SPECIAL TEAMS‘imp

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THE US MARINES HAVE A MOTTO;

“EVERY MAN A RIFLEMAN. l l ”

This motto and idea is more than just a phrase for Corpsmen. It is an ethoscaptured in a phrase. It is a way of looking at life. It is a way of living.

In all militaries the RIFLEMAN is at the absolute bottom of the totem pole.He is the lowest of the low. In our own US Military he is the Dogface, theGrunt.He is the first in line when casualities happen.

The Infrantry in battle takes on the brunt of all fighting. In the history ofwarfare in the 20th Century, the odds of serving in the infrantry during combatand escaping without injury were less than One in three.

In a memoir of his time fighting in the frozen trenches of Korea, retiredLieutenant General Trainor explained what it means to be a “rifleman”.

. . . “A rifle platoon,” he wrote, “is a flesh and blood organization that is themost dangerous of businesses. There are lots of people and things that gointo making up a war machine. But there is nothing in front of a rifle platoonbut the enemy and the possibility of death. Its members must CAKE forone another. Its leaders must CHERISH the men in every fireteam and squad.For a rifleman, a leaders misjudgement, ignorance, or inexperience canbe fatal - NO SECOND CHANCES. No rerunning the excercise until you getit right. When the word “GO!” is given, there is no turning from theconsequences.”

The PHILADELPHIA EAGLES SPECIAL TEAMS are like this.

MARINE CORPS & FOOTBALLLEADERSHIP PRlNcPLES

1. CONCENTRATE on carrying out a single taskas simply as is possibze.

2. EXECUTE it FLAWLESSLY.

3 . Take Care of your PEOPLE.

4 . then GO HOME and Take Care of your TAhULY.

l@AlUNE CORPS & FOOTBALL,SUCCESS PRINCIPLES

1.

2.

3.

4.,.p,1 I 5.

WORK HMD

STAY LOOSE

STAY FOCUSED

KEEP IT SIXPLE

and BE HONEST.

APPROACH

Special Teams Apnroach

‘of our “SPECIAL TEAMS”’ will establish the personality ofour “TEA)+4~~.~’ It must be FAST; PFjYSlCAL and FIERCE.

2. Develop a “CORE” un/t that plays on 4 phases and provides the Heart of our Teams.I :

’ 3. Build supplemental parts around this core unit to add specialty talent to key spots.

4. Play solid in coverage, protection and ball handling.

5. Create at least one Big Play per game through returns, block or turnovers.

6. Out-scheme and out-prepare our opponents as a staff with superior knowledge and.- 1 .*, study..-a

7. Practice at a fast tempo with an emphasis on developing superior fundamentaltechnique at each and every positlon on the field. This will create great performanceson game day.

8. Create rewards for superior Individual and unit. performances.

9. Remember: It’s the little things and It’s the Big Effort.

HOW CAN YOU BE A FACTOR ON EAGLE SPECIAL TEAMS ?

1. Special Teams compose at least 20% of every game, as well as 20% of the season.It is 1/3rd of our 3 phases of football.

There will be 25 to 37 special teams plays in every NFL game this season.In 1999 the Eagles competed in 475 regular season special team plays.

The yardage exchange in these plays is by far the greatest of the 3 phases.The difference between a kickoff returned to the 40 instead of the 20 is TWO FIRST

DOWNS.

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A game breaking play can WIN OR LOSE A GAME.

Consider the fact that at least 3 NFL playoff games in 1999100 were decide DIRECTLY bySpecial Teams plays;

(Titans/Bills:KOR) (Redskins/Bucs:FG snap) (Titans/Colts:PR called back)

Consider the fact that our team will always start the game and second half. Wewill set the TEMPO.

Not every player will start on offense or defense. You can be a STARTER on Teams.

EVERY PLAYER and EVERY COACH on OUR TEAM will have a role on special teams. ;The roles differ and vary according to individual abilities, and according to the other rolesthat each of us has. We take a TEAM APPROACH to everything we do...including teams.

Offensive and defensive starters must COMMIT themselves to their specific Special Teamsrole. The yardage impact is great, and the contribution to our victory is important.

Never unilaterally pull yourself off special teams. If you are absolutely unable to go, alertthe Special Teams coach immediately. (He may say OK or he may say GO).

The BEST will play. PRODUCTIVITY & RELIABILITY are the keys.

Know your backup and who you will backup in all phases. We all work together to insure wealways play with 11.

Be alert on the sidetine. Report to the Huddle promptly and faithfully. -Align in all Spec&JTeams huddles properly. No 10 or 12 man plays!

RUN and HIT. ?@&tfi is no other place in football where a wide-open style ofplay counts for more. Speed and aggressiveness are keys to success.

10. We must display DISCIPLINE! Leverage, position and spacing are especiallycritical in wide open spaces.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Special Teams play is . . . . . . . .FAST BREAK FOOTBALL -. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Number of TOUCHDOWNS PER DRIVE START

TOUCHDOWN

TEAMSPRODUCTIVITY

PRODUCTION POINTS

Score: 5 pts.Recovered Fumble: 4 pts.Caused Fumble: 4 pts.Blocked Kick: 4 pts.Big Play: 4 pts.Score Save: 4 pts.First In: 3 pts.Tackle: 3 pts.Finished Block: 3 pts.Block: 1 pt.Pressure: 1 pt.Missed Tackle: -2 pts.Penalty: -4 pts..Critical Error: -4 pts.

* LGnrDOUGLAS

4 18 8

SPECIAL TEA! DEPTH CHART

RAMSPUNT

LS L T L G CENTER PUNTER PB RG RT RS RT GUNNERCOOK KEADtK 1 THOMASON BARTt<UM LANDtrA 1 H A U C K GAKDNtK CALDWtLL 1 BUCKKALTER MOREYIHAMPTON

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W-DWLL) 58 I 8 4

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Lt SAFETY Rt SAFETY L T L G LC RC RG R T LE RUB RE

MAK I IN LlzWl3 LANIJE I A

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1. Rt Chute Gas 962. Rt Chute Gas;3. Middle Influence4. Squib Al&

KO Cover’l:2F, ,’

$~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~RAMS: L1. Middle Wedge - 9 5 g32. Right Alley Tag 4

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67 883. Left Alley Tag 4 874. Counter Rlght5. Counter Left

85 DAVE 80-

11:33:FG Defense V Gate11:38: Pu11:42: Ha

nt Return Assignmentsnds Team v Rams Kicking either way HIGH HOPPERS

KICKING GAME - PRACTICE CHECK LIST

1.2.3.4.5.6.

PUNTING FROM HASHMARKSPUNTING FROM OUR END ZONE - TAKING A SAFETYPOOCH PUNTINGPUNTING FROM BAD SNAP SITUATIONSCOVERING THE FAIR CATCHTHROW UP PUNTS AND POSSIBLE REACTIONS

7.8.9.10.11.12.13.

REACTION TO A BLOCKED KICK OR MUFFED SNAPREACTION TO A PARTIALLY BLOCKED KICKRECEIVING PUNTS DEEP IN OWN TERRITORYRUSHING PUNTS WHEN OPPONENT IS BACKED UP TO HIS GOALLINEPUNT RETURN SAFEREACTING TO FAKE PUNTS & SWINGING GATE PUN?REACTING TO THROW UP PUNT

14. ONSIDE KICKOFFt

15. ONSIDE KICKOFF DEFENSE (HANDS)16. SURPRISE ONSIDE KICKOFF DEFENSE17. SQUIB KICKOFF18. SURPRISE LOB KICK&

19. REACTING TO LOB KICK2 0 . RETURNING SQUIB AND SHORT KO’S2 1 . POOCH KICKOFF2 2 . RETURNING POOCH KICKOFF

2 3 .2 4 .2 5 .26.2 7 .2 8 .

BAD SNAP ON PAT & FG ATTEMPTS (FIREFG SAFEDE NG FAKE FIELD GOALFGDE WINGING GATE FIELD GOALSFG AFTER FAIR CATCH

2 9 .

3 0 .3 1 .

TAKING AN INTENTIONAL SAFETY

KO AFTER A SAFETYRECEIVING A KO AFTER A SAFETY/PENALTY

SPECIAL SITUATIONS - TEAM

INDIVIDUAL WORKPUNTING RECEIVING PUNTS

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FUNDAMENTALSHASHMARKSEND ZONEINSIDE 45-50 (POOCH)BAD SNAPAGAINST WINDSCRAMBLE AND PUNTQUICK KICKTEMPO VS. RUSkIDROP DRILLSFAKES

FUND,Q,jENT,Qs-” -‘::. , ~5, --

PUNT * PAT& FE’:“SNAP-& BLOCK VBASE & LOADS 8i TWISTSINTIMIDATIO~,,,,z;,,~ : ‘ii:., .+.

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FUNDAMENTALSDOUBLE SAFETY COMMUNICATIONSFAIR CATCHREVERSEIO YARD RULEFIELDING GROUNDERSCATCH ON RUNNOSE UP/DOWNOVER SHLDR CATCWBLIND CATCHRUNNING CATCHTHROW UP PUNTS

DEEP SIIX

REVERSEJI!SD

(/. ,,..$$gBLOCKING KICHg

FUNDAMtiPUNTSPLACE KICKt

l “FIRE”l PRESSURE KICl FAKES I.. .:- .^

SPECIALISTS DRILL LIST

KICKERS-Single Step Strike Drill -Post Catch Drill-Lift Drill-Endline Target Drill-Angle Target Drill-Tight Angle Drilt-Bucket Drill-Bad Hold Drill-Muffed Snap DrilC-Operation Dril t

4 on 4’Protectloti,-

-Avoid & Accelerate

KICKOFFSPECIAL TEAMS DRILL CHECKLIST

Takeoff

Landmark

2on2

6 Man Field

Bull 6 Burst

10 Man Field

Ha/f LAneRecognitfon

Half FieldRecognition

Onside Starts

1 Free Kick

JOHN HARBAUGH- SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR PHILADELPHIAEAGLES- “EAGLES SPECIAL TEAMS PACKAGE” 3-23-02

-he feels that you have to create an atmosphere of success for your specialteams to have success-the most important element in not the drill itself, it is how well the drill inexecuted-there are reasons for everything, a door closes, a door opens-you can not demand things from player today, you have to ask for thingsrelentlessly-players must know were you are coming from-there are no second chances with special teams, you are the riffle man inthe front line-EVERY SINGLE PLAYER has some type of a role with special teams onthe Philadelphia Eagles-special teams are the only place where the entire team comes togetherother than when the head coach is talking to the team. You can have aeffect on the entire team by bringing them close together-getting II on the field-post all special teams depth. Each player isresponsible to know who is on each side of them as well as their ownposition.

TAKE OF DRILL- this is a good drill to work for your lane players on the KOteam. You simply have them run IO yards from the ball and yell out thetime it takes them to get there. The key is that they can not be offsides

PUNT RUSH DRILL- this is a drill in which you practice your punt returnseparately. The inside players take a rep then the gunners go against thecorners

KICK OFF DRILL(SEE DIAG’RAM BELOW)

R

-punt retuners should try to catch punts with 1 arm. Then they should hold1 ball in 1 arm and throw the ball up in the air when the punt is coming tothem. Catch the punt then catch the ball that they themselves threw up inthe air

SEE ATTACHED HANDOUT FOR REST OF NOTES