Sam Watts recently joined the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast to discuss all things kicking, punting and special teams.

Watts was a special teams consultant and kicking coach at Erie (N.Y.) Community College for 15 years. While at ECC, he helped placekickers, punters, and long snappers at NCAA Division I programs. Watts now serves as a personal coach working with NFL, CFL, AFL, college and high school kickers and punters, and also boasts 20 years of experience as a special teams advisor working with college and high school coaches.

In the podcast, he discussed how his teams have built culture and integrated special teams into the team as a whole.

“I want them [special teams] to be a part of the football program - in and out,” Watts said. “I don’t want them on the sideline by themselves.”

He understands that special teams are often seen as a “secondary citizen” within a football program.

“As a special teams coach, don’t put them off to the side. Do solo work with them, then get them back with the team,” Watts urges coaches. “Teach them how to rip a ball out of a guy’s hands who is being tackled. We’ve had kickers come up at the end [of practice] and lay a hit and rip a ball out because they were taught to do that.”

Watts believes in developing a culture within the special teams, as well as getting them involved in the wider team culture. He even encourages these players to do more than kick.

“You can be scout team (defensive back) … always need to be football-ready.”

For more on Watts’ philosophy, listen here.