Onside Every Time - Sam Nichols Turns the Tables by Making His Kickoff Team an Offensive Unit

In last November’s Michigan Division 4 district title game, underdog South Haven, trailing 7-3, began the second half with an onside kick. What seemed like a very risky strategy paid off, as the Rams recovered the kick, scored on the ensuing possession and held on for a 16-7 victory. It was the first playoff win and first district title in school history. Some in the media called Head Coach Sam Nichols’ decision to onside kick a big gamble. But was it? To most coaches, onside kicks are either last-ditch attempts to gain another possession when losing late in the 4th quarter or rarely-used elements of surprise that might catch an opponent off guard and change momentum. Not to Nichols. In last year’s championship season, South Haven’s first-year head coach used an onside kick, or a variation of it, every time his team kicked off. That’s right, every time. Nichols has created an