Special teams drills are just one of the many things coaches have got to spend time on.
Good coaches find efficient ways to teach and practice the multitude of concepts that must be covered in a football practice.
In the video below John Curtis Head Coach at Christian School (LA). demonstrates a simple drill that he uses for his punt team.
He does the drill at least once per week and after the season has started it takes him about only four minutes to accomplish what he wants in the drill.
The drill is from a DVD showing several live practices. To see how Coach Curtis, winner of over 540 games, conducts his entire practice click on the link All Access Football Practice with J.T. Curtis
The YouTube video has sound, so please make sure that your sound is turned on and that you have access to the site.
The drill has three segments. The first two are on air and the final one pulls it all together with the use of a defender.
In the first drill the lineman get on a line and on the whistle the quickily utilize the step slide technique to move back off the line of scrimmage. On the second whistle the stop and check their position relative to the line the started on. They are reminded that it is a vertical set and they should not be inside or outside of the line. The take a few reps just making sure that they are retreating straight back. Coaching points include: Staying on your line, Shoulder Sqaure and Head Forward not leaning back.
From there he quickly progresses to the Punch Drill. Here the player once again Step Slides, making sure to remain in their line, and then one the second whistle they Punch and sprint out. Coaching point: Inside hand through the Outside Zone. In other words use your inside hand to simulate punching through the opposite shoulder of the defender.
The final step in the sequence is to add a rusher. Here the lineman will step slide on the first whistle. The d-lineman will follow him back simulating a rush. On the second whistle the offense Punches (inside hand to outside shoulder) the defender and sprints out.
Again this is sequence that Coach Curtis use at least once a week and as the season progresses he is able to get these crucial reps completed in about four minutes of practice time