Tilt the Field: Special Teams Coverage and Tackling Fundamentals

Dan Beard, Lebanon Valley College’s Special Team Coordinator, talks about their commitment to fundamental special teams play, guided by the philosophy to “Tilt the Field”. Tilting the field is about winning the hidden yardage battle and dominating field position! By implementing targeted, low-contact coverage and tackling drills into weekly practice schedules, coaches can safely teach the mechanics of closing space and maintaining leverage on the ball carrier. 

The Core Principle: The foundation for fitting all kickoff and punt coverage is the “Fast Force Fill” drill, typically run on Sundays and Tuesdays. Three players cover down towards a returner, but their ultimate roles adapt dynamically based on who arrives first. 

• The Fast Guy: The first man down the field must nose up on the returner, “shooting his shot” to force the returner to cut east and west. 

• The Force Guy: Reacting to the returner’s cut, the next arriving player sets the edge, keeping his outside shoulder free within a 3×5 yard box. 

• The Fill Guy: The final player folds into the backside cutback lane, ensuring he frames the returner with his outside shoulder. Coaches can hold players back at the start of the drill to simulate the game-day reality of coverage players arriving at varying speeds. 

Coach Beard emphasizes simulating game-day levels and avoidance because coverage units rarely run on the same plane during a live kick. Avoidance drills are crucial for teaching players how to navigate traffic without following the same color jersey into a blocker. 

• Three-on-One vs. Returner: This drill sets up players on different cones to create a funnel. Outside players use a dip and rip technique to avoid the blocker outside and stack tightly, preventing any seams or creases. The middle player simultaneously fits up on a handshield in the “contact and finish zone”. 

• Four Cover Close: Adopted from Monmouth University, this drill utilizes four players avoiding pop-ups set at varying depths. Inside players avoid outside, outside players avoid inside, and everyone finishes by framing the returner with the same foot and same shoulder while maintaining good knee and ankle bend. 

Used heavily in spring ball and early training camp, the “Tower” Drill is set up hash-to-hash and focuses entirely on avoiding speed and perfecting hand placement rather than aggressive contact. The kick return team works on their drops and blocking fits (thumbs up, elbows together), while the coverage team practices swiping hands, dipping, and ripping. This drill operates at a safe “tag tempo,” allowing both units to get essential crossover work without going to the ground. 

Special teams tackling requires operating in open space and reacting properly to sudden, radical cuts. 

• Vice Drill: Multiple groups line up on the sideline and sprint from depth toward a returner. On a coach’s cue, the returner makes a cut, and the defenders must maintain square shoulders to “vice the fit” on the ball carrier, again utilizing the same foot and same shoulder. 

• Hard Turn Drill: Designed to simulate a shoestring or backside cutback tackle. Players run down, execute a hard turn to avoid a pop-up, and bend flat to sweep the ankles. This drill can be enhanced by outfitting an agile bag with a lifting band, allowing players to safely practice a wrap and roll technique that simulates a gator roll tackle.