Special Teams

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Stu Holt, Special Teams Coordinator, Virginia Tech, shows three of the competitive drills that he uses for his kickoff team. The first two drills shown in the practice film are individual drills.  The final one is a 3 on 3 competitive drill. Coach Holtz’s entire video on 5×5 Multiple Kickoff ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Eastern Kentucky University’s football team practices kickoff return strategies and drills, emphasizing proper positioning, assignment soundness, and continuous practice to improve execution and mental preparation. The video, featuring Special Teams coordinator Derek Day, highlights the importance of competition and showcases drills for leverage, fly zone, and war ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Mastering your punt team doesn’t require endless practice time—just a highly efficient daily circuit. In this video, we break down a 15-minute system that builds consistency, improves execution, and ensures your special teams are game-ready every week. Chuck Hepola, Evangel University Head Coach, presents his Punt System Circuits from ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Every special teams coordinator knows the sinking feeling of watching a punt get blocked – it’s a game-changing disaster that can demoralize your team and shift momentum in seconds. In this video, Stu Holt, Special Teams Coordinator at Virginia Tech, demonstrates the exact techniques and coaching points ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Patrick Dougherty, Special Teams Coordinator, Texas A&M believes that the two places where special teams can have the biggest impact on a game are punt and punt block. They aggressively coach, practice, and execute punt blocks.  That includes varying their alignments and schemes from week to week, pressuring the punt ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Reducing the friction – those split-second delays and hesitations – that your players experience in the fly zone on kickoff coverage is a key to winning this critical phase of the game. In this video, Drew Svoboda, Associate Head Coach at North Texas, shares the drills and techniques ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Improving your kickoff coverage is one of the most effective ways to tilt the field in your favor and put pressure on your opponent. In this video, we’ll break down the critical responsibilities of Hot, Force, and Alley players in the Villanova Deep Left kickoff coverage ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. “The Steer the Car” hold-up technique is designed to create space for your punt returner.  Coach Jacob Bronowski teaches his players that every second gained in the hold-up phase creates 10 yards of space for a return opportunity. In this video, he breaks down the mechanics ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. It is always a challenge to find a variety of drills that rep the skills that you want your players to apply during a game. In the video below, Aman Anand, Special Teams Coordinator at Grambling State, presents six special teams drills that he has used at ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. The 21 Man Drill will help you find your playmakers for your kickoff coverage team.  The premise of the drill is to keep all the other players inside of you. Trim the fat and go make the play. Will Glover is currently an assistant coach at Alabama ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. As a special teams coach, you might not have much practice time with your players.  Here are 9 non-contact and low-impact drills that you can use to make the most of your time with them. The drills are taken from Coach Matt Thurin’s (Special Teams Coordinator, Boston College) ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Finding the best long snapper, coaching them to be consistent, and finding time for them to practice are challenges every season. In the video below, Coach Kyle Stelter, the founder of Special Teams University provides some ideas to help with each of those areas. See why 33,000+ coaches ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. In the video below, “Kick It” owner and kicking coach John Zima shows you some good early season punting and kicking drills to do to get a good start.  These drills should be used year-round to keep your specialists sharp. Coach Zima’s presentation “Training Your Specialists 365” ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Winning in the strike zone is crucial to being a great kickoff coverage team.  Our video with Drew Svoboda, Associate Head Coach at North Texas details how they teach their 2 gap technique to prepare their players to win their individual battles. Kickoff Coverage: Winning in the Strike Zone See why ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. When coaching your punter, there is a balance that needs to be struck between universal fundamentals and traits that are specific to each individual punter. Taylor Mehlhaff, former NFL Kicker, and former Special Teams Analyst at Wisconsin, gives you some insights into how to determine those for ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. One of the most important skills in kickoff coverage is to learn how to win the junction point battles.  That is, the one on one battles that take place all over the football field. Leverage and technique is what wins these battles.  In the video below, Pete Lembo ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Are you looking for some ways to build skills and confidence in your kicking specialists?  Jay Nunez, Senior Special Teams Analyst, Alabama provides some drills and helps train coaches’ eyes to be able to be a better coach for your kicking specialists. This video is an excerpt ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Going from a speed stance and breaking down into a power stance is not a natural movement. For your return teams to be successful, the speed to power technique needs to be drilled consistently. In the video below, Pitt special teams coordinator Jacob Bronowski shows you how ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Going after punt blocks creates problems for your opponents than a hold-up mindset. Matt Colangelo, Special Teams Coordinator at Villanova believes in attacking the opposing punt unit with a punt block mindset. He wants to force them to execute their protection plan.  Villanova does not refer to their “punt return ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Do your long snappers know the difference between being efficient and being effective? In the video below, Coach Kyle Stelter, the founder of Special Teams University goes through 2 of his 5 principles to use to coach your long snappers to be more efficient. See why 33,000+ coaches ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Sometimes, your punt coverage gunners (or bullets) will not be the first players downfield.  Are your players prepared to respond in this situation Trent Figg’s Stack Net Punt Coverage Drill will help you to prepare your players for this situation. Coach Figg is the Head Coach at ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Jake Schoonover, Special Teams Coordinator, Ole Miss goes through their field area identification system, some of the skills they teach in those areas, and some drills they use to teach them. The video shows game applications of the skills as well as practice film of the drills and teaching ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. One way to improve your kicking game is to make sure that your punters are fundamentally sound.  That will help maximize the distance on their kicks and their ability to put the ball where you want it placed. Below, “Kick It” owner and kicking coach John Zima ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. These 6 techniques for shield punt teams will be extremely useful to learn whether you use shield put or if you play teams that do. The video is from a Glazier Drive clinic given by Fred Guidici, Senior Special Teams Analyst at Stanford.  The link to the full clinic is Scheme, ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. You’re extra point, field goal, and punt protection are often only as good as your long snapper.  Working with your long snapper to increase the velocity of the snap can allow you that extra fraction of a second to get a good kick away. In this video, ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Looking for some high level punt block drills that you can use as a high school coach?  Alabama Senior Special Teams Analyst Jay Nunez shows some drills and reviews practice film to show their techniques and keys. You can view his entire clinic on Special Teams Drills for ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. One way to win the special teams battle is to not allow your opponent to return a punt.  In this video, John Lilly (Head Coach at Independence High School in West Virginia) details his Bench Punt system and rules. Their goal for the kicking game is to not allow ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. As we all know, there just isn’t enough practice time.  These pod punt team drills will allow you to maximize meaningful reps for your punt teams. The presenter is Coach James Thomas.  Coach Thomas is the Special Teams Coordinator and Outside Linebackers Coach at Maryland. See why 33,000+ coaches from schools ...

Winning the battle for field position is never easy, but having a solid kick return always helps.  In the video below, Donald Davis, Calvert Hall Prep High School Head Coach, discusses some of the foundations and expectations for their Man Scheme Middle Kickoff Return. You can see his entire clinic on Glazier Drive. Below the video are some ...

This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog. Pitt Special Teams Coordinator Jacob Bronowski walks you through 2 of the drills he uses for his punt coverage team.  In addition to their use on the coverage team, Coach B illustrates some applications on offense and defense of the break chop and snag techniques. You can ...