situations (backed up, safety, fakes, etc.) • Use best athletes with most experience • This unit can lose the game • Opponent uses best athlete as returner • Strong correlation to defense effectiveness • Field position strategy after turnover and punts • Flip the field or maintain field advantage • Develop specialty players year round • Deep snapper, punters, and kickers should practice weekly

17. Why Spread Punt • Better Coverage • Simpler schemes and techniques • Less practice time • Better personnel due to simplicity • Opponent scheme is limited • Safe / Consistent • Weather Resistant

18. Punt Team Goals • Perfect Snaps (Most critical) • No Blocked Punts • No Returns Over 10 yards • Net Punt of 35.0 yards • Eliminate Penalties

19. Coaching Assignments Punter – 1 Coach (Align, Ball Skills, Communication) Snapper / Punter – 1 Coach (Snaps, Coverage) Front Line – 2 Coaches (1 Left / 1 Right) (Protection, Coverage) Gunners – 1 Coach (Alignment / Coverage) Wall Group – 1 Coach (Schemes, Technique, Comm.) Scout Team – 1 Coach

20. Weekly Schedule Sunday -- Film Review Pooch and Rabbit Drill. Move the ball. Monday – Opponent Scout Film Review Protection, Release and Cover 10. Tuesday – Backed Up Punt (Inside 5). All out rush (9+ rushers) Wednesday – Punt Team – Coverage (Net / Rabbit Drill). Thursday – All punting situations. Scripted. (Slow Safety, Fast Safety, Pooch, Backed-up, Fakes, etc)

21. Personnel Gunners (WR / DB) – Fast guys that can get off blocks and get to the ball. Great awareness and great tacklers. Tackles (OLB / RB) – Bigger guys with speed that can get off blocks and make tackles. Good in space. Guards (ILB / FB) – Biggest guys that can protect and cover. Blocking is critical and coverage is secondary. Wall Group (OL / DL) – Big, tough and aggressive. Must be able to withstand contact from all angles. Coverage is a bonus. Snapper – Most important athlete on this unit. He must be consistent and dependable. Fast, accurate snaps are the key to protection. Punter – Hang time is crucial. Must have good hands.

22. Alignment / Responsibilities Gunners: On the LOS - Top of the numbers. If ball on the hash, move to slot on opposite side. Always tracking the ball (Never the returner). Must be able to get off press coverage. Attack opposite knee of returner. Tackles and Guards: On the LOS – Base is 3 yds. from inside player. Squared-up athletic stance. Adjust splits to achieve proper angles, always inside of your assignment. Read the stance of your assignment. Redirect and release to form net on returner. Wall Group: 7 yds. from ball. 4 man alignment rule. M aligns instep on Centers left foot and RW is aligned on Centers right foot. LW places inside foot 6in outside Mid’s foot. Get Big and post 2 inside gaps. Release to coverage. Punter: Heels at 14 yds.. Step to crack of the Mid and release as Safety.

23. Protection Scheme

24. Coverage Rules • Gunners – Track the ball in-front. Cross the returner when making tackles. Goalline on pooch kicks. • All other positions -- “Inside and In Front” rules on the returner. Breakdown at 5 yds.. Form the net, never leave your feet. • Wall players -- cover into each third of the field. Force redirect, be aggressive. • Punter -- Safety. Squeeze to the boundary.

25. Drills • Protect and Release (Blocking and Release Technique) • Net Drill (Spacing) • Rabbit Drill (Lateral Spacing and Leverage) • Wall rush schemes (Gap Integrity, Anchoring) • Pooch Kicks (Gunners to GL, others to Returner) • Full Team Coverage (Complete Operation) • Always use 2 units in all phases of practice.

26. Keys • Wall must protect against 4 rushers • Coverage is the benefit, therefore make tackles • Snapper is critical, punter is beneficial • Best athletes, Defensive type • Practice daily, move the ball, game situations • Develop backups at each position • Have a plan, demand execution

27. KO COVERAGE “BULLS”

28. Kickoff Coverage Philosophy • Defensive Unit (Choose Defensive people) • Use defensive players and aggressive offensive players • Loves contact, can get off blocks, fearless • 2 Waves of Coverage • Hitters – More aggressive approach (break down late) • Tacklers – Conservative approach (break down earlier) • Kick location is crucial • Kick to a variety of locations • Keep the return team guessing • No set piece returns • Cover 2/3’s of the field • Be unpredictable – Use Signals • Force the return unit to communicate • Force opponent to execute the return • Force opponent to defend first

29. Kickoff Coverage Goals • Kicks on Target • No Returns past 25 yard line • Big Hits • Eliminate Penalties

30. Coaching Assignments Right Side – 2 coaches (Hitters/Tacklers) Left Side – 2 coaches (Hitters/Tacklers) Sideline – 1 coach (Takeoffs) Returner – 1 coach (Net Area / Leverage) Kicker – 1 coach (Location)

31. Weekly Schedule Sunday – Film Review Take offs -- Net/Rabbit Drill Monday -- Opponent Scout Film Review Speed, Avoidance, Butt Up Drill Wednesday – Sky Kicks, Onside and Tricks Thursday – All KO situations. Scripted. (KO Deep, Sky, Onside, After a safety, After personal foul, etc..)

32. Personnel 1’s – (WR/DB) Fast and agile type. Can contain great speed. 2’s – (DB/RB) Aggressive physical player with speed. 3’s – (LB/DB/RB) Bigger body type. Must be a great tackler. 4’s – (LB/TE) Best Hitter. Most aggressive players only. 5’s – (LB/DE) Bigger body type. Must be great tackler. Kicker – Location is most important. Distance is a bonus.

33. Coverage Rules • Great Take-offs • Must not get blocked by first level • Spacing – Never follow a color • “Inside and In Front” – maintain leverage • Butt-up second level players - proximity • Never leave your feet, never on the ground • Squeeze the ball

34. Coverage Zones SPEED AND READ ZONE (-40 to +40) • Great Takeoff, Full Speed at the 50 yd.. line • Read keys of return team • Identify potential blockers • Defeat 1st level players with speed AVOIDANCE ZONE (+40 to +20) • Know potential blocker • Use speed to set up butt side and rip through • Get back into proper leverage on the ball • See thru to returner BUTT-UP ZONE (+20 to GL) • Even # may rip through, Odd # must Butt-Up • Use blocker as leverage and throw opposite • Inside and In-Front • Even # break down at 2 yds.., Odd # break down at 10 yds..

35. Alignment / Responsibility 1’s – Align between #’s and boundary. Contain tackler. 2’s – Align middle of the #’s. Hitter. 3’s – Align between #’s and hash. Alley tackler. 4’s – Align on the hash. Alley Hitter. 5’s – Align on upright. Bonus tackler. Slide alignment to kick side. All players must keep the ball “Inside and In-Front” while squeezing to the returner. Hitters may run through and make big hits or big plays. Tacklers must break down and ensure the returner does not elude them. The scheme is based upon 2 coverage groups. First group destroys the blocking scheme, and the second group tacklers the naked returner.

36. Coverage Scheme Even #’s = Hitters Odd #’s = Tacklers

37. Drills • 1 on 1 – First level blockers vs. our coverage personnel • Butt Up on Bags with returner • Net / Rabbit Drill with returner • Take offs • Open field tackles with returners

38. Keys • Speed is crucial • Never get blocked by 1st level blockers • Never follow a color • Beat blocks and maintain leverage • Form “Net” on the returner • Work together and show up • Kick Locations are crucial

39. Contact Info Ed Stephenson Email: estephenson@bcbe.org