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Special teams strategy

Special teams is the term used to describe the specialized group of players who take the field during kickoffs, free kicks, punts, and field goal attempts. Most football teams’ special teams include one or more kickers, a long snapper (who specializes in accurate snaps over long distances), kick returners who catch and carry the ball after it is kicked by the opposing team, and blockers who defend during kicks and returns.

Some players may take the field as members of the offense or defense as well as the special teams; one notable example is Steven Smith, wide receiver for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, who also played as a kick returner during the 2005 NFL season.

Although these are risky, there are a variety of strategic plays which can be attempted during kickoffs, punts, and field goals which can be used to surprise the opposition and (hopefully) score points.

Kickoff strategy

A kickoff occurs at the beginning of each half and each overtime period, and after a successful field goal or touchdown. A coin toss determines which team kicks the ball away and which team receives the ball. After a field goal or a touchdown, the team which scored the points kicks the ball to the opposing team, which in most cases catches the ball and may attempt to “return” it up the field.

Strategically, the coach of the kicking team may choose to have his players kick the ball in one of several ways:

Standard kickoff: The kicker attempts a high kick meant to travel the greatest possible distance upfield without rolling into the end zone. The primary goal is to stop the opposing team’s ball returner as soon as possible, or to down the ball as close as possible to the opposing team’s end zone, thus forcing that team to advance the ball a longer distance in order to have a chance to score.

Onside kick: This is usually attempted in the closing minutes of play when a team needs to score again quickly in order to have a chance of winning the game.

“Squib kick” or “pooch kick”: This is a low kick that may hit the ground and bounce or roll sooner than a standard kickoff; it is thus less predictable. A squib kick is generally used when trying to avoid a run-back, although this outcome is not guaranteed.

Kickoff out-of-bounds: Skilled kickers may try to kick a ball past the return team so that the ball touches the playing field in bounds, then rolls out of bounds close to the opposing team’s end zone. The drawback to such a kick is that the ball may roll into the end zone (touchback), giving the receiving team decent field position, or the kick may land out of bounds resulting in a penalty against the kicking team.

Field goal strategy

Field goals are often viewed as a way for teams to turn a disappointing drive into a small victory. However, many football games are decided by field goals in the final minutes or seconds of play, making the ability to kick an accurate field goal vital for any football team.

The strategy for a field goal is fairly straightforward. The team on offense forms a protective semicircle behind the line of scrimmage on either side of the center, who snaps the ball to the holder. The holder positions the ball so that the kicker - moving from a short distance away - can quickly get into position and accurately kick the ball through the goalposts. The remaining players block the opposing team, whose members will be trying to break through the protective circle in order to block the kick or bat it aside for a chance to intercept the ball. If a team misses the field goal, the opposing team takes possession of the ball without a kickoff.

Distance, the amounts of wind and noise within the stadium, and the amount of experience the kicker has are all determining factors in the success or failure of a field goal attempt. The majority of successful field goal attempts are kicked within 50 yards of the goalpost. However, some kickers can - and often do - make good kicks from farther away. The current NFL record for the longest successful field goal was set in 1970 by Tom Dempsey of the New Orleans Saints, who kicked from 63 yards out. Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos tied this record in 1998.

In some situations, a coach may choose to have his team fake a field goal attempt. The players line up as normal, but instead of holding the ball for a kick, the player receiving the snap may run with the ball, hand it off to another player, or attempt to throw it downfield. This play is quite risky and therefore not used often.

Punting strategy

Most teams punt on fourth down when the chances of gaining enough yards for a first down are slim and when the ball is too far from the goalpost to allow a field goal try. Generally, a member of the opposing team moves into position to catch the ball. He may try to gain yards by running the ball downfield, or he may signal a fair catch by waving his arms, thus agreeing that he will not attempt to return the ball downfield. A player who has signalled a fair catch may not be tackled after catching the ball.

In some cases, a coach may attempt trickery by switching between his offense and special teams players between plays. A coach may call a time-out, send the kicking team onto the field, and then when the play clock resumes quickly run his offense back on and his kicking team off, hopefully disorienting the defending team enough to advance on the ensuing play or cause a penalty if the defending team cannot switch personnel quickly enough. However, this trickery can also result in penalties against the offense if the play takes too long (delay of game) or if too many players remain on the field when the ball is snapped.

Downing the ball

If, for whatever reason, the receiving team does not catch the ball, the kicking team may move into position and try to down it as close as possible to the opposing team’s end zone. This is achieved by surrounding the ball and allowing it to roll or bounce, without touching it, as close as possible to the end zone. If the ball appears to be rolling or bouncing into the end zone, a player may run in front of the goal line and attempt to bat it down or catch it. If a member of the kicking team touches or catches the ball before a member of the receiving team does so, the ball is dead and the receiving team takes possession at the spot the ball was contacted.

Thus it is strategically important for kicking teams to get as close to the ball as possible after a punt, so that they may quickly tackle a returner, down the ball as close to the opposing team’s end zone as possible, and (if possible) recover the ball after a fumble and regain possession of the ball.

Fake punts

In much the same way as a fake field goal (described above), a fake punt is an effort to trick the opposition and either score or gain enough yards for a first down. Fake punts are risky for the same reasons as fake field goals and are thus rarely attempted.

Receiving kicks

The biggest choice facing a kick returner is whether or not to attempt to run the ball back. Generally, a returner who catches a kickoff or punt in the “red zone” between the receiving team’s own end zone and 20 yard line will attempt some sort of return, if only to gain a few yards. If the receiving team’s players can get into position quickly, they may be able to allow the returner to gain further yardage or break away from the pack entirely and score a touchdown.

In extreme cases - generally during kickoff returns in the closing seconds of play - the returner may attempt a lateral pass to avoid the ball being downed in a tackle. The return team may throw as many lateral passes as they choose, and this is normally done in a desperate attempt to keep the ball alive. Perhaps the most famous (or infamous) use of lateral passes during a kickoff return came in the closing seconds of the 1982 Stanford vs. Cal game, in which five laterals during a kickoff return allowed the U.C. Berkeley Bears to score a controversial winning touchdown.

A kick returner may signal a fair catch if the ball will be caught with good field position, or if the kicking team’s members are advancing so quckly that a return is impossible. However, he will be penalized if he attempts a return after signaling a fair catch; likewise, players who tackle a returner who has signaled a fair catch will be penalized. If a player waves for a fair catch and then fails to touch the ball, it may be downed as normal by the kicking team or recovered and returned by the receiving team. However, if any member of the receiving team catches a ball and then drops it, it becomes a live ball and may be recovered by either side.