Greatest Punt Fake Duo · KICKERSCAMP: Kicking Skool

Greatest Punt Fake Duo

Many of you have heard of the "Puntrooskie", but have never seen it or had it diagrammed. Watch the YT video from when it was used to great effect by Florida State in 1988. Bobby Bowden seems to get the credit for originating the play... but that's not true.

I know, because my father installed the play my senior year at UW-River Falls in 1984, and it worked like a charm. Except, he didn't invent it either... it was actually invented at the high school level by then Coach Bum Phillips back in the 50's... called the "Bummerooski". Bum would later go on to coach in the pros.

Maybe your coaching career will follow the same path!!! 🏈

THE DYNAMIC DUO:

At Cedarburg High School, we used it a bunch - didn't work EVERY time, just MOST every time.😅

We called these two companion plays, "Felix" and "Oscar".

FELIX (top diagram) was a normal short snap punt fake to the personal protector with everyone blocking and running right (punter jumps up in the air like a bad snap to help hold backers for a second). We'd use it when it was 4th and short (3-5 yards). The short snap was enough to fake the other team out where we thought we could get at least 5 yards. Tell your back to run for the first down marker. Awesome to do early in the game somewhere near midfield. Doesn't even matter if you make it or not. (Most likely, you WILL make the first down).BUT, you're really setting up Oscar.*

OSCAR (the Puntrooskie, the bottom diagram) looks just the same, except the personal protector catches the snap and immediately places the ball in the waiting hands of the upback (between his legs)! The upback stays put. "Oscar" because he needs to be a great actor by doing NOTHING. Just hold your ground for a 2 count. THEN GO!!! To the LEFT when everyone else is running right. The punter jumps up in the air (just like before) and then runs right. Your upback might get bumped. He needs to be strong and keep the ball protected — a nice wide base. No one will know he has it. It'll be crowded and scary, but green grass will open up and he should run like the devil 👹 to daylight — AWAY FROM EVERYONE!

*Oscar can be used anytime, but if you've already run FELIX, then, in a crucial part of the second half of the game — when you have to keep your drive going for a win — and on your own side of the field with a long 4th down (i.e. 4th and 12 on your own 31 yard line), put OSCAR to use. The game was already at risk. So take a risk... except you are in good company. I put it's success above 80%. 🤣

I'm telling you, these two are winners. And just because you ran it perfectly last Friday night, doesn't mean you can't pull it off again. No one believes that you'll do it, even when they've seen it. 🤪

_ _ _

QUICK TIP #1:

This you'll have to practice a bunch to make it smooth. Have your personal protector take a half step to his left AND a half step closer to the line, so that the snapper has a little more room to short snap without hitting the upback ...and he can make the "handoff" more quickly.

QUICK TIP #2:

You'll need both an upback (A-gap) and personal protector who can run aggressively with the ball. Not a big lineman. But, like LeRoy Butler, could be a DB, LB, RB, or TE — just find two pretty good athletes.

1 comment