His main job is to cut off the players gap toward the play side. 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. It's all doable depending on the path of the back which Zweifel explains. Can't see the diagram? This creates man-blocking principles within the zone blocking system. TIRVB(oSTsU%;1Xj_IL_E6cqE3p*p?EQyw~8+@+WS>W._ Zone-locking or man-locking principles may also be applied to pass blocking. Remember above assume BOB. 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). Outside Zone Running Back Aiming Point Last, the running back needs to read the block of the play-side tackle. 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. A covered lineman who has help from the uncovered team mate should rip through his man, which will. endobj Teams who run outside zone must have athletic linemen that can cut in front of the defensive lineman. The guard and tackle on each side of the center will combine for the zone blocking double teams. Here is one last example of how the flow and horizontal pressure of outside zone can exploit defenses. Starting with the center, the philosophy is to cut off the person in your next gap. Basic Inside Zone Blocking Rules Diagram. ", 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. That opens up a nice lane down the middle. 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. Outside zone and wide zone are often related to one another because of where they play hits. Case 2: "Uncovered" Blocking Concepts to the Play Side (Reach and Overtake). This system rewards athletic linemen that can climb to the second level quickly, and running . Its best used as a base play for your offense if youre running three wide receivers and a tight end or two wing-backs. What you'll see in this illustration is that theres no set blocking responsibility for either the Mike or Will linebackers. Seal - Term used for blocking defender out to stop penetration of gap or to ensure edge pressure . 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. 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. Get X&O Labs' Coaching Research Reports FREE Every Tuesday. Once his gap is secured, he will continue working up to the linebacker to cut off his angle. If the center cannot reach the nose, he will make a "me" call to the strong guard telling him to block the nose and the center will pull to block the MLB. Offensive coaches needed to come up with a solution, and that solution was zone blocking. RB aligns behind the tackle to his side, five yards off the ball in gun so we can stretch the defense. The tight end is responsible for kicking out the Sam linebacker. Click here. There are a variety of different coaching points that must be mastered but one of the key things is that the runner gets the ball at as close to full speed as possible. 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 backside tackle is looking to cut off the defensive lineman to his play-side gap. Sign up for our weekly recaps, informed analysis, and film breakdowns. It is critical that he is able to read the Tackle. 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. The blocking has been simplified through the use of two blocking schemes-- inside zone and outside zone-- for a variety of different plays. 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 . We need to turn his shoulders and he can't turn our shoulders. 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. One of the more popular variations of outside zone is the outside zone RPO. Select an applicable Action of either Block, Legacy CAPTCHA, Managed Challenge, or JS challenge. Teams that can effectively execute outside zone will have success. Although the play is intended to circle the defense, it will often cut-up instead of cutting back like inside zone schemes. Hand tells us the specifics of his ball carrier's path in outside zone from the shotgun formation. He teaches his players to eye the outside armpit of the defender with the objective to always advance to the second level. 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. Alright, so you've got your basic outside zone run, and that's working pretty good, but your opponent is adjusting. If any wrong color jersey crosses his face on that path, cut it. 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. *KEY= get head inside hole with shoulders square and power foot forward on ground. Xs and Oz: Outside Zone Rules Outside Zone Blocking The offensive line blocks Outside Zone Rules. Assignments change based on whether there is a defender present in their gap or not. Behind the Inside Zone it is the second most popular scheme at the professional and college level. The second player is a -2, and so on. Both ultimately accomplish the same thing. I found this excellent article that breaks it all down here. But what we got surprised us. Offensive linemen, when facing twisting defensive linemen, can also either lock on man-to-man or pass it off in a. And again, this is also not universal. We take the fullback on force. Select the appropriate domain. 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 cornerstone of blocking rules starts with blocking seven for seven across the front in 12 personnel . This will close any holes between the linemen and prevent defenders from busting through them. Your email address will not be published. The BSG then gets up to the second level. For clarification, the first blocker is the tight end, the second blocker is the fullback and the third blocker is the wide receiver play side. While we found the objective clear, the methodology or technique that is used by that uncovered player varied among coaches. This is referred to as the second level of the defense. 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. The center should start by working flat down the line of scrimmage to position himself in front of the defensive lineman. Formation puts defense in a MOFO look and TE runs right by the LB to attack space in the middle of the field. In outside zone, offensive linemen will never step backside. It's used against and eight man front. He helps seal that scrape and AJ Dillon is able to get outside on edge of the defense. 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. 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. 1 0 obj As you can see from the description and illustrations, the slant and angle defensive scheme posed a big problem for man blocking schemes. If the first read is not reached, but is stretched and running outside, the back looks for the second read. 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. Teams who use outside zone as a primarily outside zone run play may have their running back trying to get to the edge no matter what. Get X&O Labs' New Report Revealing Boise State and Oregon's "Trigger" Concepts May 24th. The two-back outside zone uses the same zone-blocking principles of the one-back look with a fullback or H-Back leading to the edge of the formation to track the first defender who shows as. To start on offense, the count will begin with the Center and then work to the front side. 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. Aiming points and angles are some of the most important rules for the OL ", We've found the emphasis on the covered lineman is to have his shoulders pointed up field at all times. 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. The linemen open up and get on a 45 degree track. As the name suggests, Zone Blocking Scheme is quite literally blocking a zone, or an area of the field, rather than man. Outside zone is run strictly off of leverage and cutoff blocks. The other major advantage is that some players feel like it allows them to run faster. 5 0 obj ,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 We were first in the league in scoring and first in our league in points allowed on defense. RELATED CONTENT: Building an offensive line: 3 keys to improve combo blocking Behind the Inside Zone it is the second most popular scheme at the professional and college level. Outside zone (lateral hook/seal): Reach/block the outside shoulder/first step points outside of D-lineman's outside shoulder. Zone blocking uses very consistent rules that do not change according to the defensive front. Better Know a Run Game- Crack Toss. There is nobody in his play-side gap, so he helps the tackle overtake the block and then looks inside for exactly this type of flow from the linebackers. Zone Read Scheme Rules, Techniques and Drills. 5. We're here just to spark the debate and give you some fodder to decide how best to run your scheme. The double team on outside zone will be short lived and evolved into a co-op block between the PS Tackle and PS TE. Team Run - Inside Zone blocking. . <> In fact, its the exact same as far as who the offensive linemen are blocking. The past season I coached our 8th grade team and we went 10-0 and won our league championship. This made it very easy to teach, especially for younger football players who were just learning to play the game. 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. 3 0 obj This play is diagramed against a 3-4 scheme. 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. "So we think there is no chance anyone from the play side A gap back can make a play on the outside zone. Inside Zone Run Blocking Rules Inside zone can be run at any level, whether youth, high school, college, or the NFL. Unlike a full zone principle, this scheme involves down blocks and pulls at the point of attack. Inside zone running is vertical blocking where you are trying to move your man either left or . This topic is about teaching the inside and outside zone using 3-person groups during your individual periods. The outside zone uses the same blocking rules as the inside zone. 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. Tenopir used to call this the "play boy" scheme because it's a fold block with the center and play side guard. With inside zone, vertical steps backside are used to create double teams. Contact us if you are interested in contributing content. Play-action package off OZ action: Now, this is where the fun begins. Communicate with each other. Copyright 2023 vIQtory Sports, all rights reserved. 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). Due to the speed the runner is moving at he will not be reading the playside tackle and is automatically trying to get to the edge. The wide-zone run scheme is a play based on horizontal movement. The first stage of this example is the double team blocks. Outside zone is one of the hardest plays for the defense to stop, simply because it takes the element of power completely out of the situation. In my philosophy, blocking outside zone is similar to how you would block inside zone. OL = Outside Zone blocking. Pass pro rules can matchup, adding another level to the adaptability. Each of our plays may have 3 to 4 different ways to block the play based on the defensive formation. "We watch the inside foot pre-snap. <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S>> (QB Position Guide), What is a Running Back in Football? It started to become popular in the 1980s and in the 1990s with Alex Gibbs and Mike Shanahan. endstream If not, run to the strong side A gap and cut off anything you could possibly see. Identify your man. The Hawkeyes have averaged over 160 yards per game on the ground each of the last four seasons. This is a simple way to zone block, without having to extensively teach zone blocking principles like covered-uncovered. In Grabowski's scheme, the fullback or H block gets assigned for force. Under User Agent Blocking, click Create Blocking Rule. On the backside, the LG = -1 and the LT = -2. 2 0 obj Your email address will not be published. Any time you run and pin and pull, it is a cut on the back-side - no scoop. The zone blocking scheme is a great way to counter any defensive play that might be called. They called it the 28/29 Edge play. Vertical push on IZ (inside zone). There were numerous reasons as to why high school coaches don't tell their kids to cut block, but perhaps no other coach was more straightforward about it then Sweeney. The tackle would have to follow the end, based on his man blocking responsibilities. https://spreadoffensefootball.com/using-the-sniffer-tight-end-in-the-run-game/. Please reload the page and try again. The 3rd level defenders have taken bad angles because of how hard the Jaguars pressed outside. The backside guard takes his track to overtake for the center while putting his hand on the near hip of the player in his backside gap. Terms and Rules Ace - Double . endobj 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. 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 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. 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. Even if offensive linemen lose ground, the back can run off of those blocks and create positive plays that exploit fast-filling linebackers. The backside guard will step toward the play side to ensure no penetration from a blitzing linebacker or backside lineman. While I dont really believe this is completely true, I am a full believer in the power of the placebo effect. It gave the OZ play a chance to cut into C gap. Our hope is that after you read what they do, you find a common ground to adapt what you do to fit your personnel, which after all, is the essence of good coaching. If the defensive end has the play-side tackle in a stalemate, the running back will bang it next to their block to recoup some yards. The count system works the same for any front whether youre running inside zone or outside zone. In this article, were going to show you exactly how to run outside zone and how you can install it into your offensive system. If the center can't get the nose reached, he asks for help. 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. Where the defensive end goes -- and how the offensive linemen double team him -- will determine which offensive lineman blocks the Mike. 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. Outside zone forces defenses to run horizontally and puts more responsibility on the running back to make the blocking scheme of the offensive line effective. Using outside zone as a base run play opens up other concepts like play-action plays (where you fake the outside zone handoff and throw it deep outside) or gap schemes. Know your steps and calls. Click here. The second player is a 1, the third is a 2, and so on. Perhaps no other coach knows the zone scheme better than Stan Zweifel. We're talking full displacement of defenders. This forces the safety to hold back and not come downhill for the run fit. The rules for the covered linemen on the outside zone are through the crotch. 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. Case 5: Problem Areas Among the Front (Pin and Pull Technique). The best part about the Outside Zone scheme is that it can be used in a multitude of different ways to attack the defense. Can't see the diagram? 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. This meant that if the lineman's assignment went to the left, hed be required to follow him and vice versa. (Full Explanation), Air Coryell Football Coaching Guide (Includes Images). The Outside Zone Drill is going to be used after your Individual Period. Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest trends! 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. With the track of the running back, Jacksonville has forced the secondary of the Browns to flow hard over the top and get sealed off to the play-side. The whole point of the play is to block a defender where they are, and not have to "move them." Click here now! x[[o6~GkPs(>t.MC&dI9$EHxn$CQ/."_F 5/5 Stars. Zone is great because it takes into account any spikes or slants from the defensive line. Hand, who teaches a stretch step, not a bucket step, tells his covered offensive lineman to aim for the outside "V" of the neck of the down lineman whereas the majority of coaches (49.1%) teach the play side armpit as the visual aiming point of the covered lineman. 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. But besides that, the 2 plays are very different. The end would line up head-up on the offensive tackle. South Carolinas own twist on the double swing screen Y delay. So when we started compiling the report, we've found that the most heated discussion is whether or not to full zone or man block the scheme. If youre interested in learning more about other base run plays, we have blogs detailing inside zone and other plays here. If that makes sense for you, great! If the center can reach the nose he will make a "you" call to the strong guard telling the strong guard to pull and block the play side linebacker. (Full Explanation), What is a Lateral Pass in Football? It was extremely difficult to figure out who was blitzing, who was dropping . It is very similar to what Hand teaches, but his rules refer more to the perimeter defenders than to first level defensive linemen. Zweifel will do this when he sees a C gap down defender to the play side. There are many blocking calls used today in youth football. Some teams base their entire offense on it, including the NFL 's Washington Football Team, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Rams. The first player backside (of the center) is labeled as -1. 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. So when we started compiling the report, we've found that the most heated discussion is whether or not to full zone or man block the scheme. His objective is to get to the next adjacent down lineman's play side number with the purpose of taking him over. Before we talk specifics, we wanted to give you a general consensus of why teams are running the scheme. 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. I'll focus on the wide zone, because that's more iconic to what Gibbs . Outside zone plays follow the same basic rules listed above with a few general guidelines that should be followed. Before we talk specifics, we wanted to give you a general consensus of why teams are running the scheme. 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 backside guard gives a post arm to help the BST overtake. This particular topic was highly debatable among coaches we spoke with. Copyright ©2023 Youth Football Online. It works great as a horizontal flow and is common to use on boot legs and play action. This was very similar to a man-to-man defense. "He wants to get started up field because he is going to come off on the next level. endobj "We used to cut those defenders such as a back-side shade technique, but now our guard will try to take a deep drop step and take him over," he says. The first pro of inside zone is its simplicity for offensive linemen. Again, the zone blocking scheme will start with the offensive tackle and guards combining for a double team block at the line of scrimmage, followed by one of these linemen peeling off to block a second-level linebacker.