A Ticket To Ride

           One of my goals is to teach as many kids as possible the secret to punting the football consistently. Many retired college/ NFL players and coaches can 'pop a Bud", tell war stories and go on about who they played with. This is whole different ball game...... I want to teach what hasn't been taught before. I want to share my hard earned wisdom and give every dedicated high school/college punter the ability to earn a scholarship and experience the thrill of punting in front of 100,000 fans. I want to let each athlete know the importance of being part of a team. The importance of getting your degree and using football as a stepping stone to life. My relationships with head coaches across the country will open the doors. There are hundreds of schools that are looking for punters, kickers and long snappers. And if I believe in you, I'll make sure every college and university is aware of your talent. It's a matter of developing a consistent rhythm and being able to repeat it under pressure. The Set & Pull punting technique is the ticket to be part of a team, to build self esteem and fulfill a dream.

        There are many camps and great coaches that can help you develop into a competitive punter. Steve Hoffman, Pat Sempier,  Mike McCabe, Gary Zauner to name a few. Not for their lack of effort or passion, but too many coaches fall into the trap of focusing on the 'results'. The hang time. The 'get off' time. The drop. High extension. The secret is to learn how to 'snap your leg'. These are all products of a process. When you learn to snap your leg properly, the get off time, the stepping pattern, the drop, your extension, trajectory, placement and hang time will simply fall into place.This is where the 'Set & Pull' technique comes into play.

  While I was playing at Michigan State and then the following 9 years in the NFL,  I would tell myself -  "Get the drop out", "Take short, urgent steps" , "Keep your head down", "Get your leg up into the air". These are all valid goals and coaching points. And I did a pretty good job of executing them. However they are all 'products' of the the 'process' of snapping your leg properly. The Set & Pull. 5.0 The "All Pro Move". Staying balanced physically and mentally. Keeping your shoulders, hips and feet square. Letting go in order to gain control.

      During my whole career, I was constantly looking for the perfect stroke. I would say to myself " It's got to be easier than this!!!". Grinding it out on the practice field. Always feeling 'rushed'. A tendency of mine was always trying to 'kill it'. Which would lead to long steps, inconsistent drops and mis-hits.When I finally figured out how to REALLY snap your leg, I was 5 years removed from the game. It's definitely not easy to do. If it was, everybody would be out punting footballs. It takes time and dedication to the 'process'.

If you can get a hold of some old film of Ray Guy, you'll see poetry in motion. Ray Guy's flexibility and innate ability to snap his leg has been a mystery.......... until now.

     While coaching St. Louis Rams' Donnie Jones the technique at LSU, he struggled at first. The patience and timing needed to execute the Set & Pull technique can be elusive. I've had many students that would say "I can't do this!". But Donnie stuck with it and is one of the premier punters in the NFL!

    The same can be said of Alabama's PJ Fitzgerald. At first, PJ struggled with the idea of  using the S&P  move. "Letting go in order to gain control". But he stuck it out, worked with Mike McCabe at One On One Kicking, and had a brilliant senior season and was an integral part of the 2009 National Champion Crimson Tide.

      Years of trial and error in the heat of battle, infinite hours of film analysis and coaching  has led to my development of the most efficient style of punting to date......... The Set & Pull 5.0. The 'All Pro Move'. I'm looking forward to teaching this technique to the masses........ Parents and coaches included.

Balance and Posture

There are many reasons why I teach the 'Set & Pull' technique, but one of the most important is that it eliminates the many 'moving parts' that come with punting the football at the amateur level. If we can simplify our 'stroke' and repeat it consistently, we'll have the best chance at having fun and performing at our highest level.

    One of the most over-looked aspects of punting the football is balance and posture. Similar to a golfer getting ready to start his/her swimg or a baseball player in the batter's box, one common denominator is the positioning of the feet and body. In order to create the most kinetic energy possible( foot speed, club head speed, bat speed, etc), our posture and balance must be solid. With solid balance, we'll be able to allow our body to unfold naturally, giving us the least resistance and maximum foot speed.

    

    Within the 'Set & Pull' technique, I teach an 'adjustment step', so my balanced 'ready position' is as follows:

      With feet shoulders width apart, take a balanced stance with the 'plant foot' forward.  The toe of the kicking foot aligns with the instep of the plant foot. The enables us to athletically move  laterally and vertically if the snap is off target. Since I teach our athletes to have a  'bounce in their step', I like the weight of the body slightly towards the toes.  With your chin up slightly, take a deep breathe, exhale and bend at the waist. (see photo). The shoulders, arms, hands, hips and feet are square to the target. Let your arms hang naturally in front of you with your thumbs gently opening outward. This will give your long snapper a good target.

      Energy is stored in both of our legs(plant and kicking). In true game conditions, the flight of the ball from the long  snapper will vary. Being in a relaxed  'football position' when the ball arrives helps us get into 'the  flow' of a smooth stepping pattern. This balance and posture will keep our feet 'under us' during the stepping pattern. In order to take advantage of all of the leverage and power of the 'Set & Pull', we must have patience and remain relaxed and balanced throughout the motion.

      One of the many benefits of keeping our feet 'under us' with a solid base is that the drop will have a better chance of being released into the 'hitting zone'. When we take long steps, lean back and 'come out of it' at impact, we 1) lose balance and power, 2) lengthen our kicking leg and 3) shorten our drop. This leads to the feeling of having a 'short drop', when in reality you've created a 'long leg'.  Work on keeping your feet 'behind you' during the stepping pattern and you'll feel the balance and control needed to 'rip it'.

Good Punting- GM

All-Pro Special Teams Academy

    
        To have success in the kicking game, foot speed is most vital component.

       Beginning November 15th, 2011, my team of current/former All-Pro NFL players will be available for individual and group instruction in  Florida. In addition to a step by step introduction to the 'Set & Pull' technique, the 'a la carte' menu will include in-depth film analysis, a bio-mechanics evaluation, pool training as well as customized strength and conditioning programs with former NFL strength coach Jeff Fronk (www.fitnessbyfronk.com).

   To inquire about available times and pricing,  please contact Coach Montgomery via thepuntingcoach@gmail.com or call 248-752-7572.