Special Teams

Five kicking plays. Know which one you are on before you leave the sideline.

Kickoff. Starts the half or follows a score. Kicking team boots it. Receiving team returns it.

Kick return. You are receiving the kickoff. Catch it, get north, do not lateral in traffic.

Punt. Fourth down, too far to kick a field goal. Snap to the punter, he kicks, coverage runs.

Punt return. You are receiving the punt. Fair catch, or return. Get out of the way if you are not the returner.

Field goal / PAT. Snap, hold, kick. Three points from the field. One point after a touchdown (two if you run or pass it).

1. 01If you do not know the phase, you are in the wrong huddle. Ask.
2. 02Special teams are not off-plays. Lanes and rules win these.

Kicker. Kicks off and kicks field goals / PATs. Different steps. Do not rush his plant.

Punter. Kicks punts. Needs a clean snap and time. You protect him first.

Long snapper. Snaps to the punter or the holder. The whole play dies if the snap is on the ground.

Holder. Catches the PAT / FG snap and puts the ball on the spot. Laces out if you can.

Returner. The one who may field the kick. Everyone else gets away from him unless they are blocking.

1. 01Who may touch the ball: the returner, or a teammate if it is a free ball. If you are not the returner, do not field it unless it is bouncing and you have to.
2. 02Fair catch: one arm fully above your head, wave it. After a fair catch you cannot be hit, and you cannot advance. If you miss the signal, you can still get crushed — signal clearly.

1. 01Fair catch: wave one arm overhead. You may not be hit. You may not run. A muff after a fair catch is still live for the kicking team in many rules — fall on it.
2. 02Touchback on a kickoff: if you catch it in the end zone and take a knee, or it goes through the end zone, the ball comes out (often the 25 or the 20 — ask your coach for this year’s rule).
3. 03Touchback on a punt: if they punt it through the end zone, you do not run it out. Ball at the 20 in most rules.
4. 04Knee down: if your knee (or any body part other than hand/foot) hits while you have the ball and you are not a passer/kicker in the act, you are down. Do not get up and run.
5. 05Muff vs fumble: a muff is a dropped catch on a kick you never possessed. A fumble is after you had it. Both can be recovered. Fall on it first at youth. Do not kick it.

Get the ball. Get north. Do not lateral in traffic.

1. 01Catch first. A bouncing ball in the last 10 yards is often a fair catch or a stay-away. Your coach will tell you the number.
2. 02After you have it, two hands, eyes up, run to the first opening north. Not sideways along the 5.
3. 03Do not laterals. A pitch in traffic is a fumble with ten people around it.
4. 04Coverage: run through the catch, then break down. Do not leave your feet.

Snap. Hold. Kick. In that order, on time.

1. 01The snapper snaps it back at the height the holder wants. Not a spiral show.
2. 02The holder catches, puts the spot, laces if there is time, then gets out of the way of the foot.
3. 03The kicker does not start his steps until the snap is in the air — or on the rhythm your coach taught. Do not guess.
4. 04Everyone else: protect. Field the block, do not jump the snap.