Some coaches don’t think much about special teams – until the other side is standing in the end zone following a punt or kick return for a touchdown.

This is a mistake, and teams at every level should dedicate practice time to proper kick coverage.

Steve Tucker on AFCAweekly.com offers a hard-turn drill that teaches how to read the up-field shoulder and work around blockers so coverage players take proper pursuit angles and stay in their lanes to defend against cutbacks.

Three things Tucker tells coaches to keep in mind:

Always keep control of the blocker because you don’t want him to be able to attack back at you.

Every defender needs to work back to the ball-carrier in a good pursuit angle, staying aware for the cutback and being sure to re-close the lane.

Do not follow the ball-carrier. This leaves lanes wide open, and that is not sound football.