OUR KICK-OFF RETURN
I explained previously the advantages of returning the kick-off. I like to get this psychological and strategical “jump” on our opposition when we receive the kick-off; consequently, we attach much importance and significance to returning the kick-off. We work hard on our returns. We want a good return so that if we must surrender the ball by punting to the opposition, we’ll give it to them back in their 3-down zone. By this I mean they must make a first down in their first three plays or they will be forced to kick the ball back to us on the fourth down. If we get a poor return and cannot move the ball and must punt it from deep in our own territory, we might give the ball to them immediately in their 4-down zone. Now we have increased their chances of scoring by 25% merely because we did not get a good kick-off return.
Our Kick-Off Return Right
[Figure 93] illustrates our kick-off return to our right with the men on the receiving team blocking their “numbers” downfield, as indicated. Each man on the kicking team is numbered from one through seven from the outside-in, except the last four men on the opposite side of the kicking line, i.e., the men on our extreme left in [Figure 93]. If we know from scouting reports who the safety man will be, we do not give him a number. If we don’t know who the safety man is, we instruct our players—if your man turns out to be a safety, regardless of where you line up, then you will block the first man to your inside. The deep back who does not receive the ball will head upfield and block the most dangerous man threatening the ball carrier.
Figure 93
Our Middle Kick-Off Return
We think our middle kick-off return is very simple and actually takes very little work to perfect it. What we are trying to accomplish is to wall off the opposition in a solid line. This gives our ball carrier time to pick up speed and we let him break where the hole opens up.
In our alignment, illustrated in [Figure 94], our front line is about 12 yards in front of our back line. When the ball is kicked, our front line will drop back six yards and get into a good football position, keeping their eyes on the men they are going to block. When we are using this type of return, we commence counting from the outside-in on both ends of the line. The end men are not blocked because we know they are taught to stay outside. If our scouting report shows they converge and other men cover the outside, then we will change our assignments to handle the situation.
Figure 94
We want our blockers to use the same block that our backs use when protecting the passer. We want them to remain on their feet until they feel they are losing their man. Then they go into a crotch block. The deep back who does not field the ball will get in front of the ball carrier and lead interference. The back who receives the kick-off will start straight up the field attempting to gain as much yardage as possible. When he sees daylight in the line in front of it, he breaks for the opening at his discretion.
If the kicking team places the football on the hash mark to kick-off and we are employing a middle return, we will count the end man closest to the football and block him, and disregard the two farthest men from the ball on the opposite end of the line.