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KICK-OFF RETURN

Kick-Off return is a big aspect of special team play. On a kick-off, one of two things has just happened: 
1. It is the beginning of the 1st or 3rd Quarters, or 
2. Your opponent has just scored, either a touchdown or a field goal. 

In any of these situations it is obvious why a good kick-off return team is important. You can set the
tempo of the game if it is the opening kick-off, or you can change the tempo if your opponent has just 
scored. Also, the better the kick-off return team is, the better field position you can put your Offense in. 

We will run a 5-4-2 kick-off return formation. 

1. The kickoff will be kicked from the 40 yard line, unless a penalty as been assessed. 

2. Once a kickoff travels 10 yards, it is a free ball and belongs to the recovering team. 

3. If the receiving team (which is us) touches the ball before it goes 10 yards, the ball becomes a free ball
and belongs to the team that recovers it. 

4. If the ball is kicked out of bounds, we have an option to take the ball on the 35 yard line or have them
kick it again with a 5 yard penalty. 

5. A fair catch can be used by the receiving team. All fair catch rules apply. 

6. There is NO blocking below the waist. 

                                  KEYS

1. Do not clip!! Players clip because they are beat and not in good position. You will know who your
assigned man is before the ball is kicked. Eyeball him and get into position to block him. 

2. The front five men must always be alert for an onside kick. It is the Centers job to yell “Watch the
Onside” just before every kick. 

3. Our goal is to score, and our second goal is to bring the ball out past the 35 yard line. 

4. Timing is everything......the blocks have to be made as the returnman is entering the congestion. If you
make your block to early, the defender can get-up or run around you and still make the tackle. On the other
hand, the return man can not slow down looking for a hole. It takes GUTS to run back kickoffs. If you can
not run full speed up into congestion, you will not return kicks for us. 

5. We will number the kick-off coverage team in order for us know who is blocking who. 


6. We will count from left to right, 1-10, excluding the kicker. 

                                   “Middle criss-cross return” 

Starting from the left side we number each player 1-10, excluding the kicker. 

Responsibilities: 

Left Tackle Retreat back and kick out 4. 
Left Guard Retreat back across field and kick out 6. 
Center Retreat back across field and kick out 7. 
Right Guard Retreat back across field and kick out 5. 
Right Tackle Retreat back and kick out 8. 
Fullbacks Retreat under the path of the ball 10yds in front of the return men. Join with the TE’s (shoulder to shoulder) and attack the center of the field. Fullbacks are responsible for any leakage up the middle. 
Tight Ends Retreat back and join-up with the Fullbacks (shoulder to shoulder) and attack the center of the field. Tight Ends are responsible for any leakage outside. 
Return men One returner will catch the ball, the other will be the lead blocker, attack the first threat. Attack the middle of the field, you must sprint....trust your blocking it will open up right as you enter the congestion. NEVER run outside, all your blocking is geared for you to run up the middle. 

                      “Double kick out return RIGHT” 


Starting from left to right we will number each player 1-10, excluding the kicker. 

Responsibilities: 

Left Tackle Run inside and hook/seal 7 to the inside. 
Left Guard Run inside and hook/seal 6 to the inside. 
Center Run inside and hook/seal 4 to the inside. 
Right Guard Run inside and hook/seal 3 to the inside. 
Right Tackle Back out, meet with the TE and DRIVE 2 to the inside. 
Lt. TE Run inside and hook/seal 5 to the inside. 
Rt. TE Back out, meet with the RT and DRIVE 2 to the inside. 
Fullbacks Meet together on the right hash, shoulder to shoulder, run and kick out 1. 
Return men One returner will catch the ball, the other will lead the returner up into the running lane. ***It is very important that you set your blocks up. To do this you must run the ball up the field, don’t give away the direction of the return, this action will draw the kick-off team towards the middle of the field. When you “feel” the lane open, cut to the right and accelerate up into the lane. 

                       “Double kick out return LEFT” 

Starting from left to right we will number each player 1-10, excluding the kicker. 

Responsibilities: 

Left Tackle Back out, meet with the TE and DRIVE 2 to the inside. 
Left Guard Run inside and hook/seal 3 to the inside. 
Center Run inside and hook/seal 4 to the inside. 
Right Guard Run inside and hook/seal 6 to the inside. 
Right Tackle Run inside and hook/seal 7 to the inside. 
Lt. TE Back out, meet with the RT and DRIVE 2 to the inside. 
Rt. TE Run inside and hook/seal 5 to the inside. 
Fullbacks Meet together on the left hash, shoulder to shoulder, run and kick out 1. 
Return men One returner will catch the ball, the other will lead the returner up into the running lane. ***It is very important that you set your blocks up. To do this you must run the ball up the field, don’t give away the direction of the return, this action will draw the kick-off team towards the middle of the field. When you “feel” the lane open, cut to the left and accelerate up into the lane. 

Teams may choose to pooch or squib kick to us. 

They do this for usually one of three reasons: 

1. They are afraid of our return or a return man. 
2. They want to test our shallow receivers (TE’s & FB’s). This is usually a fair catch. 
3. They don’t have a very good kicker. 

In a pooch or squib kick situation we will run a double wedge return. 

Responsibilities: 

Left Tackle Run to the ball and set up 10 yds in front of returner. 
Left Guard Run to the ball and set up 10 yds in front of returner. 
Center Run to the ball and set up 10 yds in front of returner. 
Right Guard Run to the ball and set up 10 yds in front of returner. 
Right Tackle Run to the ball and set up 10 yds in front of returner. 
***The front five men will form a wedge and block the most threatening defenders*** 

Tight Ends & 
Fullbacks If the ball is kicked to you, catch the ball and run up field, get positive yards, never run laterally. If it is a high, short kick, fair catch the ball. Remember, it is a fair ball when it travels 10 yds, you must gain possession of the ball. If the ball is NOT kicked to you, you will run to form a wedge in front of the returner, in this case a TE or FB. You never back up to catch a kick. The return men behind 
you will field the kick. 

Return men On a pooch kick situation, the return man on the side that the ball is kicked to, will run up and insure that the ball is caught. The backside returner will sprint to the wedge and block the first threatening defender. You are the man we want to return the ball. FB’s/TE’s will not back up to catch 
a kick, it is your job to call them off and catch the ball.

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 .