Tony Levine: Strategies for Building Your Kickoff Coverage

Before Tony Levine took over as head coach at the University of Houston, he made his presence known as the special teams guru during the 2008-11 seasons. Under his tutelage, the Cougars set several school marks and tied or broke seven NCAA records. In this dynamic presentation, Coach Levine discusses assembling and coaching a directional kick-off team that puts your best players in position to be successful.

Pinning your opponent deep is a lost art in the game of football. Coach Levine shares a detailed breakdown of this critical component-from personnel to technique to schemes. He uses the whole part, whole method approach to demonstrate various ways to gain field position by efficiently and effectively covering the kick-off. The use of directional kicks and the coverage each position takes is explained using an overhead presentation and game film. His lecture covers:

• key indicators to determine where the ball carrier is going
• different techniques to beat blocks and get to the ball carrier
• recovery techniques to use when players get out of their lanes
• splitting your kickoff team into a kick side and field side so your primary tacklers are always on one side
• and more

Using a multi-media presentation that includes practice footage, Coach Levine covers team and individual position breakdown drills. He gives an unprecedented look inside a detailed kickoff coverage scheme. Game footage is provided to show the application of each drill.

With top-level offenses, the importance of field position and effective kickoff coverage is vital for defensive success. Turn your coverage into a championship unit this season.

Produced at the 2013 Portland Nike Coach of the Year Clinic.

52 minutes. 2014.