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Tim Salem Special Teams - Punt Coverage
- Item #
- WN-12012
- Format
- Buy Now Watch Now + instant streaming
About this video
Speed and desire are the two traits Tim Salem insists on in a punt coverage unit, and this session shows how he turns them into field position. Salem, the former special teams coach at the University of Central Florida, lays out his punt coverage philosophy and hands every player on the unit a job description, starting with a rule most teams ignore: never punt the ball between the hashes.
What you'll learn
- Coach Salem's philosophy and strategy for punt coverage
- Why the ball should never be punted between the hashes
- Directional punting and the payoff of defending only one third of the field
- Forcing the punt returner to run east and west instead of north and south
- Coverage responsibility for every member of the unit on both a right punt and a left punt
- Lane integrity and the specific job of the contain men
- The elements of a successful Sky Punt, and positioning before a potential touchback
- How a gunner breaks through one or two defenders at the line
- Punt operation time, from the center's snap to the ball coming off the punter's foot
Who it's for
Special teams coordinators at the high school and college levels, and head coaches who call their own kicking game and want punt coverage taught position by position.
About the coach
Tim Salem was the special teams coach at the University of Central Florida, where he coached every phase of the kicking game, and has coached at several other FBS programs.
Part two of Coach Salem's four-part special teams series. Includes game footage of the punt coverage unit showing the different roles of the ball men and the contain men. Runtime: about 33 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What is covered in this punt coverage session?
Salem's punt coverage philosophy and the responsibility of every cover man on right and left punts, plus directional punting, lane integrity, contain play, the Sky Punt, gunner releases and punt operation time.
What level of team is this aimed at?
Special teams coordinators and head coaches from high school through college. Directional punting and one-third-of-the-field coverage are especially valuable for teams whose punter has placement but not a huge leg.
How does the streaming work?
Buy Now, Watch Now: your $19.95 purchase is playable in your AFM Videos account within seconds, streams to any device, and never expires. It is also bundled into the 1-Year All Access membership at $99 a year.
Why does Coach Salem not want the ball punted between the hashes?
Punting to a hash or a sideline shrinks the field the coverage unit has to defend to roughly a third of it, keeps the returner moving east and west, and lets the contain men do their work with much less ground to cover.