Just like on offense and defense, to be an effective punt return team, you have to win at the line of scrimmage.
The Attack Pin drill allows you to teach players to do just that. Baylor Bears Special Teams/Defensive Analyst presents practice film and game film application examples in the video below. To see all of his punt block return and technique drills, visit Glazier Drive.
Attack Pin technique starts with a couple of hard steps upfield--punt rush. Controling your opponent with both hands. Having the Outside hand on a shoulder, inside hand on the chest plate. Elbows in and thumbs up to avoid holding.
Come off the snap like you're coming to block the punt. Then, the goal is to pin your man beyond the line of scrimmage to set up a good return. Every second you can pin him improves the opportunity to gain more yards on the return.
This technique is most successful when you know where the protection is going and when the puntint team respects your ability to block the punt based on your alignment and stance.
This version of the drill is very competitive!!
The punt cover team player has to touch one of the two pop-ups. He can go either way. You can make it that he is always going right or always going left. The option to go either way creates a disadvatage since you don't know which way the player is blocking. That is what makes the drill more competitive.
The punt return player is working to keep the cover player in the box as long as possible. If the coaches feel that the PBR player keeps the cover play in the box long enough, it is a winf or the PBR team. If the coaches fell that the cover player got a free-release, point for the cover team.
