Special Teams
I like to refer to the Special teams as the Suicide Squad. These guys fly down the field, with little or no regard for their lives. They seem reckless and wild, but in reality good Special teams' play can be a very important and critical part of a football game and often determines the outcome of a close game.
Very often teams will put rookies on this squad in order to get them on the roster and see if they develop into starters. Aggression and speed are important attributes for Special Teams players.
Teams kick to try and score or to change field position. The Special Teams are made up of:
- Place-kicker
- Holder
- Short Snapper
- Punter
- Long Snapper
- Cover men and Gunners
- Return men and Blockers
Special teams are responsible for kicking a ball or returning a kicked ball from the other team, and are frequently labeled kicking teams, or receiving.
Kickoffs- starts the game; start the second half; start play after team scores.
Field-Goal Attempt - an effort by the offensive special teams to score 3 points by kicking the ball between the uprights.
Punt - an exchange of possession in which the offensive team tries to pin the ball in the defensive team's end of the field.
Kick Returns - after the kicking team attempts to catch it and advance as far as possible toward the opposite end zone.
Kickoff:
The Kickoff Team vs. the Kickoff Return Team, seen at the start of the 1st and 3rd
Quarters and following a touchdown or a field goal.
When the ball is kicked the 11 players on the field will be made up of Offensive and Defensive Players.
The object of the team kicking the ball is to kick the ball as far as possible into the other teams' territory.
There are three types of kicks:
Placekick
Kickoff (Free Kick)
Punt
Place-kicker - must have a strong kicking leg and be an accurate kicker.
Holder - must be able to catch the ball, place it on the ground and balance it for the kicker.
Short Snapper - must be able to accurately throw the ball back between his legs (snap the ball) 7 yards to the Holder.
Responsibilities on Kickoffs (kickoffs occur at the start of each half, after a Point After attempt, and a Field Goal score.
The Place-kicker must be able to kick the ball:
- Off a 1" rubber base that is placed on the field on his own 30-yard line.
- High inbounds, long to either side of the field, or short, at least 10 yards, when it becomes live (a Free Ball) which either team can recover (this is called an Onside Kick).
- And be the last man in position to tackle an opponent returning the kickoff.
On Field Goals and Point After Touchdowns (PAT's)
The Place-kicker must be able to accurately kick the ball from a hold on the ground over the crossbar and through the uprights of the opponent's goal post to score points.
The Holder is usually a Quarterback, Wide Receiver or Punter.
- Kneels down 7 yards behind the Center.
- Catches the ball from the Center
- Places the ball on the ground
- Holds and balances the ball on its point for the Place-kicke
- Runs or passes the ball if the snap is bad or it is a Fake Field Goal Play
The Short Snapper is usually an Offensive Lineman:
- Lines up as a Center
- Throws the ball back between his legs to the holder (Snaps the ball) who is 7 yards behind him (Short Snap)
- Then must help block the opposing players who are trying to stop the kick
For a last second winning field goal attempt, Place-kickers love to have the ball in the center of the field.
Punter - Long Snapper
The Punter must have good hands and be able to kick the ball by dropping by dropping it to his foot.
The Long Snapper must be able to accurately throw the ball back between his legs (Snap the ball) 15 yards to the Punter.
Responsibility on Punts:
The Punter must:
- Catch the ball from the Center
- Step forward, drop the ball to his foot and make the kick (Punt)
- Accurately punt the ball high in the air down the field to the right, left or center of the field
- Be the last man in position to tackle an opponent returning the punt
The Long Snapper is usually an Offensive Lineman or Linebacker:
- Lines up as the Center
- Quickly and accurately throws the ball back between his legs to the punter (Snaps the Ball) who is 15 yards behind him (Lon Snaps)
- Blocks any opponent who is trying to stop the punt from being kicked
- Runs down the field (Covers)
- After the punt is made, prepares to tackle the opposing player who may be running with the ball
Cover Men and Gunners - are agile and fast. They are also good tacklers.
Their job:
Whenever a team is kicking a ball, the players, other than the specialists, are the Cover men and must:
- On Kickoff - run down the field, avoid the blockers and tackle the ball carrier.
- On Field Goals - serve as blockers until the ball is kicked and then as tacklers if the kick is blocked or is short of the goal post and the opponents try to run it back.
- On Punts - serve as blockers until the ball is kicked, then run down the filed, avoid blockers and tackle the ball carrier.
- On Punts the two cover men at the end of the line on either side of the ball (Gunners) are allowed to sprint downfield the instant the ball is snapped, everyone else must wait until the ball is kicked.
Return Men and Blockers - Return men must be sure-handed and able to catch the kick plus have good running skills. Being fearless and aggressive helps. Blockers must have good balance, speed and agility.
Their job on all kicks:
The Return Man:
- Catches the kick and runs it back up the field if he can.
- Catching a punt or a kickoff may extend one arm over his head; wave his hand back and forth signaling a Fair Catch. This allows him to catch the ball without the fear of being hit. He cannot run with the ball.
The Blockers must try:
- On all Field Goals and PAT (point after) attempts to stop the kick (or Block It)
- On all Punts to block the kick and keep the Cover Men from going down the field
- On Kickoffs to block assigned people on the opposing team and create a space or opening (this is called a Running Lane) for the Return Man to run the ball
The Receiving team gets the ball at the previous spot on any missed Field Goal or on the 20-yard line, if the ball is snapped inside the 20-yard line.
Any punt which goes into the opponent's End Zone, or kickoff that is caught in the End Zone and not returned (Downed), is a Touchback and is brought out to the 20-yard line for the next play.
If the return team expects a short kick (Onside Kick) bigger Blockers are replaced with sure-handed players who are adept at catching the ball, usually referred to as the Hands Team.
Safety - a Safety is scored when:
- A player with the ball is tackled in his own End Zone
- An Offensive player commits a foul in his End Zone
- A blocked punt goes out of the kicking team's End Zone
- A returned touches but does not catch a punt (this is referred to as a Muffed catch) and then hits the ball which goes out of, or is recovered in the End Zone.
The Fine points of Safeties:
- After giving up a Safety, the team scored upon must kick the ball from their 20-yard line without the Kicker being run at (rushed) prior to the kick (free kick).
- After traveling 10 yards the ball can be recovered by either team.
- The kicking team can either Punt or Kickoff: usually a Punt is used because the ball is in the air longer (Hang Time).
