Playbooks
Landingzone Kickoff Right is a directional kickoff designed to angle the ball toward the right hash, aiming to pin the return man near the sideline rather than allowing a return through the middle of the field. The kicking team's coverage lanes flow toward the right side of the field, with gunners releasing hard to funnel the returner outside the numbers into the leverage of the sideline defenders. This is a special teams coverage play, not an offensive route concept, so the primary read progression is for coverage players to identify the returner's angle off the catch and squeeze the landing zone from the outside in, preventing cutback lanes.
Pre-snap, identify how the return team stacks their front wall. A heavier stack to the field side signals they expect the kick to go that direction and will try to spring an early cutback. Key the returner's first two steps after the catch. If he presses hard playside immediately, your outside coverage defenders need to constrict the lane before he reaches the numbers. Watch for a wedge setup up the middle. If the return team commits blockers to a middle wedge, this directional kick to the right can expose them since their leverage blockers are out of position. Post-snap, track your user-controlled defender's angle of pursuit. Taking too direct a path invites a blocker to wash you out of the lane, so use a controlled outside-in angle to maintain contain. Be alert for a return team using a double-team release scheme designed to counter directional kicks. If blockers immediately peel to the right, your coverage unit needs to sink deeper before committing to the tackle attempt.
Use this kickoff when you want to dictate field position by pushing the return toward the boundary instead of letting the return team attack the open middle of the field.
Pair this with Landingzone Kickoff Left across different possessions so the return team cannot key on a consistent directional tendency and adjust their wall blocking scheme.
Against explosive return men, favor this play in short field situations after a defensive stop, since limiting damage matters more than a touchback if your defense just forced a quick series.
Watch your coverage unit's lane discipline pre-snap. Make sure gunners are aligned to funnel the ball carrier toward the sideline rather than allowing an inside release that opens up the middle of the field.
If the return team consistently sets up a wedge in the middle, mix in Landingzone Kickoff Middle New periodically to prevent them from over-committing their double team blocks to one side.