Comments on: A very simple explanation of the zone runs, and the difference between inside zone and outside zone

By: Babe

Babe — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:01:00 +0000

This explanation is absolutely incorrect. You do not just block the guy in front of you. I hate to be rude but this is completely off from any zone blocking scheme.

By: Is the spread option merely a single wing? « Code and Football

Is the spread option merely a single wing? « Code and Football — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:28:20 +0000

[...] created by Emory Bellard, became a dominant offense in the late 1960s – early 1970s. Adding zone run concepts a la Alex Gibbs (check out, for example, John T Reed’s zone run entry in his [...]

By: Player Perspective | News on the NFL – National Football League and Players AssociationRaiders Al Davis and Apple's Steve Jobs Contributions to the NFL

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:59:52 +0000

[...] see about 1/100th of what happens on that field. When all of play action is smash mouth running, covered blocking, and crowds of bodies blanketing the play there’s not a whole lot to see. Vertical offense [...]

By: Mr.Murder

Mr.Murder — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:39:00 +0000

So the coach gets this page he copied off a website showing a “Maryland offense” which is a triple stack I form. Has a lead toss with one back peeling to block the backside, should be able to get the same thing done and save a front side blocker if the line did this scoop technique.
Anyways I tried combining zone and option in one play with one back going IZ, and two going playside for OZ. Would this be a veer? Any back who gets the ball on a fake goes through like a run in the A or B, C, or D gaps. Gets the QB to pitch man at the field numbers and has two great convincing fakes inside of that.

Set the FB at 4.5 yards and give him an izzy track to read front side G-back(ends up being the player to replace the scoop block for the scare of getting a backside runthrough since you change the scoop technique on the back half of the line).

Then the HB is at I depth and does the power drop step to front side, QB comes down the line reading playside T(mans on five end and tries to push the man upfield, take it either way).

Then the third back is 1.5 yards behind him and counter steps before getting ahead of the QB who continues down the line and now has a pitch target ahead of him to stay in view, as they get to numbers turn upfield. Drive the end man, use nasty splits for the tight ends(four yards) and aim at the outside hip. Don’t even read the end, read the fill man behind him because the second fake should wall off anyone from inside out and the TE is pinning or washing end wherever he tries going. Leaves either a safety or corner alone to commit to either side of the block and you still have an extra runner to cover.

When I go this on a 5-3 it leaves both play side backers blocked off the first two fakes, the end is reached and a FS or robber has a lot of ground and collisions to track through. One corner is all that’s left to fill or take the pitch.
Started walking it through for goal line and it was decided that we neeeded to work on this lateral screen that has produced more fumbles than points in practice or games. If it doesn’t work in practice or games, practice it more….

By: Lombardi's Sweep: Making A Comeback? | Cheesehead TV

Lombardi's Sweep: Making A Comeback? | Cheesehead TV — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 13:41:41 +0000

[...] crucial block in the whole play), the play is simply no longer relevant, having been replaced by zone blocking. Indeed, Bill Walsh’s 49ers, shown in a photo from 1986, was one of the last major NFL teams to [...]

By: “No defense is going to be effective against the option if you don’t put the QB on the ground every chance that you get.” « Get The Picture

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:20:45 +0000

[...] — deals with the increased use of the zone blitz and the offense’s manifold responses. The spread run game evolved for many reasons. One was to deal with the problem the eight-man fronts present, i.e. the [...]

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:21:38 +0000

There are many ways to explain the inside Zone. A simple way in which I explain it.

A Simple Rule.
If Covered with a Defensive Lineman or walked up LB then block them.
If Uncovered Double Team with with next Offensive Lineman that is to your playside until a defender presses your gap.

If no defender presses your gap then stay on the Double team and get push. While Double Teaming the Down Down Lineman keep Four hands on the Defensive Lineman and Four eyes on the LB.

By: donkeypunch22

donkeypunch22 — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 07:22:20 +0000

Alex Gibbs, at least in his Denver days, in a lecture advocated cut blocks (actually he demanded clipping – which was legal till Gibbs made it too effective) on the back side for Outside Zone, and push blocks on the back side for Inside Zone. The thought being Outside Zone’s cut back is not really cutting back, but rather the RB straighting out, letting the front side overpursue and the back side late from getting off the ground. The Inside Zone, to Alex, was a true roll back where you try to get around the backside defenders – thus he wanted them to be actively pushed by the RB.

Also, Alex was a stickler for the RB’s read. In Outside Zone, it is the last down line man, and for Inside Zone it’s the first down line man inside not counting the center. Gibbs made it a point that the RB’s “decision step” of going outside, straightning out, or cutting back be the third step, because this coincides with the O-line’s decision step in their blocking.

By the way, Gibbs is the man! If you can get his lectures, by all means do. That guy swears up a storm. If i may qoute Gibbs – “I don’t care if it’s cover two, three, four, six… F*%K! That reciever gets that safety and the other gets that safety. Make the F#$&ing corner make the tackle.”

By: fcc74

fcc74 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:08:59 +0000

Great article. One thing that I would add is what I beleive to be a misonception about double teams. I hear many people say that zone schemes are all about getting double teams. This is not my understanding of zone schemes. Yes, double teams are an option if they present themselves(more likely in IZ), but based on how the D plays, there may not be any double teams. The zone name, as I understand it, comes for the idea that ultimately, the OL is in charge of an area(playside) more than a person.

By: Another Ball Coach

Another Ball Coach — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:37:28 +0000

Thanks Chris.

It would probably be more accurate to say that when a covered lineman’s backside teammate is uncovered, he knows he will have help and they will team block the down lineman to the LB; if his backside teammate is covered, he knows he will have to block his man solo. As you mentioned, everyone is ‘reach’ or ‘bucket’ stepping to try to get to his man’s outside, so that gets everyone moving sideways.

Actually, if all the lineman are covered, they are still zone blocking. (Another way to think about zone blocking is each lineman steps and is blocking whoever shows up in his playside gap- so stunts are easily handled). Assuming there is no stunting happening, when each O lineman steps and attempts to reach the man in front of him, and the back is looking for a crease that may develop.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the inside zone and the outside zone is the blocking on the backside, where they try to scoop block: uncovered lineman try to overtake the next man to the playside, and covered lineman try to reach and rip past the man on them to get to a LB.

Generally, because his shoulders are more squared to the hole when running the inside zone, the RB is in a better position to see and cut backside than on the outside zone.