Gary Zauner Gary Zauner ( born November 2 , 1950 in Milwaukee , Wisconsin ) is an American football coach . He is currently the special teams coordinator for the California Redwoods of the United Football League . Previously , he had coached 13 seasons in the National Football League with the Minnesota Vikings , Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals . He has coached kickers for over 35 years in High School , College and the NFL . Further , he was a successful college kicker playing for the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse . Zauner also operates a kicking consulatation service located in Fountain Hills , Arizona . Playing career . Zauner was a four - year letterman in football and baseball at University of Wisconsin – La Crosse ( 1968 – 72 ) . He went to training camp as a punter with the Minnesota Vikings in 1973 and the Houston Oilers in 1974 . College coaching career . Zauner began his coaching career in 1979 at Brigham Young University under Head Coach LaVell Edwards . He became the first full - time special teams coach in the NCAA . At BYU he recruited punter / kicker Lee Johnson , a future fifth - round draft choice by the Houston Oilers in 1985 . He then moved to coach special teams at San Diego State for five seasons ( 1981 – 85 ) turning the Aztecs into one of the best special teams units in the nation . At SDSU , he helped to recruit current Redwoods defensive assistant coach and longtime NFL safety Robert Griffith . Zauner spent the following three seasons ( 1987 – 89 ) at the University of New Mexico where he coached former NFL wide receiver Terance Mathis , who tied an NCAA season record ( 1989 ) for three touchdown ’ s on kickoff returns . In 1990 , Zauner was hired by George Allen to coach at Long Beach State for two seasons ( 1990 – 91 ) . Professional coaching career . GARY ZAUNERS 13 YEAR NFL COACHING CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2006 SEASON : ARIZONA CARDINALS : From 2006 Arizona Cardinals Media Guide : Gary Zauner is entering his 13th season as an NFL assistant and his first with the Cardinals after being hired to coach special teams on 1 / 5 / 06 . Throughout his career , Zauner has been noted for discovering and recruiting undrafted rookie free agents and turning them into successful NFL players . Robert Griffith ( Minnesota ) and Obefemi Ayanbadejo ( Minnesota ) , who are both on the Cardinals roster , got their start under Zauner as did Brian Russell ( Minnesota ) , Will Demps ( Baltimore ) , B . J . Sams ( Baltimore ) and Matt Katula ( Baltimore ) . 2002 – 2005 SEASON : BALTIMORE RAVENS : From 2005 Baltimore Ravens Media Guide : Gary Zauner entered his 4th season as Special Teams Coordinator following dramatic efforts of the everchanging special teams unit . Rookie free agent B . J . Sams posted two punt returns for TDs ( tied for NFL and Ravens record ) and set a new single - season franchise record with 1 , 826 combined return yards . From 2004 Baltimore Ravens Media Guide : Gary Zauner guided the 2003 Ravens kickoff coverage team to 3rd overall in NFL ( 2nd in AFC ) with an average start of 26 . 4 - yard line . Dallas Morning News football Columnist Rick Gosselin ranked the Ravens ’ 2003 special teams 4th in the NFL ( based on 20 + categories ) . This Ravens ’ kickoff special teams unit was 2nd in the NFL with 17 tackles inside the 20 . From 2003 Baltimore Ravens Media Guide : Gary Zauner was named the Ravens 1st Special Teams Coordinator in 2002 . After 8 years of setting or breaking NFL records with the Minnesota Vikings as their special teams coach , it ’ s no fluke that the Ravens produced 4 special teams TDs last season . Chris McAlister stunned Denver , as well as Ravens fans and a national television audience after grabbing a Jason Elam missed FG , then racing a spectacular 107 yards for a TD , when he set the record for the longest play in NFL history . In 2002 , Ed Reed blocked the first two punts in team history , and Chad Williams added a third ( 2 of 3 returned for TDs ) . From 2002 Baltimore Ravens Media Guide : “ There is a rare breed of Special Teams Coaches , and in my opinion , a very rare breed , less than a handful , and I think we have the best by way of Gary Zauner , ” said head coach Brian Billick . He has proven his expertise in not only special team ’ s play , but in the specifics of kicking , punting and long snapping , which are such a huge part of this game . He is a tremendous resource to us . ” From 2001 Minnesota Vikings Official Web Site : Since Gary Zauner came to the Minnesota Vikings in 1994 as the special teams coach , he has helped produce six National Football League records and numerous team records . During his 7 seasons with the club he has coached three different kicking specialists ( Gary Anderson , Faud Reveiz and Mitch Berger ) to the Pro Bowl . Even more impressive is that this is Zauner ’ s first full - time NFL coaching assignment . HIGHLIGHTS : In ‘ 99 , the Vikings set team record kicks / punts returned for a touchdown in a season with three ( kickoffs by Robert Tate and Moe Williams and a punt by Randy Moss ) . The Vikings led the NFL for average opponents drive start line on kickoffs ( 23 . 5 - yard line ) . In ‘ 98 , Zauner guided kicker Gary Anderson to the first perfect season by a kicker in NFL history . Zauner also guided punter / kickoff specialist Berger who led the NFL in touchbacks with 40 , which was a NFL record since the kickoff was moved to the 30 - yard line in 1993 . Return specialist David Palmer returned the Vikings first kickoff for a TD since 1989 with an 88 - yarder vs . Baltimore ( 12 / 13 ) . In ‘ 97 , Punt returner David Palmer finished first in the NFC in punt return average ( 13 . 1 ) for the second time in his career . In ‘ 95 , the Vikings placed a player among the top two in the NFC in punt return average ( David Palmer ) and kickoff return average ( Qadry Ismail ) for the first time in the same season in team history in ’ 95 . Palmer became the first Minnesota player to lead the league in punt returns with a team season record 13 . 2 - yard average . GARY ZAUNER ’ S 11 YEAR COLLEGE COACHING CAREER HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS DURING 11 YEARS OF COLLEGE COACHING : 1 ) Coached ( 9 ) All - Conference punters and kickers from 1979 to 1991 . 2 ) Blocked a total of ( 38 ) punts and field goals . 3 ) Scored ( 12 ) touchdowns on punt and kickoff returns and blocked kicks . 4 ) In five season at SDSU , the coverage teams never allowed a touchdown to be scored against them . 5 ) Also , at SDSU , the longest opponent ’ s kickoff return was only 42 yards in five seasons . 1990 – 1991 SEASONS AT Long Beach STATE : A career highlight or dream come true , was in 1990 , I was hired by the Legendary & Hall of Fame Head Coach George Allen to coach the 49ers special teams units . In Coach Allen ’ s only year at Long Beach State we finished with a winning 6 - 5 season . Coach Allen never had a losing season throughout his entire college or NFL coaching career ! 1987 – 1988 SEASONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO : From 1987 - 88 , I coached Special Teams at the University of New Mexico under Head Coach Mike Sheppard . In 1987 we had three special teams ’ touchdowns , off of blocked punts and punt returns . In 1988 , former Falcons wide receiver Terrance Mathis , tied a NCAA season record for TDs ( three ) on kickoff returns for the Lobos . 1981 – 1985 SEASON AT SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY : After the 1980 Holiday Bowl or Miracle Bowl in San Diego in which BYU had one of the greatest come - back victory ’ s ever , to defeated SMU 46 - 45 . In that game our special teams units , returned a punt 88 yards for a TD , recovered a surprise onside kick , and blocked a punt with 18 seconds left in the game , to set up the winning touchdown pass . The next week , Doug Scovil was named Head Coach at San Diego State . I was hired in San Diego and became the 1st full - time Special Teams Coach in NCAA history . The special teams units were one of the best in the country ! Jim Sandusky in ’ 83 was the nation ’ s leading punt return man . He averaged 19 . 0 yards per return and the team ’ s average was 17 . 0 yards per return . Chris O ’ Brien set a Western Athletic Conference record of 25 consecutive field goals in the 1984 - 85 seasons . 1979 – 1980 SEASONS AT BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY : My coaching career was started when Head Coach LaVell Edwards recognized , the only players not coached on his football team where the kicking specialist . In 1979 Coach Edwards hired me as a graduate assistant . I was put in charge of coaching the kickers & the kickoff return unit . In 1979 , punter Clay Brown led the nation in punting with a 45 . 3 yard average and the kickoff return team led the nation in kickoff return average . In 1980 , Coach Edwards placed me in charge of all the special teams units and kicking game . Personal . Zauner attended Hamilton High School . He earned bachelor ’ s and master ’ s degrees in physical education from University of Wisconsin – La Crosse .