Save One Game a Year
With the Maine Overshift
O n behalf of the entire University of
Maine coaching staff, it is a pleasure
for me to share our overshift concept. We
started this concept three years ago. Four
years ago, we lost a game using the tradi-
tional 5-4-2 alignment with no overshift.
Since we have changed to the overshift,
our back wall players have been able to
field the ball without being collisioned. That
Bobby Wilder is the purpose of the overshift.
Kickoff Return Black Bear On-Side Kickoff Return
Coach Personnel
Special personnel will be substituted for
University of our normal kick off return people when we
Maine anticipate an onside kick.
Coaching Point: Do not block below
Orono, Maine the waist!
Front Line
A. Align on the 46. Stay square to the line
and in good fundamental football position
with hands positioned like a baseball infielder.
Each player should be facing the kicker.
B. Field any onside attempt directly at you
or close down the restraining line. Fielding a
Scott Lakatos kick that is close to the line requires good
judgment. Field it if there is any doubt as to
Special Teams whether or not it is going to cross the line and
Coordinator you can recover it cleanly.
C. If the kick goes through the front lime,
block your assigned man.
D. If the opponent kicks deep, drop
straight back to the 35 and block most dan-
gerous man.
Second Line
A. Line up five yards behind the front
line (49 yard line). Fill in the spaces
between the front line. Stay square to the
line and in good fundamental football posi-
tion with the hands positioned like a base-
ball infielder.
B. Field any ball that crosses the line.
Think in terms of gaining possession rather
than advancing the ball.
C. If the opponent kicks deep, drop
straight back to the 30 and block most dan-
gerous man. Make sure the ball is recov-
ered by the deep man.
Coaching Point: Always have your
eyes on the ball. Always stay alert for the
kick. See the ball kicked. Cover up team-
mate who recovers the ball.
Returner
A. Align on the 30 yard line. Be aware of
the short kicks that might land behind the
second line.
• AFCA Summer Manual — 1999 •
B. If you recognize the onside kick, fill
gap between three and four initially. If ball
goes wider, go to the ball!
Coaching Point: When the ball is
kicked deep, field it clearly and get as
many yards as you can. Avoid any possibil-
ity of a fumble.
Diagram 1: Overshift Right
Overshift Right
Front Wall
Line up on the 46-yard line.
No. 1: One yard on the bottom of the
numbers. Block No. 1 from the sideline.
No. 2: Three yards on top of the num-
bers. Block No. 2 from the sideline.
No. 3: Split difference between the hash
and the numbers. Block No. 3 from the
sideline.
No. 4: Line up on the hash. block No. 4
from the sideline.
No. 5: Line up three yards on top of the
hash. If ball is kicked to your side, recover
or block most dangerous man. Run ball
when kicked away!
No. 6: Split difference between hash
and numbers. Same as No. 5.
Coaching Point for 1-4: If the man you
are blocking moves closer to the sideline,
adjust with him.
Back Wall
Line up five yards from front wall (49-
yard line).
No. 1: Find a vision lane to the kicker
between No. 1 and No. 2 in the front wall.
Recover kick or protect.
No. 2: Find a vision lane to the kicker
between No. 2 and No. 3 in the front wall.
Recover kick or protect.
No. 3: Find a vision lane to the kicker
between No. 3 and No. 4 in the front wall.
Recover kick or protect.
No. 4: Align on hash. Recover kick if
kicked to you. Run to ball when kicked away!
 Diagram 2: Overshift Left
Diagram Balance
Overshift Left
Note: Alignments are the same as over-
shift right. Players will always be the same
number so they either go to the kick side or
away from the kick side.
Balance
Front Wall
Line up on the 46-yard line.
No. 1: On top of the numbers.
No. 2: One yard outside the hash.
No. 3: Three yards to left of kicker.
No. 4: Three yards to right of kicker.
No. 5: One yard outside the hash.
No. 6: On top of the numbers.
Back Wall
Line up five yards from the front wall
(49-yard line).
No. 1: Split the difference between No.
1 and No. 2 in the front wall.
No. 2: Split the difference between No.
2 and No. 3 in the front wall.
No. 3: Split the difference between No.
4 and No. 5 in the front wall.
No. 4: Split the difference between No.
5 and No. 6 in the front wall.
If the Ball is Kicked Deep vs.
the Hands Team
Front Line
No. 1: Drop back to the 35, turn and
block most dangerous man.
No. 2: Drop back to the 35, turn and
block most dangerous man.
No. 3: Drop back to the 35, turn and
block most dangerous man.
No. 4: Drop back to the 35, turn and
block most dangerous man.
No. 5: Drop back to the 35, turn and
block most dangerous man.
No. 6: Drop back to the 35, turn and
block most dangerous man.
Second Line
No. 1: Drop back to the 30, turn and
block most dangerous man.
No. 2: Drop back to the 30, turn and
block most dangerous man.
No. 3: Drop back to the 30, turn and
block most dangerous man.
No. 4: Drop back to the 30, turn and
block most dangerous man.
Key Coaching Points for
All Three Formations
1. Huddle on the sideline as long as pos-
sible. Try to determine the location of the
kicker and the ball. That way you can make
your call before the players go on the field.
2. Have one player assigned to make
the call in case the kicking team huddles
until the whistle or they shift from one side
to the other (We like to use No. 4 in the
front wall).
3. Alert the side judge that you may call
a time-out if you don’t like what formation
they come out in.
4. Spend five minutes per week drilling
your starters and back-ups on all three calls.
5. Keep all of your players at the same
positions. Have a back-up for each posi-
tion. The assignments can become confus-
ing if they are trying to learn more than one
position.

Make a Difference
Insist on Secure Assistant Coaches’
Contracts When Moving
to a New Position
AFCA members moving into a new position as a head coach can make a difference when it comes
to improving the football coaching profession.

Coaches who are in the process of interviewing for a head coaching position should make it a point
to ask that assistant coaches’ contracts run from July to July or the equivalent (such as January to
January plus six months) when negotiating with an institution’s representatives.

Only those within the profession can put an end to poor contracts.

It’s up to you.

• AFCA Summer Manual — 1999 •