Your Best Kickoff Coverage Player Needs Your Help


By FirstDown PlayBook on Mar 11, 2023

Your best kickoff coverage guy needs your help. Huh? Be patient. We will explain. Often times as coaches we like to focus primarily on the talent of our players as opposed to what we are doing to help them out. Most of the time that revolves around a player who is a step slow or undersized.

This can also show up when a talented player begins to draw the attention of your opponents. As the old coaching adage goes, “They watch tape too.” When they watch you on tape and they see you have a talented player, you can bet a good kickoff return coach is going to have a plan for him.

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A good example of this is when you are a good football team that kicks off a lot because let’s face it, good football teams have to kick off a lot. If you have a player who stands out over the course of the season he is going to draw a lot of double teams. Good special teams coaches know that a good kickoff coverage player can ruin the day for their return unit.

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Yes, we understand that the obvious way to help them is to move them around. That can be effective but before you put all your marbles in this bag, consider your kicker. Some young kickers are more effective if they kick one direction or the other. If you move your best kickoff coverage players around then your kicker has to adjust too. That can screw everything up if you are not careful. We speak from experience.

Your Opponent Is Going To Know Where Your Best Kickoff Coverage Player Lines Up

What else are you going to do to help him out? Tell him to run faster? Play harder? A better suggestion might be what we detail today on this short video you see below. Your special teams game plan should be about more than just scheme. It should also take into account your key players and how you can help them.

As you watch this short video understand that this Chip & Wrap technique is just like anything else you teach. It takes reps and work. Here is what is certain about it. If an opponent does not target your best kickoff coverage player then you are going to likely win this battle. If they do target and double this player then you can help them with this technique.