outside zone blocking rules

Many teams have moved away from this because its very rare for the backside Defensive End to be able to run down the Running Back. 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. Vertical push on IZ (inside zone). 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. . Initially, the Inside Zone looks like a really simple play as. The tight end is responsible for kicking out the Sam linebacker. One advantage of running this play from Under Center is the Play Action potential it opens up. Unlike a full zone principle, this scheme involves down blocks and pulls at the point of attack. The difference is the wide zone blocking is horizontal, either going toward one sideline or the other. If that makes sense for you, great! The center gives a quick hand to help the guard overtake his man. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Another common way to utilize the Outside Zone blocking scheme is to get the ball to the running back out of the backfield. 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 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. It's basically the same principle X&O Labs uncovered back in March when we released our inside zone report. We will cut the one technique back-side with the back-side guard or if he has a three technique, we'll cut it with the tackle. 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. "So we think there is no chance anyone from the play side A gap back can make a play on the outside zone. This all creates a ton of pursuit to the play-side and opens up a small crease on a cutback for the running back. It started to become popular in the 1980s and in the 1990s with Alex Gibbs and Mike Shanahan. 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. Team Tempo - Inside Zone blocking. 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. Please reload the page and try again. PS Tackle to 'easy' release to MDM on 2 nd level. 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. endobj If youre interested in learning more about other base run plays, we have blogs detailing inside zone and other plays here. on October 11, 2013. Click here now! Zone blocking schemes give the running back options and cutback lanes while offensive linemen are assigned an area to block instead of a specific man. In my philosophy, blocking outside zone is similar to how you would block inside zone. It also shows the running back reading sequentially down the line. For the zone blocking scheme to work properly, there are some keys that offensive linemen need to follow. <> In turn, that allows the BSG to climb up to the linebacker. We're here just to spark the debate and give you some fodder to decide how best to run your scheme. 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. Be aggressive, run your feet. They called it the 28/29 Edge play. ", 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. 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. Currently 5/5 Stars. So when we asked Zweifel the same question of whether or not his kids cut on the back-side, we expected a different answer. Although these covered and uncovered concepts are the same ones we spoke of on the inside zone report, we wanted to provide a quick refresher. 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. 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. The Center has B gap entry. @l7)j$v tPO8? As soon as they seal, he shifts his eyes one gap inside. 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 is similar to the philosophy of pin and pull, which we wrote about here. 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. 2. While we found the objective clear, the methodology or technique that is used by that uncovered player varied among coaches. Seal - Term used for blocking defender out to stop penetration of gap or to ensure edge pressure . Some general rules that are applied to these systems: Contrary to its name, outside zone doesnt usually hit outside. While they ranged from 1-3 yards outside the tight end or EMLOS, we selected two of the more specific responses we received. We need to turn his shoulders and he can't turn our shoulders. Can't see the diagram? "As the covered lineman takes his stretch step to the outside V of the neck, his back-side hand placement is the thing that will slow him down enough to catch the five-technique defender if he slants inside," said Hand. The other major advantage is that some players feel like it allows them to run faster. 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. It requires speed and technique. In this case, the defensive end is shaded to the outside shoulder of the right offensive tackle. It no longer matters who is lining up in front of each offensive lineman. How he blocks him can vary - some coaches prefer lead or angle step up field, whereas some tell their offensive lineman to bucket step. This helps eliminate some concerns especially if you are pulling a fast player over from defense to run the play. 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. By doing this a couple of different things are accomplished. Teams may have outside zone hit a bit wider than wide zone, but outside and wide zone are the same at its core fundamentals. And if he crosses my face, I just want to continue on my path because it gives the back more space to run.". Programs like Boise State and Oregon thrive off running it from the gun, while the Colts ran it from under center, forcing the QB to get to the landmark quickly. The backside tackle and tight end fight to cut off their defenders and prevent them from shooting gaps. Outside zone has been a part of NFL run games for decades. Before we talk specifics, we wanted to give you a general consensus of why teams are running the scheme. It keeps our shoulders pointed up field. Get stomach up field on third step - this ensures the defender is cut-off from his gap responsibility. For all intents and purposes, the objective of the uncovered offensive lineman in the outside zone scheme is to take over the play side down lineman while the covered offensive lineman works up to linebacker level (Diagram 3). Offensive linemen, when facing twisting defensive linemen, can also either lock on man-to-man or pass it off in a. Enter the Name/Description. It provides a lot of advantages for offensive linemen, no matter what defensive play is called. 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. The guard to the read side has to avoid the defensive linemen and go. endobj I'll focus on the wide zone, because that's more iconic to what Gibbs . The backside guard will step toward the play side to ensure no penetration from a blitzing linebacker or backside lineman. *KEY= get head inside hole with shoulders square and power foot forward on ground. What you'll see in this illustration is that theres no set blocking responsibility for either the Mike or Will linebackers. Take the first available running lane. 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. I would have no other time to run other schemes.". As a result I normally give the players the option if they would like to get the ball dropped down to them. Heres how it looks: The play is designed to go to the right. Flag football is a great game to play, especially during the offseason. We can't get a soft shoulder." 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. (RB Position Guide), What are Up Downs in Football? He cannot get the linebacker until he gets there." 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. 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. At the snap, the center is responsible for blocking the nose tackle lined up head-up on him. 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. In this example, the RT will be on his own and is responsible for the DE (2 vs 2 in the count). 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. For outside zone, he will often read the second playside D-lineman and do the same. Here's what the Inside Zone Read looks like Live. Thats where the overtake comes into play. 5 0 obj 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. Think inside shoulder to outside shoulder. Running backs also have to be able to key and see that pre-snap to adjust their track accordingly. 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. At the high school level, it is illegal to cut block at the second level so why teach it? "We don't ever worry about getting beat underneath, the ball will be outside already," said Ruel. . It could help your offensive lineman with their footwork and open more holes for your running back to hit. What this does is result in a lot of double-team blocks at the line of scrimmage. In this instance the Running Back will line up next to the Quarterback opposite of the play call. Let's take a closer look at what the zone blocking scheme is, starting with the problem in man blocking that was created by the slant and angle defense. Select an applicable Action of either Block, Legacy CAPTCHA, Managed Challenge, or JS challenge. The offensive lineman is told that he must read covered or uncovered. The tackle would have to follow the end, based on his man blocking responsibilities. Chip and GO. {}jY[5t?hY;6o~_ Outside zone (lateral hook/seal): Reach/block the outside shoulder/first step points outside of D-lineman's outside shoulder. The defense counters with four defensive linemen, as well as the Sam linebacker lining up in tight toward the line of scrimmage. Basic Zone Scheme PLAY DIRECTION RIGHT: Left shoulder 10% chance he is mine. 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. Better Know a Run Game- Crack Toss. This was very similar to a man-to-man defense. Outside zone plays follow the same basic rules listed above with a few general guidelines that should be followed. Before getting into the actual drills, a few things must be understood. 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. Diagrams 8-10 (Keith Grabowski's RB reads on force defender) Can't see the diagram? They teach a run to rip technique, similar to the responsibility of the uncovered lineman to the front side of the play. 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. Case 5: Problem Areas Among the Front (Pin and Pull Technique). 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. Similar line blocking assignments: Just like the inside zone, the outside zone utilizes a full zone scheme. Ruel calls his uncovered technique a "stretch scoop." In this case, the Center = 0, RG = 1 and RT = 2. 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. Case 1: "Covered" Blocking Concepts to the Play Side. Outside Zone From Football Fundamentals: Zone Blocking Schemes: Blocking Rules To really simplify this section, we'll treat the entire line as if it's the same, rather than splitting apart the front side and back side of the OL. Any time you run and pin and pull, it is a cut on the back-side - no scoop. The first pro of inside zone is its simplicity for offensive linemen. Thatd free up the Sam to make a big play. 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 goal is to stress the defense horizontally and the back has to be ready to take it if its there, but especially at the NFL level, getting on the edge is unlikely. The play side guard blocks down on the nose and the center pulls around the guards block and up on the backer. xTMo@[n%Oc The past season I coached our 8th grade team and we went 10-0 and won our league championship. Gets your play-makers the ball on the perimeter: Similar to the bubble concept, this scheme pushes the ball to the perimeter of the defense. Tenopir talks about the pull and overtake method by the uncovered lineman. stream Assignments change based on whether there is a defender present in their gap or not. Remember above assume BOB. To preface, the count system does not equal man blocking. 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. If the Tackle is unable to seal his man the Running Back must plant with his playside foot and cut vertically upfield. Click here. The wide-zone run scheme is a play based on horizontal movement. Later you might consider 8-9 hole QB options. Know your steps and calls. Offensive lines were having a very difficult time with all of the zone blitzing of 3-4 defenses, and the stunts of 4-3 defenses. TIRVB(oSTsU%;1Xj_IL_E6cqE3p*p?EQyw~8+@+WS>W._ It gave the OZ play a chance to cut into C gap. <> Maximizing the Outside Zone Blocking Scheme. Even if offensive linemen lose ground, the back can run off of those blocks and create positive plays that exploit fast-filling linebackers. His job is to secure players in his gap so that the center can overtake him. Outside zone is a play that aims to attack the edge of the defense but utilizes backside cutoffs. 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. Various trigger concepts: By "trigger" concepts we're referring to the actions off zone option such as the flash or speed sweep, the outside zone option as well as the reverse package. It is very similar to what Hand teaches, but his rules refer more to the perimeter defenders than to first level defensive linemen. toInside Zone Rulesin that they use the covered/uncovered read and playside direction. Each O-Lineman's goal is to get in between his man and the sideline, however, this lateral step will sometimes cause the defender to . :0d-D$:7l+kWqmW8\6*#$Iwf?jBhs(. We are trying to put both hands on the far shoulder pad. The count system works the same for any front whether youre running inside zone or outside zone. 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. 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. The cornerstone of blocking rules starts with blocking seven for seven across the front in 12 personnel . A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled in favor of blocking the enforcement of a Louisville ordinance that allows 10-foot-wide buffer zones outside health care facilities, including a . But how these coaches teach their blocking assignments will vary, as we will explain below. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time. Outside zone can be run from different formations, depending on where the coach wants the play to hit. . Join our Youth Football Movement today. Track blocking basically means putting the linemen on a track, and they engage only what shows up on their track. 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. We're talking full displacement of defenders. We have even told him sometimes to cut the front side 3-tech." ", We've found the emphasis on the covered lineman is to have his shoulders pointed up field at all times. 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. <> All rights reserved. Click here. This particular topic was highly debatable among coaches we spoke with. One of the best dvds out there on the inside zone and outside zone. 5/5 Stars. The outside zone concept is simple, but it doesnt need to be run only by multiple-back formations. Zone Read Scheme Rules, Techniques and Drills. The Outside Zone blocking scheme is one of the most universal schemes in football. 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. Zone blocking is a style of blocking for offensive linemen that was created by offensive coaches in response to a new style of defense that had emerged. 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. Even the Blocking Scheme in itself is very different in the the . 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. 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. He even tells his back-side tackle on zone to execute a "swoop technique" (Diagram 4) with the intentions of getting all the way to the play side of the zone. The 3 templates include: Last, the running back needs to read the block of the play-side tackle. Zone Blocking 1. The Outside Zone blocking scheme is one of the most universal schemes in football. 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. <> The technique is obviously different from blocking inside zone to blocking outside zone. Inside Zone Run Blocking Rules Inside zone can be run at any level, whether youth, high school, college, or the NFL. Landmark is the play side armpit of defender. 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. That opens up a nice lane down the middle. Again, the purpose of the outside zone is to show a horizontal stretch on the defense. Want to contribute content and have it seen by thousands of coaches? 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. The PSG works through the man that appears in his gap as he climbs to the linebacker and the center works to help him. 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. Covered linemen are those . 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. The running back has three primary rules: bend, bang, and bounce. The main philosophy in the outside zone is to cut off every defensive lineman. %PDF-1.5 The zone blocking scheme can be distilled down to two plays: the inside, or tight zone run, and the outside, or wide zone run. Rules to live by with Zone Blocking Know if you are covered or uncovered. The PST kicks out the EMLOS. Always finish your block. The rules. This meant that if the lineman's assignment went to the left, hed be required to follow him and vice versa. Similar line blocking assignments: Just like the inside zone, the outside zone utilizes a full zone scheme. Attention Youth Football Parents! The new defensive scheme completely disrupted the thinking of man blocking, and it found many holes in the approach. One of the toughest parts of running the Stretch play is in coaching the Running Back. 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 tell him to take a deep drop step and come out on the strong side A gap. This was very similar to a man-to-man defense. endobj 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 Per Gibbs, outside zone is blocked the same as inside zone outside of two big differences. Make your splits work for your advantage. Teams that can effectively execute outside zone will have success. Zone-locking or man-locking principles may also be applied to pass blocking. Our landmark for our back is three yards outside the tight end and one yard deep," he says. This can only be accomplished through practice with the backs running at full speed. In 2011, Oregon averaged 9.8 yards per play as they ran this play 36 times for 353 yards and 2 touchdowns. Iowa's outside zone is modeled after the Alex Gibbs/Terrell Davis philosophy of getting the defense to run on the front side just to cut on the backside. Regardless of the defensive front, these two principles are consistent, and again, 73.8 percent of coaches use this terminology when implementing the zone scheme. We need to cut on this scheme because we think the 5-tech can run the play down on the edge technique." He teaches his players to eye the outside armpit of the defender with the objective to always advance to the second level. This eBook takes my blocking chapters from my Power Wing Beast Offense and Wildcat Multi Spread Offense playbooks and combines them into a basic blocking book for any youth football offense. <> This forces the safety to hold back and not come downhill for the run fit. "The aiming point for the drag hand is the backside pec of the defender. As you can see from the description and illustrations, the slant and angle defensive scheme posed a big problem for man blocking schemes. 2 0 obj The filled/unfilled system prioritizes their rules based on whether the play-side gap of an offensive lineman has a defender in it or not. 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. But besides that, the 2 plays are very different. The Outside Zone begins with a lateral step to the playside; this is essentially a side step. It also includes my OLM One Pager 90 minute practice plan for coaching offensive line youth football. This concept was made famous by the Denver Broncos and their legendary offensive line coach Alex Gibbs. 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 center does an excellent job of helping on his defensive tackle and then passing them off to the BSG. 10 0 obj

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