Andy Merfeld

Playing pass defense is difficult. That’s why you’re reading the description for this course, and that’s what this coverage is designed to address. Playing Wall Cover 2 gives your defense three distinct advantages: it allows you to take pressure off your corners, it allows for tight coverage without play man-to-man, and it is the best way to defend the middle of the field from a two-high coverage shell.

This is the second of two presentations where Coach Merfeld installs Cover 2 Wall. This coverage is part of the Cover 2 Man (Saban verbiage Cover 5 Cougar) and man-match quarters (Saban Cover 7 Clip/Cut) worlds. It is a tremendous third-down concept to take pressure off of your defensive backs while still playing tight coverage on all routes.

In the first presentation, Coach Merfeld did an in-depth installation for each position and focused on 2x2 formations. In this presentation, he covers the specifics of defending 3x1 and empty formations (both the strong and weak sides of the formation), different split adjustments, and motion adjustments.

These presentations include everything you need to install this coverage!

Part 2 Contents:

3x1 formations

Defending the 3-WR side

Defending the 1-WR side: Poach, Solo, Cut, Cop

Empty formations

2x2 Split adjustments: Nasty, Stay

Motion adjustments

If you want to dominate the opponent with a sound and dynamic punt block team, this is the course for you! Whether you're a veteran special teams coordinator or a young coach just taking over the punt block unit, you will find a wealth of information in this course.

This is the third presentation in Coach Merfeld’s series on running the punt block team. In this presentation, he focuses on the nuts and bolts of running the team. He starts with personnel selection and coaching punt returners, then looks at off-season work, practice, and continues through all areas of breaking down an opponent and game-planning. He closes with a discussion and examples of situational considerations on the punt block team. Included in this presentation are different templates to assist with efficiency, organization, and game-planning. The lessons and coaching points from this course can also be applied to other special teams units, or even coaching and game-planning on offense or defense. 

In part 1 of this series, Coach Merfeld focuses on punt blocks. In part 2, he focuses on explosive plays in the punt return game. 

Coach Merfeld currently coaches the corners and runs the punt block team at Benedictine College. The Ravens led all NCAA and NAIA schools in 2019 with ten blocked punts, while also ranking among the national leaders in punt return yards. This 3-part series includes everything you need to coordinate the punt block-return team!

We've all been on the wrong end of a game when the opposing QB was on fire, carving up the defense with impunity. You play coverage and he sits back and picks you apart; you pressure and he immediately diagnoses the soft spot and gets the ball out before you can get home. 

To combat today's high-powered passing attacks, defenses need to try to use every possible advantage. One tool that I believe is underutilized is purposefully and systematically disguising your coverages. Properly disguising your intentions effectively makes your coverage better, your players faster, and your pass rush even more dangerous. 

I have put a lot of thought into the question of how best to disguise one's intentions on defense, and I put all of my best ideas into this course. If you are interested in sharing ideas that you have, please contact me on Twitter and I'd be excited to discuss more. 

In the first half of the course, I focus on the importance of pre-snap disguise: how to hold your coverage disguise, how to present coordinated looks, how to coach your players to disguise their intentions, how to easily build a disguise "language" into your scheme, and how to use your different disguise calls.  

In the second half of the course, I dive into the topic of post-snap disguise. I present different ideas about disguising whether the coverage is man or zone, whether the middle of the field is closed or open, and which way the coverage is rotating. I also spend time discussing different positional techniques that can be used to disguise coverages, reading the boundary safety, and several specific coverages which allow the defense to effectively disguise. 

I hope you enjoy this course and I look forward to opening a dialogue about disguise and other tools for defensive success!

In this article, Coach Merfeld discusses some of the tools he uses to help his players learn. Although there is a defensive focus to the article, it is applicable to all three sides of the ball, as well as other sports.

The first section of the article discusses general procedures Coach Merfeld uses in his position meetings, including the seating chart and practicing communication. 

The second section of the article covers the special activities Coach Merfeld uses in his position meetings, including the pre-snap coverage test, players leading the meetings, and counterintelligence meetings.

The third section includes general thoughts and guidelines to help facilitate player learning and comprehension, including communication best practices, long-term cutups, charts, and understanding the "commander's intent." 

This article can be a valuable resource for coaches at all levels who want to be better teachers!

Whether you primarily coach on offense, defense, or special teams, field position is king. One of the ways you can help your team win the battle of hidden yardage and dominate field position is through assembling a dynamic punt return unit. 

This is the second in Coach Merfeld’s series on running the punt block-return team. In this presentation, Coach Merfeld covers all elements of teaching, practicing, and executing successful punt returns. He discusses the coaching points for the three different parts of the play: at the line of scrimmage, the “battle” in the middle of the play, and the finish.  For each of the three parts of the play, Coach Merfeld explains the main coaching points, with practice drills and game clips included. For each of the three parts of the play, Coach Merfeld explains the main coaching points, with practice drills and game clips included. He also discusses how you can use two deep returners to cover the field, as well as other variations which can be easily and effectively implemented.

In part 1 of this series, Coach Merfeld focuses on punt blocks. In part 3, he covers all aspects of organizing and administering the punt block-return team.

Coach Merfeld currently coaches the corners and runs the punt block team at Benedictine College. The Ravens led all NCAA and NAIA schools in 2019 with ten blocked punts, while also ranking among the national leaders in punt return yards. This 3-part series includes everything you need to coordinate the punt block-return team!

Playing pass defense is difficult. That’s why you’re reading the description for this course, and that’s what this coverage is designed to address. Playing Wall Cover 2 gives your defense three distinct advantages: it allows you to take pressure off your corners, it allows for tight coverage without play man-to-man, and it is the best way to defend the middle of the field from a two-high coverage shell.

This is the first of two presentations where Coach Merfeld installs Cover 2 Wall. This coverage is part of the Cover 2 Man (Saban verbiage Cover 5 Cougar) and man-match quarters (Saban Cover 7 Clip/Cut) worlds. It is a tremendous third-down concept to take pressure off of your defensive backs while still playing tight coverage on all routes.

In this first presentation, Coach Merfeld discusses the pros and cons to using this coverage. Using game and practice clips (both good and bad), he then installs the coverage position-by-position (linebackers, corners, and safeties).

This presentation is an in-depth install of the coverage focusing on position specifics and 2x2 formations. Part 2 will cover the specifics of defending 3x1 and empty formations (both the strong and weak sides of the formation), split adjustments, and motion adjustments.

These presentations include everything you need to install this coverage!

Part 1 Contents:

Introduction and overview

Pros, cons, and solutions

Linebacker film: techniques, reads, and coaching points

Corner film: techniques, reads, and coaching points

Safety film: techniques, reads, and coaching points

2x2 Split Adjustment: Nasty

Question: "Are you guys more of a block team or more of a return team?" Answer: "We love to return punts...after we block them."

If you are looking to block more punts and win more games, you've come to the right place. Blocking a punt is one of the quickest ways to turn a game around, and Coach Merfeld is here to teach you his schemes and techniques to help you dominate with your punt block team.

This is the first in Coach Merfeld’s series of presentations on running the punt block-return team. In this presentation, Coach Merfeld covers all elements of scheming, practicing, and executing punt blocks. He discusses his philosophy for pressuring punts and explains how he attacks shield protections, pro-style protections, and rugby punts.  

In part 2 of this series, Coach Merfeld focuses on punt returns. In part 3, he covers all aspects of organizing and administering the punt block-return team.

Coach Merfeld currently coaches the corners and runs the punt block team at Benedictine College. The Ravens led all NCAA and NAIA schools in 2019 with ten blocked punts, while also ranking among the national leaders in punt return yards. This 3-part series includes everything you need to coordinate the punt block-return team!

In this 4,000-word article, Coach Merfeld gives an in-depth look at what it takes to be successful on the punt block team. With limited time to practice special teams during a game week, it is very important to be as efficient and organized as possible. This article is a complete guide to coordinating the punt block team. The areas Coach Merfeld covers are: offseason work and setting up the scheme, practice organization, player selection, game-week work, different game-planning considerations (for blocks, returns, and defending fakes), the game-week schedule, game-day and situational considerations, as well as multiple charts to help increase efficiency and effectiveness throghout the season and on game day. The organizational template he provides can be applied to other special teams or areas of football as well. 

Practicing Hail Mary defense is a lot like a fire drill: it may seem like a poor use of time when you're practicing it, but when the real situation arises, you REALLY want to have prepared for it. 

In this mini-course, Coach Merfeld covers strategies and coaching points (developed through trial and one big error) for different Hail Mary situations. It is important to realize that the defense needs to develop different strategies depending on field position. Using game film and diagrams, Coach Merfeld discusses how to give your athletes the best chance to be successful in Hail Mary situations.