Kickoff and Punt Returns

Veteran NFL special teams coach Mike Sweatman turns to the return game, detailing punt return and kickoff return schemes along with the drills and habits that make them work. His teaching starts from a simple premise: a punt is a fourth down play, and returns are won through personnel, repetition and assignment discipline long before the ball is ever kicked.

What you'll learn

• Sweatman's special teams philosophy and the tools that maximize return-game success
• Repetitive teaching, knowing your personnel, and why everyone on the roster plays a role in the kicking game
• Building a special teams playbook and game plan, taping practice, and grading every player after each practice and game
• Jet Left, Jet Right and Jet Force punt returns
• Holding up your assignment at the line of scrimmage on a punt
• Wall Right and Wall Left punt returns
• Defending punt formations: assignments, alignments and responsibilities
• The Middle (Center Right) kickoff return and the Bounce Left kickoff return, with alignments, responsibilities and variations of each
• Individual match-ups on a kickoff plus overall duties for the front line, the middle level and the returners

Who it's for

High school and college special teams coordinators and position coaches handed a return unit. The schemes are named and diagrammed plainly enough to install with a small staff.

About the coach

Mike Sweatman coached for 38 seasons at the high school, college and NFL levels. He served two terms with the New York Giants, one under Bill Parcells and one under Tom Coughlin, earning two Super Bowl rings, and also coached the New York Jets, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings.

Part 2 of Coach Sweatman's three-part special teams series. Runtime: about 69 minutes.