An onside kick in football is a type of strategy used by the kickoff team so it can regain possession of the football. At the start of a game or half and after every touchdown or field goal, a team kicks the ball off to the opponent. When a team is trailing near the end of the game and needs the ball back, it will attempt an onside kick to get the ball back. The onside kick can be used at any point, but end-of-game situations are most common.
Pop-Up Kick
This has become the most common onside kick in the NFL and college football. The kicker takes a short run to the ball and kicks the top of the ball with a downward driving motion. This causes the ball to hit the ground and then take a high pop up. As the ball starts to come down, the kickoff team runs at full speed to move 10 yards and arrive at that spot when the ball descends. If a member of the kickoff team can get his hands on the ball, the kicking team will have at least a 50:50 chance of recovering the ball.
Dead Spot Onside
The front wall of the kickoff team is normally positioned 10 to 15 yards from the kickoff spot. The rest of the kickoff team will be positioned further down the field, but there will be a dead spot 20 to 30 yards from the kickoff spot. A skilled kicker can hit a short pop fly that lands in that spot. If the kickoff team has speedy players on the wing -- called "gunners" by special teams' coaches -- it has a good chance of making the onside kick recovery.
Surprise Onside Kick
The surprise onside kick often works better than the late-game onside because the opponent is not prepared for it. All players on the kickoff team take their normal position. Instead of blasting the kick downfield as far as he can, the kicker hits a short ground ball that barely dribbles 10 yards straight up the middle. The kicker follows his kick and falls on it after 10 yards. This play has an excellent chance of working because the front wall of the kickoff return team is running downfield to establish position to make blocks. As a result, it leaves its original position unguarded.
Hard Line Drive
This is an all-or-nothing onside kick that can work to perfection or end up as a big play for the opponent. The kicker approaches the ball and hits it hard around the fat part of its midsection. Instead of flying high in the air, the ball is lined directly at a player on the front wall. If that player is not expecting such a kick -- it is unlikely that he is -- it may hit him and rebound back toward the kicking team. If that happens, that should be an easy recovery. However, if it misses him, the return team will get the ball before the kicking team has a chance to get in its coverage lanes and cover the kick. Also, if a front wall player is alert to the kick and has the reaction time to catch it, he may be able to run the kick back for a touchdown.
References
- "Inside the Helmet -- A Player's-Eye View of the NFL "; Peter King; 1993
- Football Drills: Special Teams; Michael H.E. Roth; May 5, 2009
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