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Three Levels of Coverage

Malcolm B. Robinson, Jr. ‡ March 2007

 ''*
ðreat Youth Kicking ðame Scheme
 ''*
s Simple concept
s Easy to teach
s Easy to learn
s Provides steady, reliable
coverage
s Requires just a few minutes
per week to maintain skills
 $!"(
+ %$(! "

‡ OL splits - 1 foot
‡ Up Backs - A ðap
protectors - 1 Yard behind
Oðs
‡ Personal Protector - 5
Yards behind football
 SCHEME IS NOT
ALIðNMENT SPECIFIC
Many alignments may be used

SPREAD
PUNT
*,,
"-,
 ''*
(.
* * /
*
 1-6-4 Punt Coverage
Three Waves or Levels of Coverage
First Level -Deep
Snapper:
‡ Clean Snap - snapper
releases & becomes µðunner¶

‡ ðunner - no rules, other than

attack & tackle the football in the
open field
*/*
(. // *
‡ Release upfield, locate angle of punt and work to be
outside the ball to your side

‡ ðoal is to have 3 defenders to each side of ball

‡ As Second Wave gets to about 5 yards from return man

they µbreak-down¶ and chop feet, staying squared-up to end
zone.

‡ Expect returner to try to beat you outside (wide)

 5 Yds 5 Yds

5 Yds

‡ Have each End work to align in a 5x5 relationship

with ball

‡ As return man moves laterally, Ends, Tackles &

ðuards also move laterally to keep ball between
ðuards
(.*' / 
Two Up Backs Fan out & Become Wide Safeties

Safeties
Align
8 Yards
Deeper
Than
2nd
Level
 (.*' / 
Personal Protector & Punter Fan Out
& Become Inside Safeties

Safeties
Align
8 Yards
Deeper
Than
2nd
Level
 (.*' / 

‡ Remaining4 defenders of the coverage team (backs)

become the third wave.

‡ Release and sprint upfield to a 4 across alignment behind

the 6 defenders in Second Level - 8 yards deeper then
Level Two.
Now, entire scheme looks like so...
First Level - Snapper
 First Level - Snapper

Second Level - 6 Offensive Linemen

 First Level - Snapper

Second Level - 6 Offensive Linemen

Third Level - 4 Backs - The Safeties

 ,,0#

‡ has no rules;
 ,,0#

‡ has no rules;

‡ is encouraged to tackle the return man

in open field;
 ,,0#

‡ has no rules;

‡ is encouraged to tackle the return man

in open field;

‡ If that happens, the play is over and

the next two levels of coverage have no
job to do. But... assume he misses.
 Punt Returner

‡ Coverage is effected by lateral movement as a UNIT

 Punt Returner

‡ Coverage is effected by lateral movement as a UNIT

‡ 6 Second Level defenders move laterally as one, keeping 3

defenders to each side of football.
 Punt Returner

‡ Coverage is effected by lateral movement as a UNIT

‡ 6 Second Level defenders move laterally as one, keeping 3

defenders to each side of football.
‡ Third Level -(Safeties) sprint down field behind
second wave and align 8 yards deeper
‡ Third Level -(Safeties) sprint down field behind
second wave and align 8 yards deeper

‡ Safeties move laterally just as Second Level does,

striving to keep 2 safeties to each side of the ball.
 Punt Returner

‡ Eventually Return Man will give up going wide and attack

inside.

‡ Second Level then breaks down and attacks the ball and
makes the tackle.
COACHINð POINTS:

"$
‡ Deep snapper - be sure snap is clean
before releasing;

‡ Sprint down field and make an open

field tackle.
 COACHINð POINTS
// *
*::
*
  $1!"# !"(
// *2
‡ Secure inside gap, deny penetration; listen for ball punted and
³ðO´ call from punter; *
‡ Release and sprint upfield, widening as you go; locate ball and
bend release to accommodate angle of punt;

‡ Work to advance upfield in time and space with your Second

Level teammates; don¶t run away from them;

‡ As you get to return man break down at 5 yards from him;

chop feet and come under control;

‡ Stay square to end zone, don¶t turn shoulders/hips to sideline;

 COACHINð POINTS
// *2*
‡ Whether you are ðuard, Tackle or End, fight to gain and
keep outside leverage on the football;

‡ We want 3 defenders evenly spaced on each side of the

return man;

‡ Ends on either side of the ball should never allow the

returner to get anywhere close to a head-up position, keep
fighting for contain leverage, even if you have to lose ground
somewhat;

‡ Ends assume a 5 yard by 5 yard relationship with the return

man - 5 yards deeper & 5 yards wider.
 COACHINð POINTS
// *2*:
‡ Tackles and ðuards -work hard to keep the
return man between the Oðs and to deny
returner the chance to outflank your position;

‡ VIP to move laterally w/o turning hips and

shoulders to sideline;

‡ Let ball come upfield to you; don¶t break

second level and create a hole in unified front
to get to ball.
!34.-,,5 

5 yards

5 Yards

8 Yards
 COACHINð POINTS
Safeties-- Third Level - the Safeties:
Safeties

‡ Release when football is punted;

‡ Up backs fan out wide and become outside Safeties

‡ Punter & Personal Protector slide upfield inside and align as

inside safeties

‡ Safeties align 8 yards deeper than second level coverage.

 3 + -.
''*
‡ Deep Snapper must first be a reliable punt snapper; if he can
play in open spaces, too - this is a big bonus;

‡ Second Level - try and match abilities here - use kids that can
run and have the Ends be the better runners; - no µFat Freddies¶;

‡ Make sure Second Level adjusts their paths to accommodate

wide punts;

‡ Rep the lateral movement of the 6 OL in Second Level.

‡ Breakdowns happen on change of direction by return man; rep

this and have second level plant & change direction w/o losing
their alignment.
 %%8

‡ .553
,*6,
../..-
,.  //67

2,*3,&
 „




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In theory this is 1/3 of the game,

but many times it
turns into a great deal more...
The End «