The pooch kick does 2 things
1) Keeps the ball out of the hands of the big returner
2) Puts the ball into the hands that aren't as used to handling it, resulting in fumbles many times.
I understand the strategy. I just don’t agree with the strategy and therefore don’t understand why anyone would use it: (1) IMO unless you have a poor kick coverage team or are facing a super stellar kick returner, you are sacrificing too much field position to avoid “the big return.” Sure, the other team could run it back for a TD, but more often that not the pooch kick GUARANTEES they will get the ball with very good field position, often the 40 yard line or beyond. Additionally, kicking the ball out of the end zone also keeps the ball out if the hands of “the big returner,” and I have seen some teams use the pooch kick repeatedly in spite of the fact that they have a kicker that is capable of kicking it out of the end zone virtually every time (2) It may increase the chances of them fumbling the ball, but IMO the odds of a fumble are too low to justify the loss of field position that typically results from a pooch kick. IMO if you have decent kick coverage a squib kick generally serves the same purpose at a lower cost in terms of field position. To me, much more often than not, all a pooch kick accomplishes is to give your opponent good field position.