USD Football 1992

SEEKING A FAVORABLE RETURN

For every coaching action, there is the invariable reaction. James said that the wall return is coming back into the game a liule bit, even though many coaches have diffi culty finding time in the practice schedule 10 teach it. "During the season,.. said Arnold. "we probably spend 15 minutes a week practic– ing punt returns. You don't get 10 spend as much time as you·d like 10. so you have to keep it simple:· And then-as seems only proper in an election year-just wait for the returns to come in. ,a,

"Basically we use kids who can run," said Arnold. "Our defensive backs, linebackers, and the defensive linemen who can run well enough to get on some– body. The skill of the other IOguys in set– ting up returns is important. You're trying to run downfield and block a guy. You've got 10 have the good skilled kids. You can't just throw anyone out there.'' Arnold says the direction of the return is left largely to the man who will make it. "I leave a lot up 10 our return guy." said Arnold. "The wide side of the field is always a temptation. of course, but you' ve also got to have a feel for what those other guys are going 10 do. We don ·1 use a wall return as such. It takes more practice. You·ve got to have discipline to set it up. If you do it right, it's a tough one. If they get the wall, they walk home. We feel we·ve got good enough athletes to do the (nearest man) way. ..There's a third sc hool of thought." Arnold added. "that the way to handle this part of the game. is 10 pressure the kicker every time. We do have that, 100. but we're going to return the punt 98 percent of the time:·

punt. You've got to say, 'Hey, the bottom line is still field position."' Apart from the individual skill of the return man. what helps produce a success– ful punt return? On game day, it starts wi th a special teams coach who focuses on the opposing punter during warmups. Doing so may reveal that the punter kicks predominantly to the right, 10 the left, or scatters his kicks all over the field. Return routes, and in some cases, blocking assignments, will be selected accordingly. "You have 10 find tendencies in how people cover the punt,.. said Berndt. "and find a weakness. Some of our best returns have been made up the middle:· While the punt return that goes for a touchdown may look like a happy accident - the return man miraculously escaping several horrible collisions along the way - Berndt insisted there is more skill than luck involved. ''It's not as much of an accident as it is a case of the punt returner having made one (defender) person miss," the Temple coach pointed out. "He's got to make one guy miss in the open field. When that happens,

you get a good return." Blocking for the punt return generally follows two strategic schemes: One involves seuing up a protective wall for the ball carrier. The other method keeps him out of harm·s way by allow– ing the upfield blockers 10 fl auen any opposing player who comes close enough. ''Historically. it used to be that you set up the

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". ..you've got to let them know you've got confidence in them. Part of the deal is looking at how punters kick in pre-game warmups."

Dave Arnold

wall with your up-front people spaced every 5 yards:· said James. But the big trend a few years ago was the man-to-man return. where you cover whoever is in front of you. run with him and try to screen him off. "Basically. you take the guy who you line up against." James explained of the man-to-man tactics. ··Jf it's a return right, you hit his outside shoulder. If it·s a return left or up the middle, you go on the inside shoulder. The coaching is really simpli– fied. You just stick with him and try to screen him away from the return man... "We keep it simple:· said Arnold. ·'We just have two or three different returns. They'll all be assigned a man (10 block). If they lose him. they've got to take an angle where they·re not going to clip. In fact. there are times where I'd rather have no block than take a penalty. It's tough to practice because you can never simulate what it's going to be like in the game.

Two of the best: Miami's Kevin Williams and Alabama's David Palmer, who each returned three punts for touchdowns last season.

TOUCHDOWN ILLUSTRATED