How To Coach Special Teams: Kicking, Punting & Long Snapping

Below you'll find the exact steps I teach for kicking, punting, and long snapping. Special teams is 1/3 of the game, but most coaches treat it like an afterthought. It isn't until they get a punt blocked or they miss a field goal that it starts to become an issue.

Get ahead of all of it and train your special teams coordinators with the right resources to maximize your field position and give your defense a fighting chance. If you want to accelerate your special teams learning, check out more schemes and in-depth content inside vIQtory Pro.

Below are the core special teams skills that every special teams coordinator should know how to coach. From kickoff, punt, and field goals, we'll cover all of the technical skills you'll need to make sure your kicker is kicking farther and straighter for more consistent kicks.

Kickoff

Kickoff directly impacts the defense's starting field position. Poor kickoffs often result in automatic 4th-down territory. What we mean is that if the ball is returned to the 40-yard line every time, most coaches will go for it on 4th down no matter what. However, if the ball is on the 20-yard line and they only gain 5 yards, then they are more than likely going to punt it on 4th down.

The more pressure we can put on the offense in their territory will cause them to be perfect with every play call. Having a kicker who can pin them in their zone is a weapon.

Learn more about kickoffs here.

Field Goal

What if every time you got inside the 30-yard line, there was a high percentage chance that you would walk away with a minimum of 3 points? That's the comfort of having a good field goal kicker.

Most teams already have this player on their roster, but their mechanics are all messed up, which causes the ball to go left/right or not be kicked effectively.

Learn more about field goals here.

Punting

The worst feeling for a coach is when your punter hits a low line drive to their best returner, and he returns it all the way back to the original line of scrimmage.

Having a punter who can flip the field makes all of the difference in the world. To punt the ball efficiently, the punter must have the ball drop perfectly on the foot and the leg swing mechanics optimized.

In the video above, I cover all the mechanics needed to create an elite punter who can win 4th down for you.

Learn more about punting here.

Long Snapping

Long snapping is just as important as kicking. If the ball can't get to the holder or punter in a timely manner, then the whole operation will fail. 

You've felt this as a coach if you've ever had a punt snap go over your punter's head or roll to your punter. On a field goal, if you've ever had your field goal kicker hesitate because the snap was off, it probably led to a missed kick.

A poor long snapper can cost you field position and, even worse, points. In the video above, I show you exactly how to long snap and get the most out of your 4th down operation.

Learn more about long snapping here.