That means the center will work to the backside linebacker and not the play-side linebacker (PSLB). He cannot get the linebacker until he gets there." (Full Explanation), What is a Lateral Pass 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. Click here. This was very similar to a man-to-man defense. On running plays, this is especially important. Case 3: Back-side Blocking Schemes (To Cut or Not to Cut). Tenopir talks about the pull and overtake method by the uncovered lineman. Uncovered: There is no first level defender (DLM) from my nose to the nose of the adjacent lineman play side. "He wants to get started up field because he is going to come off on the next level. Download now just $7. Copyright ©2023 Youth Football Online. If the defense has a bigger, slower defensive lineman, this is great to get them running and ultimately tired out. !~EV9qJ/f}T}%^=uL!5w\+J#AXz^eyMU=`h2ayaU\d{ gb VJ0 NR|PVp%%s|k/Dd1@aj$H>687 $ The two plays are based on the teaching that in any inside or outside zone play, there are "covered" and "uncovered" linemen. Linemen block their corresponding number while still working within the technique of the outside zone scheme. Covered: There is a first level defender (DLM) from my nose to the nose of the adjacent lineman play side. Thatd free up the Sam to make a big play. For years, offensive linemen were given man blocking responsibilities. Regardless of how the handoff takes places the Jet man will be getting the ball and stretching the edge of the field. The defensive line wins outside leverage from both the defensive end and play-side defensive tackle spots. 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. Follow us for breaking news and latest updates: Thanks for subscribing! Ruel calls his uncovered technique a "stretch scoop." Used for Outside Zone Blocking when covered and facing an OUTSIDE SHADE defender. Click here. These number labels on the defense correlate to numbers given to the offensive linemen. Sweeney, now a high school offensive line coach, feels it's too tough a task to accomplish. If that makes sense for you, great! In this case, the Center = 0, RG = 1 and RT = 2. This creates man-blocking principles within the zone blocking system. This outside zone from the Rams is a great example of an overtake from the BSG and BST. Look at your gap - This includes pre-snap so you get an idea of whether or not you're going to get a defender in your face right away. They called it the 28/29 Edge play. Behind the Inside Zone it is the second most popular scheme at the professional and college level. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time. 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. As the name suggests, Zone Blocking Scheme is quite literally blocking a zone, or an area of the field, rather than man. 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. 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. Coach starts off with a powerpoint lecture and then proceeds to his two main drills on tape and then advances to game film. Take the first available running lane. "But we do concern ourselves with a player who lines up in a gap position. The first player backside (of the center) is labeled as -1. As that defensive tackle slants inside, the center leaves them because he knows his BSG is going to be on his 3-step track to overtake. 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. For outside zone, he will often read the second playside D-lineman and do the same. We need to cut on this scheme because we think the 5-tech can run the play down on the edge technique." The backside tackle is looking to cut off the defensive lineman to his play-side gap. 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. Covered linemen are those . Pass pro rules can matchup, adding another level to the adaptability. <> The first pro of inside zone is its simplicity for offensive linemen. The Spread Offense To see examples of the pop pass, watch the video below for full in-depth detail. Per Gibbs, outside zone is blocked the same as inside zone outside of two big differences. They designed whats called a slant and angle scheme that threw a big wrench in the man blocking approach. In this article, were going to show you exactly how to run outside zone and how you can install it into your offensive system. It simplified the roles and responsibilities for each offensive lineman since he was only asked to worry about one defender. Select the appropriate domain. 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. Theres a lot of moving parts and there are a lot of areas that need to be practice in a short amount of time. If any wrong color jersey crosses his face on that path, cut it. Maximizing the Outside Zone Blocking Scheme. 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. Terms and Rules Ace - Double . Outside zone (lateral hook/seal): Reach/block the outside shoulder/first step points outside of D-lineman's outside shoulder. Herb Hand, Vanderbilt University (Bounce, Bang, Bend). These rules are why outside zone looks so "exaggerated," when ran (looks more like everyone's pulling). Case 2: "Uncovered" Blocking Concepts to the Play Side (Reach and Overtake). 1. This helps eliminate some concerns especially if you are pulling a fast player over from defense to run the play. This can only be accomplished through practice with the backs running at full speed. 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. Outside zone is a play that aims to attack the edge of the defense but utilizes backside cutoffs. It keeps our shoulders pointed up field. Join our Youth Football Movement today. This means simply getting in front of them and cutting off their angle to the football. 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. This forces the safety to hold back and not come downhill for the run fit. 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. endobj The backside tackle and tight end fight to cut off their defenders and prevent them from shooting gaps. ", 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. The 3rd level defenders have taken bad angles because of how hard the Jaguars pressed outside. For years, offensive linemen were given man blocking responsibilities. Copyright 2023 vIQtory Sports, all rights reserved. Outside zone is a versatile run play that forces defenses to play disciplined while also respecting the threat getting to the outside. 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. -Designed by Thrive Themes| Powered by WordPress, Understanding the Zone Blocking Scheme in Football, What is a Quarterback in Football? ]Q{V@RZj/vzm[ n1Ae(A%g( 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. We call it a 'rip-to-reach' because we used to take the inside arm and rip it across the outside arm of the defender. The best part about the Outside Zone scheme is that it can be used in a multitude of different ways to attack the defense. 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. Click here. The left guard has someone in their play-side gap so they attack their play-side shoulder. These are the primary rules for outside zone. But besides that, the 2 plays are very different. Click here. Similar line blocking assignments: Just like the inside zone, the outside zone utilizes a full zone scheme. 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. 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. Stake - Technique used on BS of zone or both FS and BS of outside zone run plays "RTB" Prototypical Offensive Lineman Outside zone can be run from different formations, depending on where the coach wants the play to hit. 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 best part about the Outside Zone scheme is that it can be used in a multitude of different ways to attack the defense. For the zone blocking scheme to work properly, there are some keys that offensive linemen need to follow. The whole point of the play is to block a defender where they are, and not have to "move them." It no longer matters who is lining up in front of each offensive lineman. Although the play is intended to circle the defense, it will often cut-up instead of cutting back like inside zone schemes. Todays breakdown I talk about blocking outside zone using the count system. Blocking Outside Zone Using the Count System The play is designed to go to the right. (Diagram 2) Can't see the diagram? On most outside zone schemes, particularly ones run at the higher levels of football, offensive lineman would cut block defenders on the back-side of the play - regardless of whether that player was a first or second level defender. One of the most common ways the Outside Zone has been used is from Under Center with the Stretch play. TIRVB(oSTsU%;1Xj_IL_E6cqE3p*p?EQyw~8+@+WS>W._ This gives a nice initial push at the point of attack to prevent defensive linemen from breaking free into the backfield. What you'll see in this illustration is that theres no set blocking responsibility for either the Mike or Will linebackers. 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. 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. RB aligns behind the tackle to his side, five yards off the ball in gun so we can stretch the defense. That can then open huge cutback lanes in the middle of the field for running backs to take advantage of. Each of our plays may have 3 to 4 different ways to block the play based on the defensive formation. If the Tackle is unable to seal his man the Running Back must plant with his playside foot and cut vertically upfield. But what we got surprised us. This particular topic was highly debatable among coaches we spoke with. That's how the zone blocking scheme was created. The running back has three primary rules: bend, bang, and bounce. The double team on outside zone will be short lived and evolved into a co-op block between the PS Tackle and PS TE. Right shoulder, 90% chance he is mine. The zone blocking scheme is a great way to counter any defensive play that might be called. I'll focus on the wide zone, because that's more iconic to what Gibbs . But here comes the beauty of the zone blocking scheme. 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. Any time you run and pin and pull, it is a cut on the back-side - no scoop. 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. 5/5 Stars. 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. 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 . endobj Man blocking schemes gave each offensive lineman the responsibility of blocking a specific defender on every play. 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 blocking has been simplified through the use of two blocking schemes-- inside zone and outside zone-- for a variety of different plays. 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. That pressure allows for the BST get down the line of scrimmage and to be able to overtake the first-level defender. Currently 5/5 Stars. 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. It's used against and eight man front. The Outside Zone Drill is going to be used after your Individual Period. Teams that can effectively execute outside zone will have success. Another common way to utilize the Outside Zone blocking scheme is to get the ball to the running back out of the backfield. Depending on the offensive play called, at least two offensive linemen will work together in their blocking scheme on each side of the field. Get stomach up field on third step - this ensures the defender is cut-off from his gap responsibility. In 2011, Oregon averaged 9.8 yards per play as they ran this play 36 times for 353 yards and 2 touchdowns. By having the Running Back coming downhill the defenders are forced to react or risk being beaten to the edge. If that d-lineman comes straight ahead, his shoulders are square so he can force a cutback (which is detrimental to the outside zone scheme) or make the tackle. What are the key pieces of a successful Zone Run Scheme? Here we need to attack the play side armpit with the inside hand first, then work to the second level. The second player is a 1, the third is a 2, and so on. Enter the Name/Description. The tackle would pick up the block, but it would knock the guard off course in the process. The past season I coached our 8th grade team and we went 10-0 and won our league championship. 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. 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. Our landmark for our back is three yards outside the tight end and one yard deep," he says. toInside Zone Rulesin that they use the covered/uncovered read and playside direction. 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). Second, the offensive linemen must keep their shoulders square. The next step in the zone blocking scheme deals directly with how to block these two linebackers -- the Will and the Mike, in our example. 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. 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. This can be run from a variety of different formations and sets which makes it particularly difficult to defend. 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. As soon as they seal, he shifts his eyes one gap inside. The play side guard blocks down on the nose and the center pulls around the guards block and up on the backer. South Carolinas own twist on the double swing screen Y delay. endobj The linemen open up and get on a 45 degree track. At the high school level, it is illegal to cut block at the second level so why teach it? Your email address will not be published. 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. Zone is great because it takes into account any spikes or slants from the defensive line. Its best used as a base play for your offense if youre running three wide receivers and a tight end or two wing-backs. If you have an offensive lineman built more for a power game than a zone game, we recommend you forego outside zone. 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. Be aggressive, run your feet. You should receive a confirmation email shortly asking you to verify your subscription. When the EMLOS is aligned in a wide-9 technique or way outside the PST, the PST now has to kick that player out. An excellent progression. BLOCKING RULES RULE: Base - Big on Big rule CALL: "big" Block inside, over, outside to near backer. . If they lose sight of him even for a minute, itll delay their ability to pick him up on that second-level block. The ball carrier is sprinting to get out there." The PST kicks out the EMLOS. The zone read uses the standard inside zone blocking rules as identified in previous articles, but also utilises the quarterback as a running threat. ", But against stunting first level defenders, keeping both shoulders squared becomes a difficult fundamental to accomplish.

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