You probably know Special Teams constitutes one third of the game. You also probably know too many teams, coaches, front offices (and fans) don’t give Special Teams the attention it deserves. I readily admit I used to be one of those coaches. As a 22 year old, I was hired as the offensive coordinator at a high school that had gone 1-19 in their last 20 games. Because of the program’s limited resources, I also volunteered to run the Special Teams. Little did I know what I was in for.
In our first three games, we gave up four kickoff returns of over 75 yards. Our opponents average starting field position was inside our territory, while we had a starting field position inside our own 25 yard line. We started 0-3. Luckily we were headed into a bye week to lick our wounds. In that two week stretch, I took more time to learn and think about Special Teams than I had ever before.
This article gives coaches 5 concrete ways to immediately improve their Special Teams. It also gives fans insight into how seriously their favorite team takes Special Teams. Although I use NFL and Division I NCAA examples, the principles apply to all levels of football.