Special Teams Ball and Shoulder Coverage Drill

Objective: To teach Punt/Kickoff Team about lane responsibility and how to maintain leverage on the Return Man.Description: We set up 3 Lines 5 yards apart. 20 Yards away we place one cone right in the middle. Set up two cones 5 yards deeper 15 yards apart. Put a return man in the middle with a football. On the whistle the coverage team sprints down full speed breaking down 2 yards prior to first cone with the #2 man being just in front of the cone and other defenders maintaining their 5 yard relationship. On the whistle return man will move side to side and force the defender to shuffle and keep the ball on his inside shoulder. On Second whistle return man will explode upfield, defenders will close quickly from each side and hide on.

Equipment: 3 Cones, 2 Footballs, Whistle

Coach: Preach full sprint into coverage lanes, and leverage on the return man. Make sure they keep square and in a good football position. Have second man in strip the ball. 

Courtesy of Ted Goveia/Burlington Braves