Now what?

Once we have laid down a framework of identification and a thought process for who we are attacking prior to the snap, the focus now shifts to player movement post snap.

Here is an example of post snap movement. The play is zone left.

As you can see every player has stepped to the play side, and we have followed our covered/uncovered principles. 58 has worked to the knee of the next down defender, as he was an uncovered player. His next thought, as the defender did not crash his gap is to climb. 

We define the climb as working in the cylinder (here the gap area between the offensive tackle and the center.) Others define it as a track.

This is another example of a zone left play. Here the guard did not step all the way down to the knee, instead climbing to fast. When the defender crashed the playside tackle had no help, so he got beat. This is the area that needs the most emphasis...FAT GUYS FIRST; Then climb to the Big Uglies. The reason for this is the onus is on the backs to "DELIVER" the linebackers to the lineman. 

This is also a good example of how defenses slant different ways, and that if we follow our frameworks it doesn't matter.

More to come...

Fat Guys and Big Uglies....

What makes the Zone running game so dynamic, and in many ways explosive, is (as alluded to at the top of this blog) is the simplicity of the scheme.

When referencing schemes, or plays in particular, one first must understand that in all reality there are a million ways to do one thing. So for us, and for the sake of the kids that we coach, we try to keep things as simple as possible (the KISS principle...Keep It Simple Stupid.)


The first framework, when discussing my philosophy of zone blocking, is 'Covered/Uncovered.'

Covered/Uncovered is used in dealing with multiple defensive fronts, allowing us to ask this one question and block any defense we see. Again, this is a pre-snap framework.


In doing this, we first must define the defenders. This helps us understand who we have to block.

We define them  in a couple of ways: First level of defenders, usually the defensive line (from here on referred to as 'Fat Guys') and second level of defenders, usually the linebackers (referred to as 'Big Uglies.')

Covered= "Is the first level defender (the 'Fat Guy') covering my helmet or my playside gap hand? If yes, then the first thought is to block him. 'FAT GUYS FIRST!"

Uncovered= "No one covering my helmet? No one covering my playside gap hand? Great, step to the knee of the NEXT 'Fat Guy' defender. FAT GUYS FIRST!"


Post-Snap framework is upcoming. Like I tell my players, "Those little triangles we draw on the board? They don't stay where we put them. They move."

Zone

Who am I and why would you care? These are the first questions that I always ask when looking over other peoples blogs.

As you can tell by the title, I am Coach Roth.  I have been an assistant coach at Lakes High School for the past 5 seasons. My goal is to provide other coaches little nuggets that will help. If I can impart one nugget to one person, than this blog has done its job (even if it is me who finds the nugget.) Because really that's what I like about other peoples blogs as well.

SO.....
I have had the privilege to coach in an offense the last 5 years that holds very true to my core beliefs...spread them out, play fast, be as wide open as you can, and when in doubt back it up with a mentality that says 'I will physically dominate you.'

One of the keys to this has been the implementation of a zone blocking scheme. This allows us to accomplish two major factors in the above: spread you out and have a physical mentality.


The basic tenants of zone blocking are these: 1) Each offensive lineman is responsible for the playside zone 2) The defense moves, so how do counter act that? 3) We have five offensive lineman, it is therefore our job to block five defenders.

Here is a diagram of Zone Left.

Each player will step to the left and block a player with in that zone.

So what about rules? Most (if not all) O-line coaches will go on and on about rules. I, however, prefer to think of it as a framework, more like an "If, Than," statement. I want my players to have freedom, with in that framework, to figure out how best to accomplish the result I desire.. For us, that process will start with a question: "Am I covered by a defender, or am I uncovered by a defender?"

Here is a video of zone.

Versus a 40 front:

 

 

Here are some cut-ups of Oregon running the zone play.

Covered/Uncovered framework coming.....