It’s Period 5. Where Are Your Kickers?

Anyone who watched even a little of this past weekend’s college and NFL football schedule was once again reminded of just how important special teams and the specialists are to your football team. Kickers were deciding games left and right.

The impact ranged from a freshman kicker, who looked to have not ever shaved, kicking the game winner in the Red River Showdown to the Carolina Panthers winning the football game on a record tying 63 yard field goal as the game expired against the New York Giants.

One of the most complicated challenges we have ever faced as a special teams coach is managing your specialists throughout the year. Everything from your kickers’ off-season strength and conditioning to the practice schedule during the season can be difficult, especially considering, that most of the time, the coach in charge of the specialists is also responsible for another unit on the football team.

Veteran DC Art Kaufman On Defending Hurry Up Offenses

Last week FirstDown PlayBook and USA Football’s Keith Grabowski sat down with Taylor Mehlhaff who has been a kicker or has coached the kickers pretty much all of his adult life. He kicked in college at the University of Wisconsin and then for the Saints and Vikings. He has coached at the University of Tennessee, Pitt and now back at Wisconsin.  This podcast is packed full of helpful tips if you are a head coach or an assistant who coaches the specialists on your football team. After you are finished listening or while you listen be sure to scroll down and tap on the pics below for a detail explanation of some of Taylor’s drills he talks about in the podcast!

 

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