What it is

A pooch kick is a short, high kick, on a punt or a kickoff, designed to land deep in the field of play but not in the end zone.

In a game

The kicker places the ball so the returner cannot run it back. On a punt, it can pin the other team near its own goal line.

More detail

It requires accuracy and a good coverage team. If the kick goes into the end zone, it is a touchback and the point of the kick is lost.