A fter making the transition from

Division I-AA to Division I-A three

years ago, my coaching staff and I knew
we had a tough task ahead of us.
Considering the teams that we were
scheduled to play and the caliber of ath-
letes we were facing, we knew that we
had to find an edge for ourselves by out-
working other people and doing things the
right way.
An area that we felt like we could out-
work other teams was in the kicking
game. In the past three seasons, our
special teams units have been the decid-
ing factor in several games and have
given our offense and defense numerous
chances to be successful.
An area of special teams preparation
that is of extreme importance to the Blue
Raider’s is practice time and meeting time.
We utilize a weekly practice plan when
preparing for the upcoming game. This
plan allows us to schedule offensive and
defensive meetings without interfering with
special teams preparation. We normally
devote thirty to 45 minutes a day of special
teams meeting time and practice time. Our
in-season kicking/meeting schedule is as
follows:
Sunday Meeting
4:00 Team Meeting
4:15 Pride
4:30 Dawgs
4:45 Kickoff Return
5:00 Bandits
5:15 Position/Individual Meetings
Sunday Practice
PAT-FG & PAT-FG Block (Period 1)
Pride Protection (Period 2)
Kickoff Return (Post-practice)
Monday Practice
PAT-FG & PAT-FG Block (Period 1)
Pride vs. Opponent Fronts (Period 2-3)
Dawgs (Post-practice)
Tuesday Meeting
2:45-3:00 Pride Meeting
3:05 Position/Individual Meetings
Tuesday Practice
PAT-FG Block (Period 1)
3:00
3:15
Thursday Meeting
Head Coach With Seniors
Dawgs
Special Teams:
The Middle Tennessee Way
3:30 Kickoff Return
3:45 Pride
4:00 Bandits
4:15 Position/Individual Meetings
4:45 Stretch
Thursday Practice
PAT-FG & PAT-FG Block/Punt Safe Andy McCollum
(Period 1)
Dawgs (Period 2-3) Head Coach
Kickoff Return (Period 4-5)
Pride Script (Period 6-7) Middle Tennessee
Bandits (Period 8-9) State University
Red Dawgs & Hands (Period 10)
*Substitutions Post-practice Murfreesboro,
Saturday Tenn.
Sunstitutions (Pre-game)
We feel that this schedule allows us to
adequately cover all phases of the kick-
ing game and give our players the best
opportunity to be successful.
A second area of teaching the kicking
game that must be addressed is proper
delegation of coaching responsibilities. Floyd Walker
Our golden rule at Middle Tennessee is
that when we are practicing a phase of Tight Ends Coach
the kicking game, offensive and defen-
sive preparation stops and each coach
teaches his assigned area.
Every coach on the staff is involved in
the kicking game and each coach has a
certain responsibility to the team. We feel
that every detail of the kicking game
needs to be covered and in order for this
to be accomplished, each coach must
help. The involvement by every coach in
the kicking game allows each player to
receive specific feedback as well as the
individualized attention they deserve.
Diagrams 1-7 illustrate our special teams
coaching responsibilities.
Diagram 1
DAVIS (COVER LANES)

Pride vs. Scouts (Period 12) WALKER MCMAHAN

Kickoff Return (Period 23-24) LS LT LG RG RT RS
Bandits (Post-practice) LW RW

Wednesday Practice PP
P FOUQUIER &
2:45-3:00 Kickoff Return MCMANUS
3:05 Position/Individual Meetings MCCOLLUM
Wednesday Practice
PAT-FG & PAT-FG Block (Period 1)
Pride Coverage & Return (Period 12)
Dawgs (Period 23-24)

• Proceedings • 79th AFCA Convention • 2002 •

 3. How good is the returner?
Diagram 2 Diagram 6 4. Any special returns or reverses?
DAVIS FOUQUIER MCMAHAN RODGERS WALKER 5. Who is the best blocker?
K 6. Do they rush a sprinter?
R1 R2 RE R4 R5 K L5 L4 L3 L2 L1
MCMAHAN H 7. Who has the personal protector?
MCMANUS RODGERS
DAVIS DAVIS Kickoff Return
C B P E T T M E FS B C 1. Ålignment of the ball.
FOUQUIER
2. Alignment of the kicker.
3. Alignment of the coverage team.
4. Placement of ball after kick.
5. Coverage lanes.
6. Twist by cover people.
7. Safety.
PAT/FG
Diagram 7
1. Type of rush used.
Diagram 3
P
2. Who we must block.
3. Any special blocks.
PP
RODGERS 4. Alignment of kicker (buckle to point).
5. Leave when holder moves hand. Nice
HINSHAW & CAMP E T E
C P MCMAHAN P C slow takeoff.
LT LG C RG RT B M B
6. Be alert for “RED” call situations.
FOUQUIER
LE WALKER RE 7. Be alert for “FIRE” call situations.
DAVIS 8. Be alert for substitution problems.
R FEDORA
A.) Take time out
LFB RFB
B.) Take penalty
Finally, I have established an account- 9. Be alert to excute and COVERT all fakes.
FEDORA ability system for each coach that ensures 10. How they adjust to “SPREAD” PAT/FG.
R R
quality preparation for his phase of the A.) Alignment/Cover down
kicking game. I require each coach to for- B.) Tempo
mulate a scouting checklist that focuses on 11. Blocks vs. “TIGHT” PAT/FG.
Diagram 4 game-situations, personnel, and game- A.) Block right/left (Overload)
breakers. We refer to game-breakers as B.) Middle block/Jump
P plays that give us the opportunity to change Kickoff Coverage (Dawgs)
the momentum of the game. Every 1. Formationa-Alignment.
Wednesday, I meet individually with each 2. Types of returns (sideline-middle-wedge).
L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 R5 R4 R3 R2 R1 coach and talk about his phase of the kick- 3. Who not to kick to.
MCCOLLUM
DAVIS
ing game. During this meeting, we talk 4. Best type of kick and coverage.
R FEDORA about the scouting checklist for his phase 5. Does front line leave early (turn their
and formulate a scouting report for the backs)?
upcoming game. Also, the meeting allows 6. Do TE’s leave early?
the position coach and myself to exchange 7. Can the TE’s handle the ball, who are they?
ideas and implement the overall game 8. Depth of the ball on kick for the returner
plan. The scouting checklist for the Blue to bring it out?
Raider special teams is as follows: Extra Point/FG Block
Diagram 5 Punt Return (Bandits) 1. Can we block it?
1. Who are the best cover guys? 2. What type of block?
2. Where punter places the ball? 3. Where are the weaknesses?
3. How he handles pressure? 4. Adjustment to unbalanced.
WICKLINE & CAMP 4. Any fakes or special plays? 5. Practice the muddle huddle.
LTE LT LG RG RT RTE 5. Weak areas in the box? 6. Any fakes?
LW HINSHAW RW 6. Are the sprinters good, do we need to 7. Adjustment to “SPREAD.”
H FEDORA
double or can we handle them? 8. Middle block-overload right and left.
7. Does punt team sprint on field or quick 9. Edge block to and away from the kickers
K MCMANUS
snap? foot.
8. Rhythm of center.
9. Unusual formations. We firmly believe in this scouting check-
Punt (Pride) list and credit Middle Tennessee’s success
1. Types of returns. to our players and coaches believing in the
2. Types of blocks. importance of the kicking game.

• Proceedings • 79th AFCA Convention • 2002 •

 Floyd Walker, Tight Ends
When analysts talk about Middle
Tennessee State football, they typically
refer to the high-flying offense of the Blue
Raiders. Our spread attack has been an
edge for us in the recruiting war as well as
the battle on the field. Over the past three
years, Middle Tennessee’s offensive suc-
cess has been a result of great athletes,
hard work, and mostly, our kickoff return
team. In 2001, our kickoff return team aver-
aged (ADD STATISTICS). This successful
return yardage has allowed our offense to
begin drives with excellent field position.
Our philosophy of kickoff return is very
simple. We want to utilize the kickoff return
to create an advantage in field position for
our offense. We feel that a successful kick-
off return will create excitement and
momentum for our offense that will allow us
to start and finish an offensive drive. As
coaches, we must do a good job of select-
ing the proper athletes to perform on the
kickoff return. In dealing with personnel, the
three things that a player must possess are
the following: 1) Speed 2) Agility 3) Size.
Each position on the kickoff return team
requires several skills and different players
fill each position as follows:
Middle Tennessee State University
Kickoff Return Personnel
1. Front Line
A.) Linebackers and Tight Ends
1. Speed
2. Agility
3. Size
2. Ends
A.) Tight Ends, Fullbacks, Strong
Safeties
1. Speed
2. Agility
3. Good hands (must be able to handle
sky/squib kicks)
Must be physical
3. Fullbacks
A.) Fullbacks, Rinningbacks, big Wide
Receivers, Safeties
1. Speed
2. Good hands
3. Good decision-makers
4. Good vision
4. Returners
A.) Wide Receivers, Runningbacks,
Defensive Backs
1. Speed
2. Good hands
3. Great vision
• Proceedings • 79th AFCA Convention • 2002 •
4. Great decision-makers
5. Fearless Runner
After selecting the proper personnel for
the kickoff return team, the next step is to
align the players in their proper location.
We feel that the alignment of the front line
is very important because of their close-
ness to the football. The front line will place
their back foot on the +46 yard line with the
guards and tackles cocked inside facing
the kicker. The center will also align with his
back foot on the 46 yard line but he will be
aligned directly in front of the teed ball.
The two tight ends usually align on the 35-
yard line in between the numbers and the
sideline. Their alignment may change verses
a sky kick team. Our fullbacks will align on
each hash mark at the 20-yard line facing the
teed ball. Finally, our two returners will stand
about 2-3 yards in front of the goal line
aligned on each hash. The alignment by
these eleven players allows us to adequately
cover each area of the field as well as handle
the different types of kicks. A diagram of our
kickoff return alignment is provided below.
Diagram 8
LT LG C RG RT
LE RE
LFB RFB
S S
In determining the type of return that
was best for Middle Tennessee, we felt like
a sideline wedge with a man-blocking
scheme would be best for our athletes and
personnel. Our basic return gives us the
opportunity to block a man for a man and
create seams along the sideline, which
would allow us the opportunity to gain an
advantage in field position. Our basic return
is called Raider Left 32.
This return is a sideline return to the left
side of the field with a double-team on #3
and an ambush block on #2. When deter-
mining the proper blocking assignment, we
always count from left to right to eliminate
any confusion amongst our players.
The front line has a tremendous respon-
sibility in this return. Their number one
assignment is to see the ball kicked and
then find their blocking assignment. The
entire front line must be aware for any sur-
prise-onside kicks or squib kicks that could
result in a turnover. Our left tackle has the
hardest job because of the distance he has
to run to find his assignment.
After the ball is kicked, he will immediate-
ly turn and run backwards and join with the
left end. These two players are responsible
for double-teaming #3 and driving him inside
and away from the sideline return. The dou-
ble team is crucial in the return’s success.
After the double-team has been established,
the left guard will block #4, the center will
block #5, the right guard will block #6, and
the right tackle will block #8. Each player will
try and force his assignment inside away
from the sideline return.
Second to the double-team, the ambush
block is very important to the success of the
return. The right end will align in his normal
position and will take a flat angle across the
field and kick out #2. The ambush block
takes excellent timing by the right end and if
executed correctly, will make and excellent
shot for the highlight film. The two fullbacks
are mainly trash players with the left fullback
blocking #1 and the right full back picking up
any player that is left unblocked during the
return. The returner must do an excellent job
of starting the return up field and then break-
ing to the sideline. The returner not handling
the kick will lead up the sideline and become
an extra blocker for the return man. An excel-
lent diagram of the return is provided below.
Diagram 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
K
T G C G T
#4 #5 #6 #8
#3
LE RE
TRASH
#2
LFB RFB
#1
S S
In summary, we use several other
returns but Raider Left 32 has been an
edge for us in the kicking game. At Middle
Tennessee, we feel that we have one of the
best kickoff return teams in the country. Our
success in this phase of the kicking game
has allowed us to win a conference cham-
pionship in only our third year of Division I-
A. We hope to expand in the future and uti-
lize other returns that may allow us to be
more successful in the years to come.