In turn, this would allow the linebackers to roam free, unblocked, to make easy tackles in the run game or get to the quarterback in passing plays. Join our Youth Football Movement today. I'll teach you the tips, tricks, and secrets used by some of the best football coaches at the youth, HS, and pro level. We've found that the difference lies more in philosophy than it does in technique. He then would need to try to fight through or around the defender who was now in his space to get to his blocking responsibility, which is the linebacker. Of course there are many variations of verbiage when it comes to rules by different teams, but if an offensive linemen knows the direction of the zone scheme, he can adapt a hard-set rule to be successful: protect playside, head up, then backside. Tenopir talks about the pull and overtake method by the uncovered lineman. The ball carrier is sprinting to get out there." If youre interested in learning more about other base run plays, we have blogs detailing inside zone and other plays here. That pressure allows for the BST get down the line of scrimmage and to be able to overtake the first-level defender. "We're a dinosaur when it comes to our path. "The aiming point for the drag hand is the backside pec of the defender. The Running Back is still making the same read on the Tackle. This is still a zone scheme, and OL will have to take their zone steps and pick up anyone who enters their gap because after all, the defense are humans and they will react differently after the snap. I'll focus on the wide zone, because that's more iconic to what Gibbs . Zweifel tells his uncovered linemen first to take a deep drop step to gain depth with the second step being a crossover to try to get on line to overtake next down defender. Basic Zone Blocking Rules: Inside Gap (first rule is to protect inside gap) Head UP (head up is considered from inside shoulder to outside shoulder) Climb to LB. Pat Ruel, the assistant offensive line coach for the Seattle Seahawks, teaches a stretch hook concept (a combo horizontal stretch and hook) for his covered linemen to the play side of zone. endobj In this case, the Center = 0, RG = 1 and RT = 2. RB aligns behind the tackle to his side, five yards off the ball in gun so we can stretch the defense. Teams that can effectively execute outside zone will have success. This gives a nice initial push at the point of attack to prevent defensive linemen from breaking free into the backfield. The last thing we wanted to address were the various "pin and pull" techniques that some coaches are using to get to the perimeter. At the high school level, it is illegal to cut block at the second level so why teach it? Always finish your block. 5 0 obj ", Milt Tenopir, the legendary offensive line coach under Tom Osbourne at Nebraska, believed in the same philosophy of having his covered offensive lineman really work to get to the second level. At the snap, the defensive end would quickly slant to his right, going through the B gap -- between the guard and tackle. The zone blocking scheme can be distilled down to two plays: the inside, or tight zone run, and the outside, or wide zone run. Zone blocking can most simply be described by saying that an offensive line is responsible for a specific zone instead of a specific man (as he would be in a man blocking scheme). "If we don't get engagement by ripping to play side number, then we automatically climb to the second level," he said. Blocking Outside Zone Using the Count System The play is designed to go to the right. For spread teams, having the running back at an offset alignment or a pistol alignment gives the running back enough room to make a read off of the play side tackle. Spread Offensive Run Plays Complete Guide, How To Run Counter In Football Complete Guide, Running The Power Play In Football Complete Guide, The Gap Scheme & How Its Run In Every Offense, What Is Power Read In Football? He helps seal that scrape and AJ Dillon is able to get outside on edge of the defense. That means the center will work to the backside linebacker and not the play-side linebacker (PSLB). Once again, it was a pleasure to report on the offensive line principles in the zone scheme. Required fields are marked *. It is very similar to what Hand teaches, but his rules refer more to the perimeter defenders than to first level defensive linemen. Coaching youth football isnt easy. He uses the drag hand to catch and hold the defender so he cannot penetrate.". . Here we need to attack the play side armpit with the inside hand first, then work to the second level. What's most effective about teaching this methodology is that the front that the defense presents is irrelevant. Great against interior pressure: If you're successful with your interior run game like the inside zone and power, chances are you'll see the probability of interior pressure increase. Similar line blocking assignments: Just like the inside zone, the outside zone utilizes a full zone scheme. Outside zone is a run play that takes advantage of the cut-off blocks and leverages the offensive line to get an aggressive running attack that will wear down the defenses pursuit. ", But against stunting first level defenders, keeping both shoulders squared becomes a difficult fundamental to accomplish. Last, if the tackle successfully cuts off the defensive end, the running back will bounce the ball to the outside, hoping to outrun the rest of the defensive backs. Zone Blocking 1. Now let's zero in on the right side of the field to illustrate the example of which offensive lineman will peel off to block the Mike linebacker. by Anonymous. The scheme attacks space instead of players and offers a versatile play that doesnt demand vertical movement and instead stresses defenses on the perimeter. Reps. Reps. Reps. Reps. Reps. That's all my guys did in practice. The blocking has been simplified in the past twenty years with the advent of zone blocking rules, that enable several backfield plays to be run with the same blocking scheme. H Lead up, looking outside in Position Base Rules WRs Playside: Block the Most-Dangerous Man (MDM) Backside: Cutoff Stay alert for Bubble Tags or Audible OL Zone Combo - Covered / Uncovered Rules to Stack LB F A-Gap to A-Gap run Primary 1-back formation No. Please log in again. Tenopir used to call this the "play boy" scheme because it's a fold block with the center and play side guard. Next is the play side guard. In our example, the offense will have a fullback and running back in the backfield, a quarterback under center, and one tight end lined up to the right. This can be a great way to get the ball on the edge and utilize a WR who might not be getting a lot of passes thrown to him. That PSLB thats unblocked is now the responsibility of the tight end. Its great for QBs, RBs, WRs, LBs, and DBs. The backside guard gives a post arm to help the BST overtake. "We watch the inside foot pre-snap. Click here. Sweeney recalled a story during his ten year tenure as a center with the New York Jets when star running back Freeman McNeil used to come over and watch the linemen during their individual session in practice. Shoot, my guys blocked inside zone so much that they were taking their steps and shooting their hands while . The TB chases the butt of the tight end on this. Sweeney, now a high school offensive line coach, feels it's too tough a task to accomplish. "We don't ever worry about getting beat underneath, the ball will be outside already," said Ruel. This could ultimately lead to catastrophe. Running backs also have to be able to key and see that pre-snap to adjust their track accordingly. In 2011, Oregon averaged 9.8 yards per play as they ran this play 36 times for 353 yards and 2 touchdowns. To start on offense, the count will begin with the Center and then work to the front side. Outside zone is a simple yet effective running play. Inside and Outside Zone take a little time for the blocking to develop and have delays or long distance built into the ball carrier's path, while Midline and Wide Zone are more aggressively downhill. Per Gibbs, outside zone is blocked the same as inside zone outside of two big differences. Similar line blocking assignments: Just like the inside zone, the outside zone utilizes a full zone scheme. If you would like to discuss this topic further with Mike Kuchar, Senior Research Manager, X&O Labs, please feel free to email him at mikek@xandolabs.com. Stake - Technique used on BS of zone or both FS and BS of outside zone run plays "RTB" Prototypical Offensive Lineman This can only be accomplished through practice with the backs running at full speed. We need to turn his shoulders and he can't turn our shoulders. The center is 0, the play-side guard is 1, play-side tackle is 2, backside guard is -1, and the backside tackle is -2. "We want the pulling guard (or whoever is uncovered) to get depth and distance on the pull. The backside hand goes to the sternum of the defender. The blocking has been simplified through the use of two blocking schemes-- inside zone and outside zone-- for a variety of different plays. If the defense has a bigger, slower defensive lineman, this is great to get them running and ultimately tired out. 17 Bellstone Drive, Bellingham, MA, 02019. By having the Running Back coming downhill the defenders are forced to react or risk being beaten to the edge. Outside zone is run strictly off of leverage and cutoff blocks. But if it's not a base scheme, we were curious to find out why coaches are spending the time implementing it. The 3 templates include: Last, the running back needs to read the block of the play-side tackle. GOD - Gap on Down; GOLD - Gap on LB Down; GOO - Gap on Outside (pass) They designed whats called a slant and angle scheme that threw a big wrench in the man blocking approach. We can't get a soft shoulder." Here is one last example of how the flow and horizontal pressure of outside zone can exploit defenses. 4. When we conducting our research, we've found there are three particular scenarios in which coaches are using the pin and pull technique. As the name suggests, Zone Blocking Scheme is quite literally blocking a zone, or an area of the field, rather than man. . They called it the 28/29 Edge play. "When we put the lead foot where it is supposed to be, the rest of the body will come with you," said Tenopir. Again its important to drill this technique so it becomes second nature to the Running Backs. The tackle would miss the block, forcing the guard to pick up the defensive end or allowing the end to quickly get in the backfield. For the zone blocking scheme to work properly, there are some keys that offensive linemen need to follow. Unlike a full zone principle, this scheme involves down blocks and pulls at the point of attack. This allows the Huskers to . Identify your man. One of the most common ways the Outside Zone has been used is from Under Center with the Stretch play. Sure, some teams have chosen to man block the play, 73.8 percent of coaches still use a covered and uncovered principle when running the outside zone. A covered lineman who has help from the uncovered team mate should rip through his man, which will. The outside zone concept is simple, but it doesnt need to be run only by multiple-back formations. But against stunting first level defenders, keeping both shoulders squared becomes a difficult fundamental to accomplish. This means simply getting in front of them and cutting off their angle to the football. Teams will use their H back to block outside out but then release him for a pop pass. 3 0 obj Truth is, 53 percent of coaches feel that it doesn't need to be a top play in your offense for it to be successful. Any team running a pound-it between the tackles power offense should consider implementing outside zone. Inside Zone Run to the right (14) or left (15) w/ a lead blocker. PS Tackle to 'easy' release to MDM on 2 nd level. He will identify the force player then make the decision on whether or not that player can make the play based on his leverage on the player who is blocking him. "But we do concern ourselves with a player who lines up in a gap position. That means he can leave and climb after his own three steps and get onto a linebacker. I've admired the way the Indianapolis Colts ran the scheme to perfection under center with Peyton Manning and with the efficiency with which Oregon ran it this year out of the shotgun. Blocking Outside Zone Using the Count System WATCH: Michigan Inside Zone Blocking Drills - Sherrone Moore The Myth of the Vertical Pass Set It's cable reimagined No DVR space limits. 5. Finally, our wide outside runs are: 28-29 halfback sweep, with tackle and tight end angle rules with a guard on lead pull; 28-29 halfback toss, with a guard hooking, a tackle pulling and a tight end on an angle block. These are the rules of the play-side tackle: It is up to the play-side tackle to take the end where he wants to go. Take the first available running lane. All rights reserved. Outside zone is a running play on which offensive linemen focus their blocks on zones, or spaces on the field, as opposed to specific defenders (which is referred to as man-to-man blocking). Initially, the Inside Zone looks like a really simple play as. When a play side lineman is covered on the outside zone or stretch play, it is his job to handle that down lineman. In fact, its the exact same as far as who the offensive linemen are blocking. 4 0 obj *KEY= get head inside hole with shoulders square and power foot forward on ground. He can then read the block of his Playside Tackle to determine if he will press the ball outside or make a single cut back to the Inside. The end would line up head-up on the offensive tackle. Outside zone is usually somewhere "on the tackle," or "on the TE." Again, often at the butt or outside leg. This was very similar to a man-to-man defense. Click here. "We must open the defender's shoulders. For a more detailed breakdown of the concept, watch the video below of how the count system works and the technique involved in the scheme. Assignments change based on whether there is a defender present in their gap or not. Some general rules that are applied to these systems: Contrary to its name, outside zone doesnt usually hit outside. Hh9%9|6s$a=|/a!$T|{&q9z\1R3'kNCy@;XgGC8z|T?5B/XI4& Inside Drill - Inside Zone blocking. There are two primary rules: covered and uncovered. BLOCKING RULES RULE: Base - Big on Big rule CALL: "big" Block inside, over, outside to near backer. "I don't like the theory of keeping the outside arm free - you need four hands on defender," says Sweeney. It's used against and eight man front. The numbering system and the filled/unfilled system. Case 1: "Covered" Blocking Concepts to the Play Side. One way Duo is often explained is Power without a puller. endobj Before we talk specifics, we wanted to give you a general consensus of why teams are running the scheme. It no longer matters who is lining up in front of each offensive lineman. This creates man-blocking principles within the zone blocking system. The center goes through or pulls for the Mike LB. Learn more about spread offense runs plays from the articles below. Inside Zone Run Blocking Rules Inside zone can be run at any level, whether youth, high school, college, or the NFL. Each system is taught slightly differently within each team and small adjustments are made via game plans, but generally, this is how they work: In the numbering system, the first defender to the play-side is labeled as the 0. Outside zone and wide zone are often related to one another because of where they play hits. -TTZ>{fclRPd7yY6)l,$]! RELATED CONTENT: Building an offensive line: 3 keys to improve combo blocking I found this excellent article that breaks it all down here. Heres how it looks: The play is designed to go to the right. At the snap, they'd all either slant to the left or the right, depending on what defensive play was called, heading to the gap between two offensive linemen. Can't see the diagram? Zone Read Scheme Rules, Techniques and Drills. "Pro Rt. This will close any holes between the linemen and prevent defenders from busting through them. Rather than attacking upfield at the snap, the offensive linemen typically move at a 45-degree angle towards one of the sidelines, often leaving the backside defensive end unblocked to generate a . The main philosophy in the outside zone is to cut off every defensive lineman. The Spread Offense Man blocking schemes gave each offensive lineman the responsibility of blocking a specific defender on every play. Below, I explain how that method translate into one-on-one blocks in the inside zone. Thatd free up the Sam to make a big play. endobj It was extremely difficult to figure out who was blitzing, who was dropping . Zone blocking uses very consistent rules that do not change according to the defensive front. A core component of their ground game has been a zone-blocking scheme, which Ferentz brought to Iowa City over 16 years ago, and continues to be a critical aspect of their rushing offense. You can see in this example, from a standard shotgun set, the QB uses the backside defensive ends alignment against him, and simply 'reads' what he is doing, it provides a very simple rule for . One of the best dvds out there on the inside zone and outside zone. Coach starts off with a powerpoint lecture and then proceeds to his two main drills on tape and then advances to game film. Hand tells us the specifics of his ball carrier's path in outside zone from the shotgun formation. As soon as they seal, he shifts his eyes one gap inside. The occurs after contact. (Full Explanation). It simplified the roles and responsibilities for each offensive lineman since he was only asked to worry about one defender. The scheme is versatile, doesnt ask offensive linemen to physically overpower defenders, and puts more responsibility on the running back to make the scheme work effectively. The Hawkeyes have averaged over 160 yards per game on the ground each of the last four seasons. ", We've found the emphasis on the covered lineman is to have his shoulders pointed up field at all times. Although this topic was not in our original survey, we did do our research to find the most common aiming points of the ball carrier. Ruel stresses the idea of keeping his lineman's shoulders square and getting the stomach up field to guarantee the defender gets hooked. 4 hands on DLM, 4 eyes on LB. If I were going to run both schemes, it would be all I would do during inside run sessions. Be aggressive, run your feet. This would result in one of two things -- both of which were good for the defense. According to our research, 48.9 percent teach an up field, angle step as opposed to 36 percent who teach a bucket step. Which player comes off the initial double team block will depend on where the defensive lineman is lined up and where the initial push goes. Once his gap is secured, he will continue working up to the linebacker to cut off his angle. The PST kicks out the end and Quentin Nelson is able to sustain his block long enough to allow the running back to shoot the gap. ]Q{V@RZj/vzm[ n1Ae(A%g( In addition to our research, we've also consulted with over a dozen coaches on this topic so that they can provide you with how they run the scheme. *%nT]QnMLL**c&u%9l]+4Lj3ImEYJM!A3=bdG$Ui x|q<>;+U\l}2gB!mKl4U b;":#5Im!$y!M90JLEcSQ| . =l7*9s!-Oj8f9Du%hOg5LQen2tg[UvX t,3Ml8S9rlL dl*|MfLsFXJ$D9m+!R `)^+JPiXjU;uhpY` ip9adL3TMW#$8*nWx2#9~\|vp}ppa{m=Rkoxoi*+%7Vs?nK&+b?~DA3v[9NMO34Ndf78b,9\YT jO0:/D['e>=w8ZBq$ J 0^FOr@Dkoj364&aj$fD(OQ ;)g J'9XqDuxqD2I[}vmxmz0TV&3+OI=;@ D-PRLL*@EzfLs* This can be run from a variety of different formations and sets which makes it particularly difficult to defend. Zone-locking or man-locking principles may also be applied to pass blocking. Think inside shoulder to outside shoulder. If the center can't get the nose reached, he asks for help. This not only provides for a wider blocking surface, but also keeps the horizontal displacement of the scheme giving the running back more room to operate (we will explain the RB reads a bit later). For years, offensive linemen were given man blocking responsibilities. Yes, he did just say front side A gap. <> We are trying to put both hands on the far shoulder pad. Once the running back reads the tackle, he will bend it back toward the middle if he sees him pushing the defensive end to the sideline. The majority of coaches want their covered offensive linemen to be able to finish at a second level defender by the time the play is over. "We tell him to take a deep drop step and come out on the strong side A gap. Once the guard has slowed down the man in his gap and the center has overtaken him, he will then move to cut off the linebacker. Outside Zone Explanation Blocking rules are the same as Inside Zone Difference is the aiming point of the Offensive Lineman Play Side O-Line takes a kick-step to the outside and Karaoke crossover step to get up field Backside opens on the play side foot and loses ground (Don't allow penetration) Chip and GO. The ZBS takes the offensive line and choreographs their movements. On the right side, they'll double team the defensive end. The second player is a -2, and so on. 6 0 obj One of these players on each side of the field will come off their initial double team block to get to the second level and pick up the Will and the Mike, respectively. Truth is, 80.8 percent of those that took our outside zone survey were high school coaches. Teach zone blocking technique whether covered or uncovered; Identify a "point" defender and work simple line rules off of his alignment; The incredibly fast tempo of the Oregon offense puts enormous pressure on the defense. Want to contribute content and have it seen by thousands of coaches? In our Indy period on Offensive Line, we will work our 2 on 2 blocking for the the Outside Zone. While its a little more complicated to teach and learn than the man blocking scheme, it isn't too difficult that itd be hard for younger players to learn. The benefit of cutting off defensive linemen is that it naturally opens up running lanes for the running back. The concept is that the Running Back will be coming downhill and taking a handoff deep in the backfield. In a follow-up to the inside zone report that X&O Labs published back in early March, we wanted to research the most productive ways coaches are teaching the outside zone and stretch concept to their players. Keith Grabowski, the offensive coordinator at Baldwin Wallace College (OH) teaches his tailback the six second rule. Landmark is the play side armpit of defender. Zone blocking philosophies can differ, but since it attacks space and gaps, the scheme can be incredibly versatile and effective against whatever front and look the defense presents. One of the more popular ways to use the Outside Zone blocking scheme is by utilizing the Jet Motion to give the ball to a fast player running at full speed. the difference between an inside and outside zone, and how . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright text 2022 by Football Advantage. For years, offensive linemen were given man blocking responsibilities. Thats where the overtake comes into play. The past season I coached our 8th grade team and we went 10-0 and won our league championship. This meant that if the lineman's assignment went to the left, hed be required to follow him and vice versa. Team - Inside Zone blocking. The first stage of this example is the double team blocks. Enter the Name/Description. Sure, some teams have chosen to man block the play, 73.8 percent of coaches still use a covered and uncovered principle when running the outside zone. The first pro of inside zone is its simplicity for offensive linemen. <> Select the appropriate domain. We do this by keeping both feet on ground." Case 3: Back-side Blocking Schemes (To Cut or Not to Cut). The best part about the Outside Zone scheme is that it can be used in a multitude of different ways to attack the defense. This topic is about teaching the inside and outside zone using 3-person groups during your individual periods. I found this excellent article that breaks it all down here. The biggest one is that if the ball is dropped by the runner it is considered a forward pass and the play is dead. Your email address will not be published. The guard and tackle on each side of the center will combine for the zone blocking double teams. As Jim Sweeney, a 16-year NFL center tells his lineman at South Fayette HS (PA), "We always try to stay parallel with our shoulders because we want the back to have a three way go. A primary goal of almost all offenses is to get the ball to a speedy player in space. endobj The count works out from there. If the defensive end stays to the outside (through the C gap), then the offensive tackle will stay on him while the offensive guard peels off to pick up the Mike. Fourth, the offensive linemen must know which one will stay on the defender and which one will peel off to pick up the linebacker. The responsibility of blocking these two players will land with either the offensive tackles or the offensive guards. Aiming points and angles are some of the most important rules for the OL "When you do both you're marrying two different principles so we need to really work on this. Blocking Calls / Rules. These number labels on the defense correlate to numbers given to the offensive linemen. This play is diagramed against a 3-4 scheme. The backside tackle and tight end fight to cut off their defenders and prevent them from shooting gaps. Although Ruel doesn't teach a bucket step for those uncovered offensive linemen, we've found that the majority of coaches, 32.8 percent, teach a bucket step for that uncovered lineman. The BSG then gets up to the second level. Behind the Inside Zone it is the second most popular scheme at the professional and college level. By doing this a couple of different things are accomplished. Ruel's Techniques of a Stretch Scoop (uncovered lineman): That last coaching point is the golden nugget. The zone blocking scheme allows the offensive linemen to take a wait-and-see approach with blocking, allowing the play to develop before determining wholl block the linebacker on their side of the field. There are two general approaches to how outside zone is taught. Last, the play-side tackle has one of the most important blocks in the entire play. The Outside Zone blocking scheme is one of the most universal schemes in football. You might think this is a poor design, as itd allow the linebackers to roam free just as they did with the man blocking scheme. They teach a run to rip technique, similar to the responsibility of the uncovered lineman to the front side of the play.

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