PUNT PRESSURE AND RETURN

Our philosophy on this team is to BLOCK or FORCE BAD PUNTS. To be a successful block team you must have a special attitude about getting the job done. Blocking a punt is 80% Desire & Effort and 20% Technique. We will always align in a 10 man front so that our opponents will think that we are going to go for the block. WE ARE GOING TO FORCE MISTAKES, AND TURN-OVERS. Our philosophy is to lay our ears back and make things happen. We want our opponent to know and fear that if they don’t have a perfect snap, good blocking, and a quick kick by the punter, then the result WILL BE a blocked punt. This style of Special Teams can be very rewarding, because it causes so much chaos, but it can hurt us if we don’t play under control. If we rush aggressive, but under control, and attack the blocking point and not the punter,
we will not get roughing the punter penalties. 

Our return philosophy will be to catch all punts. We will have one deep returner. We can not let punts roll or
bounce by us. We are going to win the battle of field possession, so it is essential that we return all returnable
kicks. 

                                  HUDDLE PROCEDURES 

We will not huddle on Punt Return, when we get our opponents in a third down situation all members of the
Punt Return team that are not on in the game will meet on the sideline with Coach Shackelford to get the call. 
Check the buddy system to make sure that we will have the right players in the game. On fourth down hustle
onto the field and communicate the call since some members of the Punt Return team will already be on the
field. 

                 PUNT RETURN & BLOCK NOTES

1. KEY THE BALL. Be alert for shifts to try and draw the rush team off sides. 

2. A partially blocked punt that does not cross the neutral zone is a live ball and can be advanced by either
team. Do not fall on the ball, instead try and run with it. 

3. On a partially blocked punt that crosses the neutral zone we will use a “PETER” call. PETER means to
find the ball and get away from it. If the ball were to hit a member of the return team after it has crossed the
neutral zone it can be recovered by the Punting team 

4. If you have poor trail position or you lose your man do not attempt to catch up. Look for another man to
block. Looking to the outside first and then up field. 

5. If you knock a man down, stay after him. Do not go after someone else. Many times that person will get
up and be able to make the tackle. 

6. When blocking kicks, do not leave your feet. When you leave your feet you loose control and direction of
your body. This will keep you from roughing the kicker. When attempting the block, do not turn your head
away, keep your eyes open and hands together. 

7. When you are being blocked, stay low on your initial charge and explode through the blocking point. THE
BLOCKING POINT IS 7 1/2 TO 8 YARDS DEEP AND YOU WILL TRY TO MEET THE BALL ONE
YARD IN FRONT OF THE PUNTER, NOT AT THE PUNTER!!!!!!! 

                         IMPORTANT NOTES FOR RETURN MEN

1. Key the punter.....start moving in the direction that he steps.....do not wait for the ball to be in the air. 

2. Get underneath the ball....be in a rocker position as you field the ball. 

3. Proper techniques for catching the ball: 
A. Position yourself where the ball is on your nose. 
B. Look the ball in, do not try to run with it until you have caught it. 
C. Spread fingers. 
D. Elbows in. 
4. Catch every ball kicked to you. We can not afford to lose field position, because a ball can hit the ground
and roll 15 yards. That’s almost two first downs our Offense has to get just to get back were the ball starting
bouncing. 

5. Be aware of wind directions and be knowledgeable about the punter. 

6. Make your fair catch signal a clear and decisive one. Wave one arm overhead twice. Remember....you
do not have to catch the ball even though you have signaled for a fair catch. 

7. Never catch a ball inside our own 10 yard line. Make a fair catch signal and influence the punt coverage
to go the wrong way when we are backed up to our own end zone. 

8. Know the rule of first touch. The official’s whistle downs the ball not the cover team. 

9. Know the “Peter..Peter...” call. the term “Peter” means we do not want to touch the ball downfield. In
certain situations, on partially blocked punts and on shanked punts, we will often not want to risk fielding the
ball. Make the “Peter” call and use a “wipe away” hand signal to alert our team to get away from the ball. 

10. Always run North & South, and most importantly.......BE FEARLESS!! 

                                                   PUNT RETURN 

KEY POINTS ABOUT OUR PUNT RETURN: 

1. The basis for our punt return is individual accountability......meaning....... 
it is the job of each player to NOT allow his man to make the tackle. 

2. We will always show a 10 man pressure look, whether we’re running 
a block or return. The pressure look puts a stress on the snapper and the 
punter possibly forcing them to make errors. 

3. Our only return is a MIDDLE RETURN!! 

Our middle return is 10 man-on-man match ups. It is up to each man to wall out his man, and put your
body between the defender and our returner. The returners job is to catch the ball and get to the middle of
the formation (North & South) always get positive yards. 
It is important that the blocker stays on the cover mans back hip. He will be slightly ahead of us, we can
never overrun the coverage man. When you “feel” the return man, shoot your hands inside the framework
and shield the player covering the punt. Inside players need to block more aggressively as to widen your man
and open a bigger alley. Always expect the cover man to plant and retrace his steps, folding back underneath
to make the tackle. You must finish your block....if everyone finishes his block...we SCORE!! 

                                               PUNT PRESSURE

THINGS TO REMEMBER: 

1. Do not be off-sides. (A penalty can give the Offense a 1st down) 
2. The landmark for blocks is 5 yards in front of the kicker, not at the punter. 
3. See the ball. Drive off the LOS, make yourself “small”. Attack the block 
point....keep your eyes on the ball, take the ball of the punter’s foot. 
4. Do not hit the kicker!!!!!! Never leave your feet.....you lose total control of 
your body when your feet are not on the ground. 
5. You must believe that YOU are the one who is going to block the kick 
6. A blocked punt can be picked up and advanced by you. On a blocked 4th 
down punt, try to advance the ball regardless of risk.........even if they fall 
on the ball it will be our possession. 
NOTE: If the punt is blocked and it crosses the LOS, it is considered a 
punt, at this point regular punt return rules apply. Listen for the “PETER” 
call. 
7. We are not going to block every punt, but our consistent pressure will 
cause tension and it will force mistakes!! 

THE KICKING GAME IS NOT A PLACE FOR GUYS WHO WILL LOAF OR WON’T GIVE A
100% EFFORT. DO EVERYTHING WITH THE INTENT OF CAUSING A FUMBLE, BLOCKING A
KICK, THROWING THE KEY BLOCK, OR SCORING A TOUCHDOWN!!!!! 

         NORMAL PUNT BLOCK FORMATION 

1. Each man lines up in your gap. 

2. 8 people will show rush. 

3. A call will tell who will drop for fakes. 

Example: “ Pressure Kick 29”.....this call lets us know that #2 & #9 will 
drop for fakes. Everyone else rush! 

“ Pressure Kick 47”.....this call lets us know that #4 & #7 will 
drop for fakes. Everyone else rush! 

“ All-out Pressure Kick”......this call alerts us that everyone will 
rush the punter.

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Copyright © 2000  [The Special Teams Web Page].  All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in ANY form by means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission from Bill Shackelford.  Revised: November 22, 2000 .