Punt Block and Return Team

Head Coach Willie Fritz built a punt block and punt return team at the University of Central Missouri that blocked 31 punts and returned 20 punts for touchdowns over an 11-year stretch. In this special teams coaching video, Coach Fritz explains the keys to both units: the scouting that finds a block, the calls his players make at the line, the techniques and drills that get a hand on the ball, and the lane blocking and walls that spring a punt return.

What you'll learn

• The keys to a successful punt block team and a successful punt return team.
• Why a good scouting report is the starting point for blocking punts.
• Call options when your unit lines up to block a punt.
• Punt block techniques and drills that improve your odds of getting to the punter.
• Blocking coverage for the lane players on a punt return.
• Setting walls, blocking the flyers and complete punt return schemes you can drop straight into your system.

Who it's for

High school and college special teams coordinators and head coaches who want the punt return unit to threaten a block or a score on every fourth down instead of settling for a fair catch.

About the coach

Willie Fritz served as head coach at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri, where his teams produced blocked punts and punt return touchdowns for more than a decade. He describes this session as a hands-on how-to for blocking an opponent's punt and returning it.

The session contains extensive game film of Central Missouri's punt blocks and returns. Runtime: about 86 minutes.