Thunder Cat Rugby Punt: Details and

Assignments
By Abe Mikell
Assistant Coach
Stuarts Draft High School (VA)
In the spring of 2006, my wife and I were getting ready to move across the state to a new school and a new town.
The school was also getting a new head football coach and he assigned me to head up the special teams. We spoke
a little bit about what we would be doing on offense (the wing-t), and I tossed out the idea of running a rugby
style punt out of an unbalanced double wing formation, Red for you Delaware guys. Rod, the HC, liked the idea
and from that point on we have used a rugby style punt. See Diagram 1 below for the formation.

Benefits of Using a Rugby-Style Punt:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Kicking directionally limits the returns used by the punt return team.
Directional kicking allows you to focus your coverage to one part of the field.
The formation, along with the motion we use, allows you to outnumber the return team on the kick side
of the field.
The rugby punt gives at least a mild threat of an outside run by the punter.
Rugby punts are also often more difficult to field than a traditional punt.
The blocking scheme we use is the same as the blocking for rocket sweep so our OL doesnt have to learn
a new set of rules.

Team Goals
1.
2.
3.

We have three main goals for our punt team:

Avg 30 yards net punting
No Blocked Kicks
Convert all attempted fakes.

Personnel
We are a small school with a pretty small football team of anywhere from 28-35 players, so we have to use a lot of

the same players that are used to play offense and defense.
The Y will usually be our starting TE.
The rest of the OL will be made up of our most athletic offensive linemen and since we run the Wing-T;
this usually means that they will be guards. Many of these guys will also be LBs on defense.
The X will be one of our top 3 WRs. The right wing will be our best blocking wingback. The left wing will
be one of our fastest guys who can also tackle well.
The Q is usually our starting QB, but could be a back up or other player who can throw the ball.
We have had guards and wing backs take the role as punter.
The main thing we look for is the ability of the punter to put the ball consistently outside the numbers and at least
25 yds downfield on the kick.

The Scheme
Rip Punt

Pos

Stance
Balanced 3
Y Point
Balanced 3
LG Point
Normal
S Snapping
Balanced 3
RG Point
Balanced 3
RT Point

Alignment
2 Split Even w/
LGs Toes
2 Split Toes on
Cs heels

Assignment
Coverage Lane
Step flat 3 steps to secure BS B, aiming at LGs
5-6 yards inside left hash.
hip.
Step flat 3 steps to secure PS A, pull around
Down Middle of Field
center.

On ball

Secure snap, step to secure BS A.

2 Split Toes on
Cs heels
2 Split Even w/
RGs Toes

Step flat 3 steps to secure PS B, aiming at RTs

5 yards inside Right hash
hip.
Step flat 3 steps to secure PS C, aiming at OTs
1-2 yards inside Right hash
hip.

FB/ Balanced 3
Point
OT

2 Split Even w/ Step flat 3 steps to secure PS D, aiming at

RTs Toes
widest DLs far knee.

Take best release to ball. Keep ball inside left

2 3 yds outside
shoulder. Secure catch and tackle. Force
#s on ball
fumble
Long motion in front of the QB. Ball Will be
2 ptParallel 3 x 3 off ghost
snapped when you are behind the FB. On
LW w/ LOS
TE
snap, get outside WR for contain.
2
Take best release to ball. Keep ball inside
3 x 3 off ghost
right shoulder. Secure catch and tackle. Force
RW pointParallel TE
w/ LOS
fumble
Call cadence. Secure PS & BS A, 1st, then
Balanced 2 Heels at 4-5 yds
secure all penetration from the left side.
QB Point
behind RG
Release down field for ball
Take snap. Angle hips to right. 1 or 2 step
10 yds behind C
P Punting
punt to #s.
X

Normal

1-2 yards inside left hash

2 yards outside Right hash

No Responsibility. Go to
Ball
4 yards from SL. PS
Contain.
No Responsibility. Go to
Ball
On or 2 yds outside left
hash. Contain
Responsibility on left.
Play Safety

Coaching Points and variations:

The kicker should kick the ball at least 25 yds downfield and outside the numbers. We would rather have
a short kick go out of bounds, than a deep kick down the middle of the field.
The kick can be executed to the left by simply flipping the formation and the assignments, as long as
your kicker must practice this regularly.
Below are some notes on the Punters Technique that I have acquired from various sources over the past 3 years.
Hold: The punter will hold the back half of the ball with the finger tips of both hands. The ball should be
held at approximately a 45 degree angle across the kicking foot.
Drop: The punter should hold the ball around just above waist level, and lean, so as to drop the ball on
the kicking foot
Footwork: When kicking in the direction of your kicking leg, the kicker should take the snap, then a
short open step w/ the play side foot. Toes should point to the sideline. The 2 nd step should then be a cross over
step. Toes should point 5 yds downfield at the sideline. The punt should be made on the 3 rd step, aiming at the
target. When kicking away from your kicking leg, you should open your kick side hip to the side
Plant Foot: The plant foot should be aimed at the sideline 25 to 30 yds downfield and the kicking leg
should swing straight through the ball.

Fakes
We also have several fakes we like to run as part of our ruby punt package. The series was heavily influenced by
some of the single wing film that I have seen and articles that I have read. The fake series is similar to any other
Wing T series, because it has a sweep as its base play, a counter, an inside play, and a play action pass.
The Base Play: Direct Snap Jet Sweep

The first fake is a direct snap jet sweep to the left wing. The blocking stays the same for the OL , but the snapper
aims at the Qs outside number for the motioning left wing to catch in the air.

Coaching Points:

EMLOS: End man on the line of scrimmage.

Y, LG, S, & RG, can release almost immediately up field to block 2 nd and 3rd level defenders. S should
release flat for the Return man.
Cracks must be communicated before the snap to ensure everyone is blocked.
The Counter: Tackle Trap
The second fake is a counter run to the right wing. The ball is snapped to the left wing in the air, and he makes an
inside handoff to the right wing following the outside tackle on an inside trap.