Purpose
The purpose of this Special Teams Kickoff Coverage Drills is to teach and practice discipline in staying in position on Punt- and Kickoff-Coverage.
Description
Put 2 players as kickoff coverage players on one sideline on yardlines 10 yards apart i.e. one on the 20 yardline and one on the 10 yardline.
Put a returner on the opposite sideline in the middle of these two. In our example on the 15 yardline.
On command the two coverage players sprint forward to the second hashmark.
Once they reach the 1st hashmark the returner starts running towards them.
When they reach the 2nd hashmark the returner is free to run anywhere he wants, his “sidelines” are the Goalline and the 40 yardline.
The coverage players have to keep him “between” them, narrowing the distance as they get closer to the returner.
Coaching Points
- It is important, that the kickoff coverage players keep their distance constant while sprinting to the 2nd hashmark and that they arrive there at the same time if possible. If possible pair them up like they are also on kickoff coverage in a game.
- It is also very important, that the kickoff coverage players keep their hips and shoulder parallel to the returner and the returner must not get outside either of them.
Equipment
- Football
- yardlines and hashmarks (or cones marking the corresponding spots).