Subscribe for weekly recaps on analysis, insight, and articles. It no longer matters who is lining up in front of each offensive lineman. The tackle to the read side will be blocking the end on his side, and stepping with the opposite foot as the rest of the OL. When the Quarterback is reading the end he is checking to see if he can run it for four or more yards opposite of the play call. Here, the end man on the line of scrimmage to the play-side jabs in on the snap which allows for left tackle David Bakhtiari to be able to seal him and give the Packers the outside. (QB Position Guide), What is a Running Back in Football? @l7)j$v tPO8? Lot of horizontal movement in the back field to open up the middle for the TE, Using the Sniffer Tight End in the Run Game, Outside Zone Midline in the Spread Offense. RB aligns behind the tackle to his side, five yards off the ball in gun so we can stretch the defense. Instead, each lineman is responsible to block an area . Get our blocking diagrams to every defensive front Steps and Combos The next thing you need to study about the Inside Zone is Offensive Line Steps and Calling Combination Blocks. "When we put the lead foot where it is supposed to be, the rest of the body will come with you," said Tenopir. The rules. Individuals - Inside Zone drills. UJZ h?l UIJTZQ,m(!L05O5-we endobj In this drill, we work with a shaded down defender and a stacked Linebacker (or whatever we will see that week). Click here. Before we talk specifics, we wanted to give you a general consensus of why teams are running the scheme. Hh9%9|6s$a=|/a!$T|{&q9z\1R3'kNCy@;XgGC8z|T?5B/XI4& The other major advantage is that some players feel like it allows them to run faster. Its great for QBs, RBs, WRs, LBs, and DBs. They must be taught through practice and game reps to get a feel for when the Tackle does not have his man sealed so they can turn it upfield to gain yards. Theres a lot of moving parts and there are a lot of areas that need to be practice in a short amount of time. The BSG then gets up to the second level. Click here now! Sweeney, now a high school offensive line coach, feels it's too tough a task to accomplish. Outside zone plays follow the same basic rules listed above with a few general guidelines that should be followed. Ruel calls his uncovered technique a "stretch scoop." Fourth, the offensive linemen must know which one will stay on the defender and which one will peel off to pick up the linebacker. Our research has shown nearly an even split on this topic, with 52.6 percent preferring to run the scheme under center. Outside zone is usually somewhere "on the tackle," or "on the TE." Again, often at the butt or outside leg. Thatd free up the Sam to make a big play. Huawei is pitching this offering as a way for hospitals to cut network rollout . The slant and angle defense exposed one fatal flaw in the man blocking scheme -- that offensive linemen were asked to follow their assigned defender wherever they went. With the wide zone run scheme, offensive linemen work laterally as they try to gain the edge. Also, similarly to Inside Zone, it has multiple possible points of entry. This was very similar to a man-to-man defense. "We're a dinosaur when it comes to our path. "So we think there is no chance anyone from the play side A gap back can make a play on the outside zone. The Promotion & Instruction of Youth Football, Home / Uncategorized / Maximizing the Outside Zone Blocking Scheme. Although this component won't be disclosed below, we will be covering this aspect in depth on May 24th when our Boise State/Oregon trigger concepts report debuts. The same read rules apply as before, but now if the DE goes upfield, the QB keeps it and runs off the FB block. If by the third step, the offensive lineman is not in a position to overtake the down lineman, he's up on the next path to cutoff whatever comes. Stick your foot in the ground and making a slashing cut north and south. ,h_;9%Z*`0~`Wgaiwr>Qbsvo]9-o!N"e"wZQ'"-Hb.ZG: nwj?mCA7cQOc7Le:RDZD->Zu!+DGnz@NSSFWbk;Tlp`:@11ZcK :YZgGviGf]XkB`MvpN&:7 First, the linemen who are double team blocking in tandem must stay hip-to-hip. Starting with the center, the philosophy is to cut off the person in your next gap. This play is diagramed against a 3-4 scheme. "He wants to get started up field because he is going to come off on the next level. On the backside, the LG = -1 and the LT = -2. This provides for numerous cutback lanes for the ball carrier to insert himself. If by the third step, the lineman cannot over take the down defender, he will work up to the next level play side. Alright, so you've got your basic outside zone run, and that's working pretty good, but your opponent is adjusting. Vertical push on IZ (inside zone). Communicate with each other. There are two general approaches to how outside zone is taught. The count is just a good starting point for the who the OL will block with anticipation of taking care of anyone that enters their gap. By slanting the defensive linemen a certain direction, itd cause the offensive linemen to follow them, which would then cut off other offensive linemen from being able to block linebackers. Knee through the crotch. 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. Unlike a full zone principle, this scheme involves down blocks and pulls at the point of attack. Ruel's Techniques of a Stretch Hook (covered lineman): Rip to run on second step by driving back shoulder through defender - this provides for a cutoff scenario. On the backside the shaded Nose = -1, the Will = -2 and the backside DE = -3. On inside zone there will be double teams where as outside zone there will be no double teams except on the edge between the PS Tackle and the PS TE. 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. These indicators can include: Although the outside zone or stretch scheme is an outside hitting play, any interior penetration could slow down the course of the ball carrier. Inside zone running is vertical blocking where you are trying to move your man either left or . toInside Zone Rulesin that they use the covered/uncovered read and playside direction. "If we don't get engagement by ripping to play side number, then we automatically climb to the second level," he said. With zone blocking, all the offensive linemen will work in tandem to block the defenders, rather than each lineman being responsible to block an individual defender. *KEY= get head inside hole with shoulders square and power foot forward on ground. However, in the past few years under running game coordinator . Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest trends! Inside Zone Run Blocking Rules Inside zone can be run at any level, whether youth, high school, college, or the NFL. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Case 3: Back-side Blocking Schemes (To Cut or Not to Cut). *@,$Oe* R:MnRO_ *?r&*o}OQ!*M$}M Tenopir used to call this the "play boy" scheme because it's a fold block with the center and play side guard. This can be particularly difficult for younger running backs as they hear the Stretch play called and want to run the ball to the outside no matter what. The added speed of the runner makes it more likely that the Tackle will be able to make the block but many teams will use the Running Back to seal the edge to guarantee that the ball carrier can get to the alley. With an outside track, linebackers and second level defenders have to respect the threat of the offense getting the edge. <> We base block the TE, block back on the 3-technique, pull the guard, and the center. Aiming point is the outside leg of the ghost tight end (ghost means whether a tight end is actually in the formation or not), The running back reads outside in from the end man on the line of scrimmage to the defensive tackles, Essential to take a good track to force linebackers to flow over and set up easy blocks for the offensive linemen, If the running back has a lane outside, they must immediately take it, Attack the play-side end man on the line of scrimmage (EMLOS) with goal to seal outside, If the end man on the line of scrimmage is outside their frame and in a wide enough alignment that an overtake is not possible, they must kick out that player, When the EMLOS is possible to overtake and seal, the PST will take lateral steps (losing ground if needed) to win the outside, If the play-side guard is able to overtake the EMLOS, climb and look for play-side linebacker inside to prevent scrape, If the EMLOS is possible to overtake and seal, the PST will take lateral steps (losing ground if needed) to win the outside, Attack the play-side shoulder of the defender in your gap, Take three steps flat with goal to overtake for the offensive lineman to your play-side, If you cannot overtake or push over defender onto your play-side tackle, climb to first linebacker play-side, Attack 1 with same technique as filled/unfilled, Work through first level defenders that appear, Attack 0 with same technique as filled/unfilled, If you cannot overtake or push over defender onto your play-side tackle, climb to second linebacker play-side, Attack -1 with same technique as filled/unfilled, Attack -2 with same technique as filled/unfilled, Defensive players lined head-up are treated as players that can fill gaps to either side, Linebackers walked up in gaps are treated as filling those gaps and become priority assignments, A defender in your play-side gap overrides a defender that is head up. So Herb Hand, the offensive line coach at Vanderbilt University (who spent a good part of his coaching career under famed spread coaches like Rich Rodriquez and Gus Malzahn) emphasizes the drag hand technique of the covered offensive lineman. Teams will use their H back to block outside out but then release him for a pop pass. The combination will come with the Center and RG (0 & 1) on the 3t and the Mike (0 & 1 on defense). Can't see the diagram? Here's what the Inside Zone Read looks like Live. Backside hand through the sternum. By having the Running Back coming downhill the defenders are forced to react or risk being beaten to the edge. 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). <> Landmark is the play side armpit of defender. Learn more about spread offense runs plays from the articles below. Again its important to drill this technique so it becomes second nature to the Running Backs. The 3rd level defenders have taken bad angles because of how hard the Jaguars pressed outside. What this does is result in a lot of double-team blocks at the line of scrimmage. Copyright 2023 vIQtory Sports, all rights reserved. In this case, the Center = 0, RG = 1 and RT = 2. According to Zweifel and other coaches we spoke with, the problem with running both the pin and pull and zone schemes is not having the practice time to devote to it. The center goes through or pulls for the Mike LB. It requires speed and technique. INSIDE ZONE FROM WEAK OFFSET PRO I FORMATION Inside Zone Strong Inside Zone Weak Inside Zone Lead Strong Inside Zone Lead Weak OUTSIDE ZONE Coaching Points-Outside Zone Outside Zone Strong GENERAL FORMATION & PLAY SETUP COACHING NOTES : Inside Zone Ballhandler Notes : Inside Zone O-Line Rules Inside Zone O-Line Technique Notes : Miscellaneous Zone Running Game Notes: (3 pgs . That opens up a nice lane down the middle. Make your splits work for your advantage. If I were going to run both schemes, it would be all I would do during inside run sessions. But here comes the beauty of the zone blocking scheme. Sign up for our weekly recaps, informed analysis, and film breakdowns. This meant that if the lineman's assignment went to the left, hed be required to follow him and vice versa. North Texas runs Iso Pop Pass down inside the red zone. The second player is a 1, the third is a 2, and so on. One way Duo is often explained is Power without a puller. I believe that a player who thinks he can run fast will beat a player who thinks he is going to be running slow. The linemen still count their defenders to the play side when determining their responsibilities. Hand tells us the specifics of his ball carrier's path in outside zone from the shotgun formation. 2 0 obj Some offensive linemen may still have only one blocking responsibility, again depending on the offensive play and defensive scheme being used. That caused offensive coaches to try to come up with a new blocking scheme thatd counter the slant and angle scheme and also protect against future defensive schemes that coaches might create. NFL Offensive Lines: Alex Gibbs' Zone Blocking Scheme. This was very similar to a man-to-man defense. Outside zone is a simple yet effective running play. Zone blocking uses very consistent rules that do not change according to the defensive front. But how these coaches teach their blocking assignments will vary, as we will explain below. We're here just to spark the debate and give you some fodder to decide how best to run your scheme. 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. Initially, the Inside Zone looks like a really simple play as. Get X&O Labs' New Report Revealing Boise State and Oregon's "Trigger" Concepts May 24, A tight or inside shade first level defender, A cheating second level player to the edge of the defense, Short 45 degree step, target is play side number of adjacent down lineman, Rip off hand and shoulder though his play side armpit (rip and run), Hook him using your shoulders and butt by leaning into him, not by turning your shoulders, If you're on the ground, defender can get up first and make the play, They can still go over you and make a play on the QB or RB. 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. In this case, the Center = 0, RG = 1 and RT = 2. We are trying to put both hands on the far shoulder pad. RELATED CONTENT: Building an offensive line: 3 keys to improve combo blocking It started to become popular in the 1980s and in the 1990s with Alex Gibbs and Mike Shanahan. Take the first available running lane. He picks the foot up and puts it in the direction we want him to go. Follow, Head Coach Monterey HS @coach_besaw born and raised in the Spread (Eugene, OR) covering all things Spread Offense, A few different ways you can use the sniffer tight end in the run game Flag football is a great game to play, especially during the offseason. 1. The defense counters with four defensive linemen, as well as the Sam linebacker lining up in tight toward the line of scrimmage. 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. If any wrong color jersey crosses his face on that path, cut it. Outside Zone Running Back Aiming Point Last, the running back needs to read the block of the play-side tackle. The Outside Zone allows an offense to do this in a variety of different ways. "When you do both you're marrying two different principles so we need to really work on this. 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. Always finish your block. Team Run - Inside Zone blocking. Covered Offensive Lineman. #12nzsMfBhJ@x~G$4BhOACeQ6Z98E y 'ILj*k>W\R Pass pro rules can matchup, adding another level to the adaptability. In fact, 64.9 percent of coaches believe that the uncovered vs. covered methodology is the most productive way of blocking the inside zone scheme. 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. 6. While I dont really believe this is completely true, I am a full believer in the power of the placebo effect. endobj Can't see the diagram? 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. endobj Navigate to Security > WAF > Tools. 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. The double team on outside zone will be short lived and evolved into a co-op block between the PS Tackle and PS TE. We've found the structure the play (either in gun or under center) dictates how fast that ball can get to the edge. C BT BG PG PT Q ET MB Y Here's what they told us: Top reasons for running the outside zone/stretch scheme: Complements the inside zone scheme: While the inside zone relies on vertical displacement of the defense, the outside zone relies on horizontal displacement. (Diagram 1) Can't see the diagram? The offensive lineman is told that he must read covered or uncovered. Heres how it looks: The play is designed to go to the right. It has become even more popular in the past few years with Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay basing their entire offenses around the scheme. If so, you'll love my daily "Football Coaching" emails. No more boring Sundays, everyone can enjoy football! 101K views 4 years ago In this description of the inside zone you learn a new and simple way to make sure your lineman know who they will be working with on their combo blocks. Seal - Term used for blocking defender out to stop penetration of gap or to ensure edge pressure . This creates man-blocking principles within the zone blocking system. Now on the defense, the count begins with 0 and it starts with the first defender that is the immediate threat to the playside A gap. This topic is about teaching the inside and outside zone using 3-person groups during your individual periods. Lean back if nothing is there - If there's nothing that shows immediately, lean back and get eyes on what's coming into your gap. <> The blocking techniques, though, are different, as the plays are designed to get the defense moving laterally across the field and create seams in their coverage. <> 3 0 obj Below, I explain how that method translate into one-on-one blocks in the inside zone. . To start on offense, the count will begin with the Center and then work to the front side. Offensive linemen, when facing twisting defensive linemen, can also either lock on man-to-man or pass it off in a. . The key to running inside zone is the double teams that occur at the line of scrimmage from the lineman and the running back being patient. The past season I coached our 8th grade team and we went 10-0 and won our league championship. This particular topic was highly debatable among coaches we spoke with. On this play, the offensive tackle would have man blocking responsibilities for the defensive end, while the offensive guard would have man blocking responsibilities on the Sam linebacker. 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. The Offensive Line uses a zone blocking scheme on both of these plays, however, each play is a little different. In both of these cases, the guard wouldn't be able to get to the Sam linebacker in time to make a successful block. The occurs after contact. <>/XObject<>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 10 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S>> (Full Explanation), What is a Lateral Pass in Football? The scheme attacks space instead of players and offers a versatile play that doesnt demand vertical movement and instead stresses defenses on the perimeter. "We watch the inside foot pre-snap. Your email address will not be published. The Outside Zone Read is similar to the Inside Zone Read in the sense that it the Quarterback is Reading the Last man on the Line of Scrimmage and the Line is Zone Blocking. We need to turn his shoulders and he can't turn our shoulders. Each of our plays may have 3 to 4 different ways to block the play based on the defensive formation. Select an applicable Action of either Block, Legacy CAPTCHA, Managed Challenge, or JS challenge. I would have no other time to run other schemes.". Attention Youth Football Parents! That movement will stop the penetration of the defender inside. Everything that Zweifel teaches in his outside zone progression is based upon the "reach and overtake" mantra that he drills into his linemen from day one. In this case, the defensive end is shaded to the outside shoulder of the right offensive tackle. In a clinic setting, Coach Greatwood teaches the inside zone concepts of the devastating Duck ground attack. In this instance the Running Back will line up next to the Quarterback opposite of the play call. The two plays are based on the teaching that in any inside or outside zone play, there are "covered" and "uncovered" linemen. It is critical that he is able to read the Tackle. The face goes to the play side defender's armpit. Another common way to utilize the Outside Zone blocking scheme is to get the ball to the running back out of the backfield. Since the offensive lineman assigned to that defender was asked to follow him based on the man blocking scheme, hed knock the offensive lineman next to him off course. stream Peyton Manning was a true master of this where he would sell the fake so well that the defenders would come downhill to stop the run only to see Marvin Harrison or Reggie Wayne going streaking by them. While we found the objective clear, the methodology or technique that is used by that uncovered player varied among coaches. One of the most common ways the Outside Zone has been used is from Under Center with the Stretch play. If the center can't get the nose reached, he asks for help. "We got it from Glen Mason while he was at the University of Minnesota. Third, the offensive linemen must keep their eyes on the linebacker. Xs and Oz: Outside Zone Rules Outside Zone Blocking The offensive line blocks Outside Zone Rules. 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. If that makes sense for you, great! It can also efficiently be run with one back, which would still give you the advantage of the leverage on the defense based on what you put into their gaps on either side. Those numbers for the defense can adjust in real time with pre-snap motion and fakes that move defenders into different alignments. Track blocking basically means putting the linemen on a track, and they engage only what shows up on their track. 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) The RB will key the block on the first D-lineman playside on inside zone, and make a cut based off the block on him. That pressure allows for the BST get down the line of scrimmage and to be able to overtake the first-level defender. As a result I normally give the players the option if they would like to get the ball dropped down to them. When a play side lineman is covered on the outside zone or stretch play, it is his job to handle that down lineman. This is similar to the philosophy of pin and pull, which we wrote about here. Sweeney doesn't subscribe to the "outside hand free" theory that Hand presents when working against a slanting first level defender. Get 3 free templates to help you build an organized and structured team. GOD - Gap on Down; GOLD - Gap on LB Down; GOO - Gap on Outside (pass) The key read is the TE. The TB chases the butt of the tight end on this. The backside tackle and tight end fight to cut off their defenders and prevent them from shooting gaps. The only way an offensive OL = Outside Zone blocking. We have even told him sometimes to cut the front side 3-tech." Keith Grabowski, the offensive coordinator at Baldwin Wallace College (OH) teaches his tailback the six second rule. 10 0 obj The login page will open in a new tab. In our Indy period on Offensive Line, we will work our 2 on 2 blocking for the the Outside Zone. Zone running plays are designed to block general areas across the line of scrimmage while the running back finds the best opening. As you can see from the description and illustrations, the slant and angle defensive scheme posed a big problem for man blocking schemes. The play side guard blocks down on the nose and the center pulls around the guards block and up on the backer. Similar line blocking assignments: Just like the inside zone, the outside zone utilizes a full zone scheme. No. But when we conducted our research, we've found that the majority of coaches we polled (37.8 %) do not teach the cut block back-side. If not, run to the strong side A gap and cut off anything you could possibly see.