Skip to content
440 Football
Sign inStart training

Punt Hang Time and Operation Time Charting

Updated · Fact checked

It is easy to remember your best kick and forget the rest. Charting fixes that. You time every rep with a stopwatch, write it down with the distance, and at the end of the week you know your real average instead of your highlight.

Punters chart hang time and operation time. Kickers chart hang time and distance on kickoffs and the snap-to-kick time on field goals. All you need is a partner, a stopwatch and a notebook or phone.

How to do it

  1. Set up the chart

    Make columns for rep number, operation time, hang time, distance and a note on the result.

  2. Time the operation

    On punts and field goals, your partner starts the watch at the snap and stops it at foot contact.

  3. Time the hang

    A second watch, or a second rep, runs from foot contact until the ball is caught or lands.

  4. Mark the distance

    Note where the ball landed or was caught, measured from the spot of the kick.

  5. Log every rep

    Write it down right away, good or bad. Total and average the session at the end.

Sets and reps
1 set of 10 reps, charting each, 45 seconds rest. Kickers chart hang time and distance; punters chart hang time and operation time.
Equipment
Stopwatch or phone timer, Notebook or chart, Football, A partner to time, plus a snapper for operation time
Muscles and skills
Specialist
Used in these 440 plans
Kicker, Punter

Coaching cues and common mistakes

Coaching cues

  • Stopwatch from foot to catch
  • Chart distance and hang time
  • Track operation time on every rep

Common mistakes

  • Only counting good reps
  • Timing inconsistently from rep to rep

What to time

Hang time runs from the moment the ball leaves your foot until it is caught or lands. Operation time runs from the snap until your foot hits the ball. Start and stop the watch at the same moments on every rep, or the numbers won't compare from one day to the next.

For reference, Inside The Pylon puts snap to kick at 1.8 to 2.0 seconds for NFL punters and roughly 1.2 on field goals and extra points. On hang time, one high school coaching guide's rule of thumb says it should roughly match distance, so a 40 yard punt should stay up close to 4.0 seconds. Kansas punter Kyle Thompson, whose team's special teams analyst times hang time in practice every day, told KU Sports that 4.3 or 4.4 would be average, and that 4.5 and above every time makes a really good college punter. That is one player's view. Use all of it as context, not as a grade for a high school leg.

How to use the chart

Log every rep, including the shanks. Look for patterns: does your hang time drop when your operation time gets faster, or does distance fade late in a session? Those trends tell you what to work on next, whether that is the punt drop drill or your kicking approach. See where charting fits in the punter training and football kicker training plans.

FAQ

What is a good punt hang time?

One coaching rule of thumb is that hang time should roughly match distance, close to 4.0 seconds for a 40 yard punt. One Kansas punter called 4.3 or 4.4 seconds average and 4.5 and up every time really good for a college punter. Chart your own and work on raising the average.

How do you time hang time?

Start the stopwatch when the ball leaves the foot and stop it when the ball is caught or hits the ground. Use the same start and stop points on every rep, and have the same person time if you can.

More kicker drills

Build my position plan

Tell 440 your level, measurables and schedule. Get a daily position plan with loads, timers and demo videos, adjusted for your equipment, training phase and readiness.

Build my position plan

Sources

  1. ITP Glossary: Long Snapper (Dan Hatman), The Scouting Academy / Inside The Pylon
  2. How To Punt A Football: A 6-Step Technique Guide (Chris Haddad, Bellingham (MA) High School coach, updated September 21, 2026), vIQtory Sports
  3. Tom Keegan: Not dropping and dropping football vital for KU punter (Aug 19, 2018), KU Sports (Lawrence Journal-World)

Program numbers (benchmarks, sets, reps, loads, protein targets) are 440 Football's own prescriptions. For athletes 13 and older; check with a physician or a registered dietitian before major training or diet changes.