“Special Teams is the aspect of the game where the Hidden yardage can have a great effect on the outcome of a football game.”- Joe Marciano. In the game of football, fans come together for the excitement of the offense and defense going head to head. The offense trying to score, and the defense trying to stop the offense from scoring. But before the offense & defense can step on the field, special teams sets the tempo. Special teams once was a time for fans to take a bathroom break, or refill on popcorn before the offense and defense steps on the field. Players like Mel Gray, Brian Mitchell, and Devin Hester changed the way special teams is viewed by football fans and teams preparation against opponents on special teams. These players revolutionized the way special teams is viewed by their play making ability to put points on the board or give their team’s great field position.
In the 90’s, the Detroit Lions possessed one of the greatest running back of all time; Barry Sanders. Before teams had to worry about stopping Barry Sanders, the opponent’s special teams had to figure out how to contain kick return specialist Mel Gray. Two things teams had to worry about when kicking the ball to Mel Gray; taking the kick all the way for a touchdown or giving up great field position. Mel Gray and his Kick Return unit was something opponent’s special teams was not ready for. It was no longer just kick the ball to the returner, have players run down the field and tackle the return man. Opponents Special Teams had to really analyze and breakdown how kick returns were set up and find ways to stop Mel Gray’s return ability. It was either find a way or kick the ball out of bounds but either way would give up great field position for the offense coming onto the field. Mel Gray accomplished more as a return specialists than most players did at an offensive or defensive position. Special teams has become the game changer in football games. This blog will cover both kickoff and kickoff return schemes that are based off of Joe Marciano kick off coverage and my own kick off return scheme based off of Mel Gray’s returns that were emphasized on speed and zone blocking.
Special Teams ( Kickoff and Kickoff Return):
Kick Off: Special teams are the quickest way to winning the battle of field positions. Kick Off has to be the most disciplined unit on the field. Players like Mel Gray, the Kick off team has to understand how to stay in their lanes and be discipline to do their job and not be selfish giving up their lane to possibly give the return team good position or giving up a touchdown. On the kick off team, it's important for the kicker to understand ball placement, depending on how the kick off team has set up against the return team. Kicker can't just kick the ball anywhere on the field.
Types of Kick off Coverage:
Deep Middle- Emphasis on distance and hang time
Deep Left- Emphasis on placing the ball between the numbers and the sideline. This will be coordinated with left coverage.
Deep right- Emphasis on placing the ball between the right numbers and the sideline. This will be coordinated with right coverage.
Stance: Faced in toward Kicker 90 degrees.
Take Off: anticipate kickers rhythm
Vision: Cover at top speed; maintain peripheral vision and read the from line blockers for type of return.
Contain: Assigned people for contain must be very disciplined to maintain outside leverage and that nothing and no one gets outside them.
Key to Kick Off: It's important to have good lane distribution during kick off and cross the 50 yard line.
Kick Return: In today's game, most kick return units emphasize on the “ peddle, settle and close man on man blocking” method to set up their return. As a coach myself and growing up watching Mel Gray as a great returner and knowing the concept of Joe Marciano. I had put together my own kick return unit emphasized on speed and zone blocking.
3 types of Return: Middle, Right and Left
Middle ( Exodus ) :
Base Middle KR (Exodus)
LT: will have eyes on L3, dropping back 10 yds at an angle inside of L3. Make contact at inside shoulder pad level of L3. Flip hips and Draw line (keep him outside of you) Maintain contact and leverage with L3 to block out.
LG: Will have eyes on L4, dropping back 10 yds at an angle inside of L4. Make contact at inside shoulder pad level of L4. Flip hips and Draw Line (keep him outside of you) Maintain contact and leverage with L4 to block out
C: Lined up over the ball. Make sure front line is aligned and alert for onside. Will adjust each week of either double teaming with L5/R5/runner. Working back 10 yds.
RG: Will have eyes on R4, dropping back 10 yds at an angle inside of R4. Make contact at inside shoulder pad level of R4. Flip hips and draw line (keep him outside of you) Maintain contact and leverage with R3 to block out.
RT: Will have eyes on R3, dropping back 10 yds at an angle inside of R3. Make contact at inside shoulder pad level of R3. Flip hips and Draw Line (Keep him outside of you) Maintain contact and leverage with R3 to block out.
LE: Will have eyes on L5. Working inside hashes/L5 to make contact at inside shoulder pad level of L5 to kick out.
RE: Will have eyes on r5. Working inside hashes/R5 to make contact at inside shoulder pad level of R5 to kick out.
FB: Working back 8-10 yds in front of KR. Will make sure KR has received & secure the ball. Sets the wedge. Get it going, hard and fast up middle of field leading the KR. Will Pick up MDM in middle of field. DO NOT DOUBLE team on any player that is picked up. (End up picking up Safety/kicker)
LH: Join Wedge. Run course directly with FB. Will have MDM up middle of field/ Peel off to L2, L1 if bend and able to make tackle.
RH: Join Wedge, Run course directly with FB. Will have MDM up middle of field/ Peel off to R2, R1 if bend and able to make tackle.
KR: Following FB up middle of field. Full speed hitting it hard and fast.
Left ( Luke ):
Base Left KR (Luke)
LT: eyes on L4. Will work outside of L4 10 yds back to make contact on outside shoulder pad level. Maintain contact with L4 to block down inside.
LG: eyes on L5. Will work back at angle if necessary outside of L5 10 yds to contact on outside shoulder pad level. Maintain contact with L5 to block down inside.
C: eyes on R5. Lined up over the ball. Work back at angle to stay on inside shoulder of R5 10 yds to contact on inside shoulder pad level. Maintain contact with R5 to block out.
RG: eyes on R4. Working at angle 10 yds inside of R4. Flip hips. Make contact on inside shoulder pad level and draw line (keep him outside of you) Maintain contact and leverage with R4 to block out.
RT: Will have eyes on R3, dropping back 10 yds at an angle inside of R3. Make contact at inside shoulder pad level of R3. Flip hips and Draw Line (Keep him outside of you) Maintain contact and leverage with R3 to block out.
LE: Will work back to maintain leverage on outside of L3. Make contact on outside shoulder pad level on L3. To block down.
RE: Will work back 10 yards inside hash. Will work Double team to back side MDM with C on R5. Will make sure C has R5 secure blocking out before working backside MDM.
FB: Working back 8-10 yds in front of KR. Will make sure KR has received & secure the ball. Sets the wedge. Get it going, hard and fast up middle of field for 5 yds then leading the KR to left hitting it up the sideline.. Will Pick up MDM in middle of field. DO NOT DOUBLE team on any player that is picked up. (End up picking up Safety/kicker)
LH: Join Wedge. Run course directly with FB. Hitting it hard up left sideline to MDM to L1.
RH: Join Wedge. Run course directly with FB. Hitting it hard up left sideline to MDM to L2.
KR: Following FB working towards left side of field to hit up sideline. Full Speed.
Right ( Romans ):
Base Right KR (Romans)
LT: will have eyes on L3, dropping back 10 yds at an angle inside of L3. Make contact at inside shoulder pad level of L3. Flip hips and Draw line (keep him outside of you) Maintain contact and leverage with L3 to block out.
LG: Will have eyes on L4, dropping back 10 yds at an angle inside of L4. Make contact at inside shoulder pad level of L4. Flip hips and Draw Line (keep him outside of you) Maintain contact and leverage with L4 to block out
C: eyes on L5. Lined up over the ball. Work back at angle to stay on inside shoulder of L5 10 yds to contact on inside shoulder pad level. Maintain contact with L5 to block out.
RG: eyes on R5. Will work back at angle if necessary outside of R5 10 yds to contact on outside shoulder pad level. Maintain contact with R5 to block down inside.
RT: eyes on R4. Will work outside of R4 10 yds back to make contact on outside shoulder pad level. Maintain contact with R4 to block down inside.
LE: Will work back 10 yards inside hash. Will work Double team to back side MDM with C on L5. Will make sure C has L5 secure blocking out before working backside MDM.
RE: Will work back to maintain leverage on outside of R3. Make contact on outside shoulder pad level on R3. To block down.
LH: Join Wedge. Run course directly with FB. Hitting it hard up left sideline to MDM to R2.
FB: Working back 8-10 yds in front of KR. Will make sure KR has received & secure the ball. Sets the wedge. Get it going, hard and fast up middle of field for 5 yds then leading the KR to right hitting it up the sideline.. Will Pick up MDM in middle of field. DO NOT DOUBLE team on any player that is picked up. (End up picking up Safety/kicker)
KR: Following FB working towards right side of field to hit up sideline. Full Speed.Joe Marciano Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Special Teams Coordinator
Mel Gray
All Pro Return Specialists
Cary Fowler
Head Football Coach
Devon Gray
Assistant coach / Arena football Special teams Coordinator
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