Specialists

Special Teams Whole Part Whole Teaching

Special Teams Whole Part Whole Teaching

by FirstDown PlayBook on Feb 19, 2025

If you are a young special teams coach you will do yourself a huge favor by incorporating the "Whole Part Whole" teaching method....

It’s Period 5. Anyone Seen The Kickers?

It’s Period 5. Anyone Seen The Kickers?

by FirstDown PlayBook on Oct 15, 2024

One of the hardest jobs I ever had as a special teams coach was to manage the kickers, punters and snappers, especially during practice....

Please Help Your Punt Returner

Please Help Your Punt Returner

by FirstDown PlayBook on Oct 23, 2023

Your Punt Returner needs your help and that means more than saying "catch the ball and make a big play". Be a coach and help the kid. ...

Long Snapping Basics

Long Snapping Basics

by Jack Wellenhofer on Jun 30, 2022

These are the basics of long snapping. It takes hundreds of repetitions to become proficient. However, quality over quantity is still supreme....

Swinging Gate Formations

Swinging Gate Formations

by FirstDown PlayBook on Mar 30, 2022

The Swinging Gate formation can be very effective if for no other reason than it eats up your opponent's practice time preparing for it....

PAT Field Goal Snapping Cheat Sheet

PAT Field Goal Snapping Cheat Sheet

by FirstDown PlayBook on Feb 5, 2022

PAT and field goal snapping is one of the toughest and most under appreciated jobs in football. If you don't have one it can ruin your season....

Field Goal Operation Clutch For 4 NFL Teams

Field Goal Operation Clutch For 4 NFL Teams

by Taylor Mehlhaff on Jan 25, 2022

How many of the four NFL playoff games came down to the field goal operation this past weekend? Yes, we all know the answer is all four. ...

Don’t Forget Your Special Teams Resume

Don’t Forget Your Special Teams Resume

by FirstDown PlayBook on Jan 8, 2022

If you are looking for employment, don't forget your special teams resume as you walk the convention floors in San Antonio....

Blocked Punt? The Culprit Might Be Your Punter.

Blocked Punt? The Culprit Might Be Your Punter.

by FirstDown PlayBook on Nov 4, 2021

Whenever you see a punt blocked the announcers race to find a flaw with protection but rarely point out the main culprit...the punter....

Don’t Be A 4th Down Punting Cop Out

Don’t Be A 4th Down Punting Cop Out

by FirstDown PlayBook on Sep 3, 2021

When we hear a coach say "We are so bad at punting, we might as well just go for it every time." that is just being a 4th down cop out....

Get Your Special Teams Help In Seconds

Get Your Special Teams Help In Seconds

by FirstDown PlayBook on Jul 23, 2021

The Special Teams help you will find here kept us off the street many times in our thirty years of college and NFL coaching. ...

Snapping Technique From Pat Mannelly

Snapping Technique From Pat Mannelly

by FirstDown PlayBook on Jun 28, 2021

Two of the most painful coaching experiences I ever had in football coaching revolved around entering training camp without a long snapper. ...