Coach ,

This past weekend was week 0 for the college level, and many high school seasons were in week zero as well.  

What these games gave us was the ability to see the opportunity to create and limit game-changing moments.

Here are three ideas on how to handle chaos when it comes to special teams.

#1) Be ready for the onside kick - to execute it or recover it

Scott Frost looked to use the onside kick to surprise Northwestern after they scored to make it a two-possession game, 28-17. From a schematic stadpoint the Huskers did have an advantage.  Whether you agree with the call and execution is another story. Former Iowa State and Oklahoma State special teams coach Steve Hauser and I discussed the play recently.

Onside kicks can certainly swing momentum and the game. It’s something Kevin Kelley used often. For him, it was always about the analytics of the kickoff. Here’s what he used:

It’s hard to argue against those results. Onside was never a surprise situation for Coach Kelley, but his unique approach and the volume at which they did onside kick, helped create some advantageous onside kick strategies.

Kelley explains his philosophy in this short video.

Video: Kevin Kelley Onside Kicks

Pulaski uses kicks called Copter, Jetcopter, NBA, Battleship, Rocket, Jelly, Wedge, Dropkick, and MLB. Kelley details these in his course.

Having watched a couple weeks of high school football of one team in particular, they have multiple opportunities in every game to execute an onside because the frontline of the return team is allowing them to outnumber them. Several times I’ve seen a 5 on 2 situations. Having a go-no-go system can help take advantage of this situation.

Because it happens so infrequently, onside kicks get under-coached, but having a plan and going over it every week will help your team win this play and affect the game in a major way.

#2) Know how you are handling the fair catch, especially deep in your own territory

This is something that applies to both the punt team and the return team. Especially in a pooch situation, you want to have clear assignments of who is going behind the returner who signalled for a fair catch and who is in front waiting to pounce on a muffed catch.

Many teams use a “poison” or “peter” call when the ball is short or to the side and going to hit the ground, but few use a call to clear the path for the fair catch. The worst thing is to have one of your own teammates run into you because he didn’t know you were coming up to make the fair catch.  

In this case, a “Clear” call can alert your own players to find the returner and get away from him much like they would do with a position call. Also, a good habit on the poison call is for the returner to be pointing to where the ball is so his teammates can look to him and scramble away from where he is pointing.

Keith Larson, special teams coordinator at Bucknell, shares some coaching points for the first man down in creating a big play, as well as his assignment against the fair catch. (click on image for video):

Video: Shoot Your Shot - Fair Catch

#3) Change momentum with a fake punt

Coach Kelley never punted, so his fourth down decision was always go for it. In fact, he never practiced punt.

That’s an extreme strategy, and in my opinion, only works if you have 100% trust in your administration to support you. With that being said, you see more and more “go for it” decisions based on the analytics.

That doesn’t take away the value of a fake punt. It still is a strategy that can be a momentum changer for either team in the equation. Of course, some things will make it better. Here’s a few:

1. Be sure the operation is smooth. You can’t keep your punt unit on the sideline any longer than usual. Most teams don’t huddle, they just send players out, so have a code word for your fake punt that they can be communicating as they are going out onto the field.
2. Consider a go-no-go system to either greenlight the punt team to pull it off or to call it off. If you don’t get the look you like, save it for another time and kick it away.
3. Practice it with the entire operation from having the defense exit the field to the punt team going on and especially be sure the communication is clear to key personnel in the execution of it. For example, you don’t want your long snapper who is supposed to snap it to the up back to not be in the know. 

Here’s a nice fake punt with a wrinkle off of it which Coach Bobby Curran calls “Rams.” (click on image for video):

Video: 9 Man Fake - Rams

In the early season, those plays that haven’t been covered often can cause some mayhem moments in the game. Be sure to practice those moments so that you can create or limit the mayhem.

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski