Zone blocking involves the center, guard, tackle and tight end working in combination to block an area with an emphasis on doubleteaming the defensive. Understanding the zone blocking scheme field gulls. Zone blocking is designed around the run game, though there are aspects of the system that work in pass blocking as well. Part 3 of zone blocking concepts with coach ken wilmesherr. To understand how these plays work it is necessary to first understand how zone blocking works. Blocking inside zone read against an even front youtube. You will also become an expert on blocking and drill work by watching the rest of these videos during your free time. Coach, that sounds like what we face on most weekends. Zone blocking schemes zone based blocking schemes have become the primary blocking scheme of many modern day football teams. You must attempt to cover every possible situation that may arise in a game and instruct the players on how to react. I have written other articles discussing some of the factors that play a critical role in their success running the football. You look at any successful offense that performs game in and game out throughout an entire.
Some of this post is in the nature of how we did it. The key to good offensive football is having a balanced attack with equal amounts of running and passing. Design your scheme and blocking rules to match and reflect the blocking techniques youre asking the offensive players to execute. Adopting a zone blocking scheme can be a challenging transition for even professional offensive line units. The culmination of these steps, rules and blocking combinations is two major plays in the zone blocking scheme, the inside zone and the outside zone or zone stretch. The inside zone wham series play has become prominent throughout youth, high school, college and professional football because of its simple rules and versatility. Its origins go way back to the postwwii era of football, if not further, and it was popularized in the nfl in cincinnati in the late 1980s. The ultimate guide to inside zone blocking pro style.
The best part about the outside zone scheme is that it can be used in a multitude of different ways to attack the defense. Coaches speak of great run blockers blowing the defender off the ball, actually driving the defender back toward his own goal line. At the start, we can look at the basic aspects of iowas zone blocking scheme, which they run either out of a singleback formation, or inserting a fullback as a lead blocker. The outside zone allows an offense to do this in a variety of different ways. Zone blocking allows the offensive line to operate as a unit, creating fewer chances for missed assignments that can lead to a loss of yardage. I dont like my oline kids blocking the fastest players on the other team in space on the run it simply wont happen for many of the olinemen we get assigned to our teams.
Unlike a typical zone read where the quarterback reads a backside defender, the inverted veer reads a player on the front side the quarterback and running back head in the same direction. As defenses have made their formations and run blitz packages more complex and confusing for offensive units to block, the zone blocking scheme provides simplification in some ways. Coupled with power run blocking with a pulling guard, the defense is outnumbered to the play side, and blocking lines up nicely. Zone blocking is one of the most discussed yet least understood strategies in football today. The only run through scenario that has been problematic over the years is the playside inside linebacker in a 44 front. Zone blocking part iii drills foot musculoskeletal. The zone runs have been around at least since the glory days of.
Chip kellys numerical system to zone blocking breaking. May 02, 2010 the blocking playside is even more important during an inside zone run than outside zone run. Below i will explain the chip kelly method and than i will explain the differences in the 2 systems and why it makes the blocking not only easier for the players but the play calling easier for the coaches. Aug 05, 2014 part of the video lists zone objectives, or microgoals if you will, that explain exactly how zone blocking works. If youve been following football for a while, youve heard of zone and man blocking, and you probably know that zone blocking requires smaller, more.
Lastly, because the defense has to flow hard to the play side, cutback. I talk about the run pass options we us when running the inside zone read and how we deal with those apex defenders that. Zone blocking free download as powerpoint presentation. Maintain a football position feet flat, knees forward, hands up and. Add descriptive terms to the play call to change the overall blocking scheme you want the team to use. Below, i explain how that method translate into oneonone blocks in the inside zone. Jan 22, 2016 zone blocking youth football option offense by coach jim adam. Get 1st level movement dl with eyes on 2nd level lb. Jun 09, 2016 zone blocking is designed around the run game, though there are aspects of the system that work in pass blocking as well. With the emphasis on the passing game and the evolution of 8man fronts and zone blitzing defenses, it has become more and more difficult to be able to effectively run the.
You even see some of the more athletic high schools going to that scheme. Once linemen have sound blocking fundamentals, they are ready to move on to basic 2on2 zone blocking drills. Gap blocking essentially is a hybrid of manangle and zone. Your linemen need to be aware of multiple defenders and their movements.
A system designed to spread the field and run or pass based upon your personnel. As defenses have made their formations and run blitz packages more complex and confusing for offensive units to block, the zone blocking. Why the inside zone scheme is all you need ron mckie football. Zone blocking involves the center, guard, tackle and tight end working in combination to block an area with an emphasis on doubleteaming the defensive linemen.
The origins of this offense come from the split back misdirection offense that we ran while i was a player under coaching great, dale mueller at highlands high school. Teach three adjacent offensive linemen to block in tandem against three defensive players. The aiming point for the runningbacks remain about the same. Zone blocking better utilizes a running quarterback as well, particularly when he is faster than the other teams ends.
Zone blocking is a technique that is a simple and effective scheme for creating lanes for running plays. Shoot, my guys blocked inside zone so much that they were taking their steps and shooting their hands while they were getting ready to. Zone blocking in the running game is when two or three offensive linemen work in tandem as opposed to each offensive lineman having a specific, predetermined man to block. That reason is why chip kellys numerical system to zone blocking is a much more simple method to zone blocking. The zone scheme should be able to handle all zone pressures and run through. Sep 16, 2015 teach three adjacent offensive linemen to block in tandem against three defensive players. It is used for an outside zone play and or when the blocker is uncovered. Incorporate trick plays into your offense part 2 basic trick plays. Jim mcnally is a former nfl offensive line coach and is also known as the zone blocking guru for his innovative approach using the double uppercut blocking technique. A team will improve every day by working diligently on blocking and tackling. Feb 10, 2017 today i go over how to block the inside zone read against an even front. Successful offenses start with successful blocking. Pass protection technique we use fan principle man zone. If youve been following football for a while, youve heard of zone and man blocking, and you probably.
Jul, 2017 zone blocking better utilizes a running quarterback as well, particularly when he is faster than the other teams ends. A primary goal of almost all offenses is to get the ball to a speedy player in space. Sure, some teams have chosen to man block the play, 73. A prevalent blocking scheme in the nfl and college is now the zone. On zone plays, the linemen keep the same blocking schemes, regardless of how many tightends or wide receivers they use. As you saw from the post, im no zone blocking fan for non select youth football.
My friends, this is the most basic play in the oregon spread offense, and the first instructional video i created in the summer of 2011. Zone blocking also requires that offensive lineman understand when to release. Limiting the amount of block concepts is very important in youth football. The idea of blocking an area as opposed to a man can be difficult to execute. Alex gibbs, the godfather of the modern zone blocking. Teaching running backs how to run the inside zone fishduck. There are even a handful of youth teams out there trying to zone block. Coordination and technique matter more than muscle in implementing a successful scheme because defensive linemen are often doubleteamed at the. Former offensive line coach alex gibbs created the zone blocking scheme zbs during his time with the denver broncos in the mid1990s. Alex gibbs did not invent the zone blocking scheme.
Football blocking pads from krausko help linemen to make precise open field blocks. A gap blocking scheme involves the linemen blocking players in the gaps to either side of him. Maintain a football position feet flat, knees forward, hands. Zone blocking procedures philosophy of coaching offensive line no position in football require more discipline and technique success of the offense depends on controlling the line of scrimmage spend a tremendous. Perhaps the two most common running plays in the nfl right now are the inside and outside zone runs. Many coaches will fall into the trap of having several different blocking schemes. The basics of auburns inside zone run college and magnolia. The power spread offense old school power football with the new school spread beauty. Below we have the actual video, and below that is a text.
To be effective in a zone blocking scheme players must rep all of the various 2v2 and 3v3 combinations daily. For the very first time this past season i taught zone blocking to offensive linemen running an optionbased system. The shotgun formation compliments the running game in kellys offense. You must know qb setting pointdepthtiming for proper leverage. It all starts with the ability to block well and do it aggressively no matter what you face.
Just like the inside zone, the outside zone utilizes a full zone scheme. Coordination and technique matter more than muscle in implementing a successful scheme because defensive linemen are. This offseason, however, i received requests to explain the scheme again. The ultimate guide to inside zone blocking pro style spread.
The zone runs or zone blocking are the run blocking concepts made famous recently by the denver broncos under mike shannahan. Try to group your blocking schemes to be utilized in specific areas of your formation you desire to attack. Part of the video lists zone objectives, or microgoals if you will, that explain exactly how zone blocking works. Zone blocking involves offensive linemen blocking defenders within an area, rather than blocking assigned defensive players. Jun 25, 2010 the zone runs or zone blocking are the run blocking concepts made famous recently by the denver broncos under mike shannahan. The penalty for clipping and blocking below the waist is 15 yards. May 31, 2018 in 2016, we originally wrote a football 101 breakdown of the zone blocking scheme. The easiest way to know if a team is using a zone blocking system or a man.
Alex gibbs, the godfather of the modern zone blocking scheme. Thats been seen in plays like dart or newer schemes that combine man and zone blocking while pulling the center. Mar 31, 2009 zone blocking is one of the most discussed yet least understood strategies in football today. This first play illustrates iowas zoneblocking schemes using. In a zone blocking scheme, fleetfootedness and athletic ability trump size as desirable qualities in offensive linemen. The foundational play of his offense is the insidezone run.
He can be accounted for with a fullback or hback block, a qb boot action a zone read or perhaps an orbit or jet motion by a wide receiver. Watch jim mcnally really go deep and his passion for offensive line is like no other. The easiest way to know if a team is using a zoneblocking system or a man. Many zone teams begin by focusing on the outside zone.
May 27, 20 the culmination of these steps, rules and blocking combinations is two major plays in the zone blocking scheme, the inside zone and the outside zone or zone stretch. Effective zone blocking techniques in the running game. It combines playside linemen blocking to their backside gap and backside linemen pulling to the playside. All blocking below the waist, block ing in the back and clipping is illegal. Once that is established and the defense is flowing fast to the sideline, the offense comes back with the. Jul 25, 2014 alex gibbs did not invent the zone blocking scheme. Jul 22, 2014 i have written other articles discussing some of the factors that play a critical role in their success running the football. Jan 05, 2015 that reason is why chip kellys numerical system to zone blocking is a much more simple method to zone blocking. The basic idea in run blocking is not only to place the blocker between. Blocking scheme in the inside zone blocking scheme each lineman is responsible for blocking their playside gap and getting vertical movement on the defender in that gap.
Usa football and northwestern university present a series of drills the wildcats use that are applicable. Today i go over how to block the inside zone read against an even front. Its origins go way back to the postwwii era of football, if not further, and it was popularized in the nfl in. Outside zone blocking author steve parker posted on february 9, 2009 categories offense tags blocking, coaching youth football, coaching youth football offense, youth football blocking i just found this great presentation on outisde zone blocking for youth football teams that i wanted to share before i forgot. Zone blocking part iii drills free download as powerpoint presentation. I was pleased with the results, and thought it would be a good blog topic. Illegal blocking below the waist this is legal in the free blocking zone.
There are nearly as many different opinions on zone blocking as there are people who have heard of. Now, before you get too comfortable, there is a third option the gap blocking scheme. On an inside zone run the uncovered offensive linemen blocking the linebackers will have a large effect on the play even when there is not a cutback by the tailback, notice in the diagram below that if the linebackers are not blocked that they. Whats most effective about teaching this methodology is that the front that the defense presents is irrelevant.