Special Teams Coach

Ray Guy Prokicker.com High School All-Americans

Ray Guy Prokicker.com High School All-Americans

By MARK MAYNARD / Prokickernews.com

ASHLAND, Ky. – The inaugural Ray Guy Prokicker.com High School All-Americans include some of the nation’s top punting, kicking, kickoff and long-snapping prospects.

Players were selected after much vetting from the Prokicker.com staff, who watched and coached the players during camps, and also by how the players performed on the field during the 2011 high school season.

“Our staff has personally watched these players and worked with these players during camps,” said Prokicker.com founder and camp director Rick Sang. “We’ve seen them and know what they can do.”

There were four All-America categories – punting, kicking, long-snapping and kickoff specialist. The last category is believed to be the first of its kind in receiving All-America postseason recognition.

“There are a lot of facets to special teams and we feel like this is an important one that sometimes gets overlooked when it comes to being recognized as the best,” Sang said.

Selecting the first All-America team with the Ray Guy Prokicker.com brand was something that Sang wanted to make sure was done as accurately and fairly as possible. Prokicker.com rankings and ratings weighed into the selection process but only because that meant staff members had either worked with or watched these honorees perform.

“We’re proud of what these young men have accomplished for their high school teams and look for each one of them to play at the college level,” Sang said.

Eight different states were represented: Georgia (two), Texas (two), Florida (two), Kentucky, Virginia (two), Arizona, South Carolina and Arkansas.

Among the first-, second- and third-team selections three players – kickers Harrison Butker, Nick Tankersley and Patrick Sohrt – were selected as Ray Guy Prokicker.com All-Americans in two different categories.

Butker, a combo kicker for The Westminster Schools near Atlanta, was the first-team All-America kicker and third-team punter.

Sohrt, the left-footed kicker from St. Joseph High School in Victoria, Tex., was a second-team All-America selection as both a punter and kickoff specialist.

Tankersley, who helped Manatee High School capture the Florida Class 7A championship, was the second-team kicker and the third-team kickoff specialist. He was 18 of 26 on field goals and 68 of his 100 kickoffs went for touchbacks.

Ray Guy, the former All-Pro punter for the Oakland Raiders who is considered the greatest punter in NFL history, was proud to lend his name to the inaugural Ray Guy Prokicker.com High School All-Americans.

“These young men have proven that they’re the best of the best,” Guy said. “I’ve seen many of them personally in camps and know the work ethic that goes with being a great kicker or punter. These guys have that something special, that ‘it’ factor, that separates them from the pack. This is just a steppingstone for many of them. We look for them to do great things at the next level.”

First-team selections were:

PUNTER: Thomas Meadows (6-0, 170, senior), Goochland, Va., Goochland High School, Purdue commit. Averaged 41.2 yards per punt for Goochland High School, the Division II Class A state runner-up. He had 13 punts inside the 20 and allowed only 14 return yards. He was first-team district, first-team region, All-Metro and participated in the Chesapeake Bowl where he punted five times for a 46-yard average.

Meadows credits his early experience with Prokicker.com into making him a top-notch punter.

“They really teach the techniques,” Meadows said. “I took a different approach than most kids my age did. Most kids my age went out and kicked the ball. I wanted to learn how to do it the right way. I wanted to establish my form. In my opinion, and in Rick Sang’s opinion, I’ve got some of the best form of anybody my age.”

Meadows will compete for the punting, kickoff and placekicking jobs when he gets to Purdue this summer.

“It depends on how I do in the offseason but I could be doing all three (for Purdue in the fall).”

KICKER: Harrison Butker (6-3, 170, junior), Atlanta, Ga., Westminster. All-State First Team in Class AA Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia Sports Writers Association; All Metro, all classification, in Atlanta/South Fulton area; participated in Georgia Junior Bowl.

Butker made 16 of 17 field goals with only miss coming from 59 yards. Butker connected on a 51-yard field goal. He also had touchbacks on 47 of 59 kickoffs (80 percent) and also punted for a 39.5 average on 33 punts. Four of them were more than 50 yards with six downed inside the opponent’s 20.

“It was an incredible season,” Butker said. “A lot of credit goes to the (long)-snappers and holders. I was lucky to have a kicking coach (Joe Sturniolo) and a head coach (Gerry Romberg) who liked to kick.”

KICKOFF SPECIALIST: Zach Burgy-VanHoose (6-1, 214, senior), Pikeville, Ky., Pikeville High School. Led high school team to Class A state semifinals by booming 85 percent of kickoffs for touchbacks. Kicker for Kentucky in Border Bowl against Tennessee and was selected as kicker on the WMYT All-Mountain Team.

“It definitely is great to be able to end the high school season with that award. It makes you feel good; makes you feel like all the hard work is finally paying off.”

LONG-SNAPPER: Rey Higuera (5-11, 225, senior), Gilbert, Ariz., Perry High School. Arizona All-State 5A Division II first-team; All-Region, All-Section first team; snapped in Semper Fidelis Bowl; Prokicker.com national champion long-snapper for 2011.

“I’ve been long-snapping since I was a sophomore but I didn’t start getting competitive in it until the end of my junior year,” Higuera said. “Our team had a guy who was long-snapping and getting fairly good. We had heard about a coach (Ben Bernard) in Phoenix (Arizona Elite Long Snapping in North Phoenix) who turned out a lot of Division I long-snappers. I really enjoyed playing football but was not the most athletically gifted person. I had to work to get where I am.”

Second-team selections were:

PUNTER/KICKOFF SPECIALIST: Patrick Sohrt (6-2, 205, senior), Victoria, Tex., St. Joseph High School. Sohrt did a little bit of everything for his team in the kicking department but excelled on punt and kickoffs.

“I actually think my punting got better from last year. We had a 1-9 season, so we did punt a lot,” Sohrt said.

Despite St. Joseph’s record, Sohrt was named a first-team All-State punter. “I’d like to do punting and kickoffs (in college) but I’ll do whatever they ask me to do. I just want the chance.”

KICKER: Nick Tankersley (6-1, 165, senior), Bradenton, Fla., Manatee High School. Tankersley had a huge season for Florida 7A state champion Manatee High School, which finished 13-2. “When you play that many games, it’s good experience and good exposure.” Tankersley made 18 of 26 field goals with a long of 53 yards, a school record. Four of his misses were from 50-plus yards. He also had 68 touchbacks on 100 kickoffs and punted 39 times for a net average of 37.18. He allowed only 28 punt return yards.

“He can do all of it (in the kicking game),” said Manatee assistant coach Dennis Stallard. “He’s probably more natural kicker/kickoff guy. He taught himself through what he learned at Prokicker.com camps. It’s not a natural motion for a kid with a soccer background.”

LONG-SNAPPER: Ike Powell (6-3, 240, sophomore), Tifton, Ga., Tift County High School. Powell was the Ray Guy Prokicker.com National Championship runner-up for 2011 and was the national winner in the underclassman division. He was All-Area in a four-county area. Powell is also the youngest Prokicker.com All-American selection and the top-ranked player in his class at long-snapper.

Here’s what Jacob Claycomb, a Prokicker.com staff member, said about Powell:

“Ike has always been really gifted. You can tell he works hard at it. He has his own target in the back yard. Most kids don’t know their exact score before you tell him. Ike threw the last ball and said ‘Oh, man, 24 points.’ He had a running clock in his head. Ike’s pretty much the whole package. He’s probably one of the better long-snappers I’ve had come through the camps. He’s such a hard worker.

During the national championships his fastest snap was .77 and his average was .83.

Third-team selections were:

PUNTER (tie): Mitchell Ludwig (6-0, 170, junior), Abingdon, Va., Abingdon High School. First-team district and regional punter, second-team kicker; Virginia preps.com AA First-Team All-State Punter and Virginia Preps.com AA underclassmen First Team All-State Punter; set five school kicking and punting records; one state of Virginia record submitted (single game six punts for 50.33 yard average).

Harrison Butker (6-3, 170, junior), Atlanta, Ga., Westminster (See information above).

KICKER: Houston Ray (5-11, 170, junior), Van Buren, Ark., Van Buren High School.

KICKOFF SPECIALIST (tie): Sean Covington (6-1, 175, junior), St. Petersburg, Fla., St. Petersburg High School; Nick Tankersley (6-1, 165, senior), Bradenton, Fla., Manatee High School.

LONG-SNAPPER (tie): Mike Sulka (6-4, 240, senior), Bluffton, S.C., Bluffton High School; Fred McClimans (6-0, 205, senior), Flower Mound, Tex., Flower Mound High School.

HONORABLE MENTION

KICKERS

Nick Bartolotta, Fox High School (Mo.), class of 2012

Sean Covington, St. Petersburg High School (Fla.), class of 2013

Andy Ellington, Winfield High School (W.Va.), class of 2012

Pedro Ramello, Fishers High School (Ind.), class of 2012

Austin Jordan, Airport High School (S.C.), class of 2012

Trent Domingue, St. Paul’s School (La.), class of 2012

PUNTERS

Alex Barta, Clarkston High School (Mich.), class of 2012

Cliff Hurst, Centreville Academy (La.), class of 2012

Brian Bostrom, Kings Academy (Calif.), class of 2012

KICKOFF SPECIALISTS

Mark Grant, Mosley High School (Fla.), class of 2012

Ryan Frain, Scecina Memorial High School (Ind.), class of 2012

Harrison Butker, Westminster Schools (Ga.), class of 2013

Nick Bartolotta, Fox High School (Mo.), class of 2012

Carson Greifenkamp, Murray High School (Ky.), class of 2012

LONG-SNAPPERS

Chris Fitzpatrick, Anderson County High School (Ky.), class of 2012

Leonard Skubal, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) High School, class of 2012

Chad Leonard, Queens Creek High School (Ariz.), class of 2012

Travis Taulbee, Montgomery County High School (Ky.), class of 2012

Zack Hirth, Eureka High School (Mo.), class of 2012

Nick Walter, Pickerington Central (Ohio) High School, class of 2013

Billy Oldach, The Rivers School (Ma.), class of 2012

Brent Becenti, Ganado High School (Ariz.), class of 2012

The Augusta Sports Council has announced the nominees for the 2011 Ray Guy Award

The Augusta Sports Council has announced the nominees for the 2011 Ray Guy Award, which identifies the nation’s top collegiate punter. Among the 53 candidates are 2009 winner and 2010 finalist, Drew Butler of Georgia. Candidates were nominated for the award by their school’s sports information department.

The list will be narrowed to ten semi-finalists to be announced on November 11. Following the semi-finalists announcement, a national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, coaches, media representatives, and previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote for the top three finalists, who will be identified on November 21.  The voting body will then cast ballots to select the winner.

The presentation of the Ray Guy Award will be featured on The Home Depot College Football Awards live on Thursday, December 8 at 9:00 pm ET on ESPN. The show, hosted by ESPN’s Chris Fowler, Lee Corson, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard will feature live presentation of nine player awards, along with the recipients of Disney’s Spirit Award, The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award, the NCFAA (National College Football Awards Association) Contributions to College Football Award, and student-athletes selected to the Walter Camp All-America Team. Fans can visit the show’s dedicated web site at www.espncollegefootballawards.com to find the latest college football awards news, including show details, previous winners, fan voting, a photo gallery and video highlights.

2011 Ray Guy Award Candidates
Bryan Anger - California
Ben Armer - Western Michigan
Will Atterberry - North Texas
Trey Barrow - Missouri
Tyler Bennett - Utah State
Peter Boehme - Southern Mississippi
Dylan Breeding - Arkansas
Ben Buchanan - Ohio State
Drew Butler - Georgia
Ian Campbell - UTEP
Tyler Campbell - Ole Miss
Steven Clark - Auburn
Bobby Cowan - Idaho
Ryan Doerr - Kansas State
Ron Doherty - Kansas
Kyle Dugandzic - Arizona
Anthony Fera – Penn State

Will Goggans - Troy
Mickey Groody - Florida Atlantic
Eric Guthrie - Iowa
Johnny Hekker - Oregon State
Tom Hornsey - Memphis
Jimmy Howell - Virginia
Josh Hubner - Arizona State
Jay Karutz - Eastern Michigan
Anson Kelton - TCU
Alex King - Duke
Pete Kontodiakos - Colorado State
Scott Kovanda - Ball State
Chase Lansford - UNLV
Richie Leone - Houston
Jeff Locke - UCLA
Brett Maher - Nebraska
Kyle Martens - Rice
Austin McCoy - Wyoming
Brandon McManus - Temple
Kyle Negrete - USC
Brad Nortman - Wisconsin
Pat O’Donnell - Cincinnati
Shawn Powell - Florida State
Ryan Quigley - Boston College
Jackson Rice - Oregon
Matt Rinehart - Kent State
Brian Schmiedebusch - Bowling Green
Quinn Sharp - Oklahoma State
Brian Stahovich - San Diego State
Riley Stephenson – BYU
Ryan Tydlacka - Kentucky
Kirby Van Der Kamp - Iowa State
Cole Wagner - Connecticut
Cody Webster - Purdue
Kase Whitehead - Marshall
Brad Wing - LSU
Dawson Zimmerman - Clemson

Ray Guy Award
The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia native and College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. The Ray Guy Award winner is determined by a national voting body of sports writers, college coaches, sports information directors, and past Ray Guy Award winners. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times a punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, total yardage punted, average returned yardage, and percentage of punts not returned. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline, and have a positive impact on the team’s success.

Augusta Sports Council
The Augusta Sports Council (ASC), a non-profit organization dedicated to marketing the Augusta area as a destination for amateur sporting events, celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2011. The ASC attracts, creates and supports dozens of sporting events and activities each year, generating a positive economic impact and enhancing the quality of life for residents of the greater Augusta community. To learn more, visit www.augustasportscouncil.org.

National College Football Awards Association
The Ray Guy Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s official website, www.ncfaa.org.

The Punt of No Return – Part 2

10 KEYS to OPTIMUM PUNT COVERAGE

By Rick Sang – Director

Ray Guy Prokicker.com Kicking Camps

Legendary NFL punter Ray Guy learned early-on in his career the importance of keeping the ball up in the air. He knew it was not only harder to catch a towering punt, but more importantly it allowed his teammates the extra time needed to cover it, and therefore minimize any chance of a return. He began mastering his technique as a young athlete by punting the ball over the high power lines behind his boyhood home. While most kids try to see how far they can kick it, Ray wanted to see how high. His practice paid off. And after a legendary career at the University of Southern Mississippi (that led him to becoming the first punter ever to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame), Ray Guy became the first punter ever taken in the first round of an NFL Draft.

 “I was never much on hang time until we got Ray. But then we started clocking how long his punt hung up in the air. Sometimes he kept it up there as long as six seconds!”

- John Madden, ABC Monday Night Football/ Former Coach

Ray Guy punter

Ray Guy makes a one-handed save of a bad snap in the Super Bowl

 

Hang time is extremely important to the coverage team, yet there is still a lot more to it than that. If you really break it down, you need to have a very accurate and timely snap, you need great protection, and you need quick, rhythmic get-off times. The punter has to be a good athlete. He must make up for any challenges faced during the snap-to-kick sequence insuring that every ball is handled and punted without being blocked…no matter what happens.

 In order to have tremendously effective coverage, the punter must direct the flight of the ball to a position on the field that minimizes any chance of a return. This strategy is developed through coaching philosophy, the study of opponent’s personnel; return tendencies, as well as knowing necessary game-day adjustments. Therefore the punter should have a “specific target” in mind every time he called on to perform…and through Special Teams preparedness, the destination of the punt will be no secret to the coverage team.

“He (Ray Guy) was an expert in the arcane area of ‘hang time,’ the precious time the ball was in the air, allowing the coverage to assemble around the returner. If you accept the idea of physics that there is only so much energy to propel a kick, Guy was willing to sacrifice distance for height.-

-Greg Garber, Author of “Inside Football” – Award Winning Investigative Sports Journalist and ESPN Football Commentator

The Keys (6 to 10) to Optimum Punt Coverage – Continued from The Punt of No Return - Part 1

6) COMMUNICATE OBJECTIVES

There must be a purpose to every punt and it needs to be communicated. The punter can instill tremendous confidence in his team by being so consistent that he is predictable. And by knowing the specific objectives of every punt the coverage team will be prepared and markedly more effective. This preparedness can be developed though coaching philosophy, focused repetitions, the study of the opponent’s personnel; return tendencies, as well as game-day adjustments.

7) ACCURATE, TIMELY SNAPS

Practically every play in the kicking game (except the kickoff) starts with the snapper. No matter what level of play – the snap time needs to be near the .8 range or slightly faster. This is the optimum time for both speed and accuracy. Even though the distance the punter aligns behind the snapper varies at different athletic levels (high school-12 yards / college and pro-14 to 15 yards) the needed snap time remains the same. Since the snapper becomes more proficient as he advances to the next level, he basically maintains the same snap time by offsetting the added distance with increased snap-speed.

8) QUICK, RHYTHMIC GET-OFF TIMES

Coaches need to time their punters constantly. The goal is not to get the ball away as fast as possible, but to hit a mark—2.0 to 2.1 (college and pro) 2.1 to 2.2 (high school).

Punters should be continually timed not only to get the ball off quickly, but also to enable the development of a proper rhythm and thus improve consistency. There is such a thing of getting a ball off too quickly when it is not necessary. If the punter is timed regularly, he will know his ideal time and therefore maximize effectiveness every time he punts.

It’s also important to time a punter’s hand to foot (touch to toe) time. By starting the watch the instant the ball makes contact with his hands and stopping it the moment the foot makes contact with the ball a true measure of his get-off ability can be recorded. (The optimum mark should be 1.2 to 1.3 for college and pro and 1.3 to 1.4 for high school).

It is crucial that punters be timed during games to insure times are consistent. This will also enable the coach to keep the entire punt team accountable if the punt is ever close to being blocked. (If the get-off time is good then it is likely the protection needs to do a better job). The bottom line is this: The punter has to be a good athlete. He must make up for any challenges faced during the snap-to-kick sequence insuring that every ball is handled and punted without being blocked…no matter what happens.

SNAP TIME                                    .75-.8

HAND-TO FOOT TIME              1.25-1.3

OPTIMAL GET-OFF TIME      2.0 – 2.1 seconds

9) DECISIVE PROTECTION

Every player involved in protecting the punter must know the overall objective of the punt and be decisive about whom they are going to block. Once the ball is snapped the transition from protection to coverage must be quick, rhythmic, and flawless. Through repetition, and timing, the punt team can develop “an inner clock” by working together in unison knowing at the moment the snap begins there is no more than 2.1 seconds before the ball begins its flight toward it’s predetermined destination. During this time each protector needs to know they must be diligent in their responsibility not to allow any penetration beyond the block point area (approximately 10 yards). And for only two seconds every player is accountable in determining whether the punt is successfully advanced down field. This simple fact of each player knowing exactly what they are assigned to do in just a brief moment is powerful and effective in itself. This is just another reason why it is so important to time everything whether it is during a game or at practice. It puts everyone on the clock and therefore everyone is accountable!

10) QUICK, ADJUSTING COVERAGE

When every member of the coverage team knows their specific assignment, the timing involved, and the overall objective of every punt, they naturally become more efficient with every move. This is the exact moment where confidence developed through preparation pays off. They will protect effectively, they will release quicker, and they will cover with more speed knowing exactly where the ball is headed and the purpose of the punt. This will only enhance the coverage team’s field of vision allowing them to be alert for blocking patterns and return schemes. They will even be able to read the reaction of the return man knowing all the options he has and being prepared for his every move. Each man on the coverage team needs to adjust to the anticipated flight of the ball, maintain spacing, keep the returner contained, and prepare for breakdown all in preparation for sure tackling (and to be in position for any turnovers).

At the very moment the football is snapped it only takes seven seconds for eleven men – to work together as a cohesive unit with a common goal; knowing each are accountable and have the responsibility to dedicate all of their prepared ability for “the punt of no return.” Again – it only takes seven seconds – two seconds for the ball to be snapped and punted and five seconds of hang time. Every player on the punt coverage team can dig out seven more seconds!

Prokicker.com

The Punt of No Return – part 1

 
 
 
 

Ray Guy punter

Ray Guy

10 KEYS to OPTIMUM PUNT COVERAGE

By Rick Sang – Director

Ray Guy Prokicker.com Kicking Camps

Ray Guy is considered the greatest punter in the history of the National Football League, yet through a 14 year professional career he does not have the record for the most punting titles, he does not have the record for the longest punt, and he does not have the best career punting average (he’s not even listed in the top 20). So why is it, when you ask who is the greatest quarterback, running back, receiver or any other position for that matter, football fans and experts can debate numerous names with such passion, yet when you ask any one of them who is the greatest punter of all time…? The answer without hesitation is … Ray Guy. 

Really good punters may not always lead the league in punting average but they always strive to punt in the way that benefits the team. The one phenomenal achievement that separated Ray Guy from all the rest is that he never had a punt returned on him for a touchdown…NEVER!

Now how was this accomplished?

 1) PRECISION PLACEMENT

The punter needs to know the game situation, the alignment of the opponents and the direction in which he wants to punt the ball (target area). Every time the ball is punted (during practice or in a game) the ball needs to be directed toward a specific target. Only then, can a punter truly develop consistent, accurate control and placement.

 2) MAXIMIZE HANG TIME

Hang time – Ray Guy invented it. John Madden is quoted saying that ”Ray sometimes kept the football up in the air for as long as six seconds!” Ray’s secret was knowing specifically where he wanted to place the footall. He was a master at it. And he knew that by selecting an exact target, the punter can focus his entire punting motion in that direction, thus maximizing hang time. Beginning with the initial step, everything – steps, hips, shoulders, leg swing, punting foot, and follow-through – should be done in a direct line with and square to (facing) the target. The forward motion of the body moving in a direct line will ensure the generation of maximum power and control. Proper mechanics can also be determined when the punter aligns with his target from start to finish. NOTE: OPTIMUM HANG TIME 4.0 OR BETTER (HIGH SCHOOL), 4.5 OR BETTER (COLLEGE AND PRO).

 3) OPTIMIZE DISTANCE

A common practice by the truly great punters is to “sacrifice distance for hang time.” It’s not about how far you can punt, its how effective. A high gross punting average is not the goal; its punting in the manner that most benefits the team!  And if you truly want to enhance hang time, the secret is to optimize the distance the ball travels in the air. Consider this: A football punted 45 yards with 4.0 hang time is likely to be caught and returned (let’s say for 5 yards). Another ball is punted for 40 yards with a 4.5 hang time and it is likely to be caught but NOT returned (The coverage team simply has more time and less distance to travel). Both punts finish with the same net distance (40 yards) but it was the second punt that was most effective because there was NO return. And if there was NO return that means there was NO chance whatsoever for one to be returned all the way! So if you want to have the most effective punt coverage team, you will want to lead in two main statistical categories; net punting and Percentage of punts NOT returned. By setting these two objectives for your team you will see a dramatic change in your coverage.

 4) MINIMIZE THE COVERAGE AREA

Always be prepared to direct the flight of the ball to a specific area that would minimize the coverage area and allow the cover team to quickly “blanket” the return man. Take advantage of the closest sideline when the ball is placed on or near the hash. If the ball is positioned in the middle of the field, (or anytime there is an overload or you feel there is too much pressure coming from the outside) then consider punting the ball straight downfield with maximum hang time and optimum distance. Remember; when you combine precision placement with maximum hang time, and optimum distance, your coverage team can cover everywhere on the field effectively!

5) CHALLENGE THE RETURN MAN

To control returns and minimize big plays you must challenge the return man. It’s tough enough catching a high towering punt, but when you add strategically placed punts to the mix; he has a lot more to think about. For instance if the ball is near midfield and on the hash, instead of punting out of bounds (or in to the end zone), aim for a specific target well outside the numbers on the 10 yard line. The objective is to obtain maximum hang time with an optimum punt of near 40 yards and no farther. By positioning the ball in this tight proximity the punt returner would have to make a decision to catch the ball or let it go; if he let’s it go, it will hang long enough to be downed by the coverage team or the flight path may allow the ball to continue on out of bounds (well inside the 20 yard line). If the return man decides to catch it, he will not have much room to work with because of the placement of the punt near the sideline. And by combining effective placement with hang time you have virtually eliminated any return. (Not to mention there is always a chance for the ball to be mishandled by the return man). The goal: 40 yard punt; no return; field position inside the 20 (or better).

Keys 6-10 will be covered in Part – 2 of “The Punt of No Return.”

Prokicker.com