Preparing Your Punt Teams

Getting your punting and pressure/return special team units prepared to meet the challenges they’ll face on game day can be the difference between a win and a loss.Successful coaching requires attention to detail. This is never truer than in special teams, especially in preparing your punt and punt pressure/return units. Punts and punt returns hold opportunities for positive, momentum-changing outcomes but they also have the potential for disaster. Of all the plays in football, the punt requires players to execute on the most levels, using multiple skills. Members of the punt team need to block rushers, but also pursue downfield and execute tackles. Members of the punt pressure/return team must be competent rushers at the line of scrimmage but they also must be solid enough blockers to open up return lanes.AFM spoke to seven special teams coaches and asked them what is the toughest