Playbooks
Kickoff Deep Right sends the kicker's boot toward the right hash with the kicking team's coverage unit releasing downfield in lane assignments to contain the return. This is a special teams kickoff play, not a man or zone beater, and its design goal is field position control by pinning the return toward the sideline. The primary read progression for the kicking team is outside in: force the returner to bounce toward the right sideline where extra defenders can converge, while the deep safety and gunners key the returner's angle to close passing lanes.
Read the return team's blocking wall setup before the snap, if they load blockers to the left hash, Deep Right forces the returner away from his numbers advantage. Watch the deep safety depth on the return unit, a shallow safety alignment signals an aggressive up field attack that your gunners need to avoid overrunning. Key the returner's first two steps after the catch, if he presses toward the middle immediately your right side coverage lanes need to squeeze inward to prevent a cutback. This kick is neutralized if the return team uses a double team wedge on your right gunner, so be ready to user control that defender and fight through the block rather than getting sealed. Track the personal protector or return specialist for a reverse or misdirection call, since directional kicks like this one are more susceptible to schemed lateral returns that exploit your team's lane discipline.
Use Kickoff Deep Right when you want to dictate return direction and force the returner into a predictable running lane rather than letting him find an open middle seam.
Pair this kick with Kickoff Deep Left and Kickoff Deep Middle across a game to keep the return team guessing on directional tendencies and prevent them from setting up a wall return to one side.
On kickoffs after your own scores late in a half, favor Deep Right if you have faster gunners on that side of your depth chart to maximize contain speed before the returner hits full speed.
Take manual control of your right side gunner immediately at the snap and use speed burst to close distance rather than relying on CPU pursuit angles.
If the opposing return team consistently sets a wedge to the left, alternate to Deep Right more often to avoid feeding their strength and instead attack the side with fewer blockers.