The zone blocking scheme is becoming more common in football today. Many college spread offenses use a type of ZBS in their attack. More NFL teams are using some form of zone blocking than ever before. This has to do with the size and speed of today’s defenders, and a different style that can neutralize some of that speed.
The zone running play employs a single running back, and consists of two different types of plays: inside zone (sometimes called the dart scheme), and outside zone (stretch zone scheme). The premise of zone blocking has all linemen moving as a whole, in the same direction, causing a defensive flow towards the play side. The concept is to block a certain area, not necessarily a designed defender, as in RULE blocking (which is gap, on, over, near). Double team blocks are essential in perfecting the ZBS. Double team blocks in this system are referred to as tandem blocks. These tandem blocks require the offensive linemen to engage in an initial double team, along the offensive front, with the nearside linemen taking a reach step to attempt to reach the outside shoulder of his area defender. As he is doing this, the play side linemen will engage the outside shoulder of the gap defender, then quickly slide off onto the second level, and attempt to get on the rear shoulder of the persuing line backer. This movement is what creates the ever-so-important cut back lanes.
The running backs must be disciplined in this system. Not only does it require the running back to have patience, to allow the play to develop, but it also requires great vision to recognize the hole(either play side, or back side cutback), and great explosion and balance to get through the hole and into the second level. This is the common "one-cut" scheme you often hear mentioned with ZBS running backs.
Mike Shanahan has perfected the stretch zone blocking scheme. This scheme made him famous in his time with Denver, always seeming to have a 1000 yard back every year. In the stretch zone scheme, the single running back will take his first step play side towards the EMOLS, aiming for his outside leg. The line will start the flow of the play, and it is the job of the running back to recognize where the hole is. If he sees that the defensive end or outside linebacker has been reached, he will continue his path to the outside. If the defense over- persues the play, the cut back lane should open up on the backside.
Just as important as the running back is the type of linemen this scheme employs. Typically, smaller, quicker linemen are preferred for this style of blocking. Lateral quickness is extremely important, as is the ability to engage, get off blocks, and get onto second level defenders. For this reason, you typically don’t see the Nate Newtons and Orlando Paces in this type of offense.
In the next part of this series, we are going to take a look at the type of linemen who can be successful in the ZBS.
Special thanks to UKRedskin for his help with this piece.
5 recs | 32 comments
Very nice job Tiller
Good breakdown & explanation. How about a follow up with who you would like to see drafted who fit the ZBS (just an idea) Rec.d
ENsDad27 - February 3, 2012
Thanks ENs
Yes, a follow up is planned on ideal linemen
Tiller56 - February 3, 2012
Good job Tiller
I got my learn on. I need one of these a day for the next three months or I won’t make it.
Ken Meringolo - February 3, 2012
Thanks Ken
Tiller56 - February 3, 2012
nice job Tiller
I enjoy your work even when we dont agree.
skinsdad62 - February 3, 2012
Thanks skins
Tiller56 - February 3, 2012
Good post dude.
Rec’d.
UkRedskin - February 3, 2012
You were a big part of it
so thank you too
Tiller56 - February 3, 2012
Somehow I can't help but think
there is an agenda at work here.
But good post nonetheless.
TheDeepBall - February 3, 2012
????
agenda?
Tiller56 - February 3, 2012
Am I wrong
in thinking somewhere in the post about ideal linemen that there will be something about these linemen being easier to find in the late rounds than “normal” linemen? :P
TheDeepBall - February 3, 2012
I just defined how the ZBS works
and how Shanny has made it successful. Maybe I’m missing something with this “agenda”.
Tiller56 - February 3, 2012
No, no.
I was referring to the part about
I recall a lot of comments stating that these types of linemen are not difficult to find in the later rounds. I was wondering if that was going to tie in to trading up for RG3. My mistake if I’m wrong.
TheDeepBall - February 3, 2012
Well
there are certainly linemen who I feel would be good fits for our scheme, and a few who I think would be better in a power scheme. I’ll do that post early next week, so we can debate a few options.
I’ll give you one early example: Molk C Michigan – The kid is your prototypical ZBS Center, and yes, he could be avaliable for us in the 3rd-4th round. He wouldn’t fit in the Cowboys offense, as much as he would ours.
Tiller56 - February 4, 2012
Its easier to find good lineman prospects in the later rounds than it is to find good QB prospects in later rounds. That’s not a agenda. That’s fact.
HogtieJim - February 4, 2012
Nice job guys.
MagicHat - February 3, 2012
Thank bro
where you been BTW
Tiller56 - February 3, 2012
I've been around......
They’ve had me working M-F dayshift at the restaurant because we were anticipating an inspection. (happened on Thursday, finally) and I’ve been playing music out live again so I have been spending a fair amount of time getting some old songs back into shape and learning some new ones.
Also, I have no firm opinion on what we should do to address QB (there are several scenarios I would be OK with) and that seems like about 90% of content lately. I’ll be back around more when we get closer to FA/draft time.
MagicHat - February 4, 2012
Cool man
Glad to hear your playing live again. I wish I was in your neck of the woods; I’d love to come catch some jams!
Tiller56 - February 4, 2012
An explanation of abbreviations, i.e., EMOLS, would be nice.
Pursues versus persues – the editor used in HH takes care of this kind of spelling error.
Jefferson1935 - February 3, 2012
end man on line of scrimmage
Tiller56 - February 3, 2012
Nice job to both Tiller and UK
Very nice post, thorough yet concise. Rec’d.
The Agent C 83 - February 3, 2012
This was all Tiller.
I just provided the pictures.
UkRedskin - February 3, 2012
I was giving credit to all contributors involved, lol
The Agent C 83 - February 3, 2012
So these smaller OLineman you talk about, is this why the Redskins were top 3 in QB hits allowed this year?
Kevin Ewoldt - February 3, 2012
No, that was because they were just poor…
UkRedskin - February 3, 2012
We really don't have smaller linemen
Our guys were pretty good sized. Even our guards, who are usually a bit smaller in a ZBS, are pretty large. Hurt and Chester are pretty big men, as are TW and Brown. They are not typical earth-graders like you saw on some of the old Cowboys teams, but they are not really small either.
I guess quick is a better word to use.
Tiller56 - February 4, 2012
little too much terminology
(not even trolling)
Good effort, but I like how UKSkins explains stuff more.
Like what is EMOLS?
Or "These tandem blocks require the offensive linemen to engage in an initial double team, along the offensive front, with the nearside linemen taking a reach step to attempt to reach the outside shoulder of his area defender. As he is doing this, the play side linemen will engage the outside shoulder of the gap defender, " how are area and gap defenders different, probably a few other things confusing me.
I’m not dummy, but don’t already know everything like a HS football coach. Want the post to meet me half way. Felt like it was written to be an explanation, but then used to many terms that the people being explained to, don’t know.
TCO - February 3, 2012
I've leave it mainly to Tiller to explain.
But I think what he’s saying in that quote is best demonstrated by the left guard and left tackle in the pictures. The left guard hits the outside shoulder of his man, giving the left tackle to come up and take the block. Once the left tackle takes the block, the left guard can slid up to the second level and block a linebacker.
UkRedskin - February 3, 2012
My apologies
That is some of the football coach in me.
The two main offensive line philosophies are “RULE” blocking. This is seen more in a power running offensive, and you tend to see more pulling of linemen, more traps, counters, and some general misdirection. It is designed to isolate a certain player/players, usually with a pulling guard, or a kick-out block by a FB. Most of the matchups here are one-on-one at the point of attack. RULE blocking has a standard rule for who to block as a linemen. RULE= Gap, On, Over, Near. This is the order in which a linemen will block his defender. His # 1 responsibility would be a defender in his playside gap. If none is there, it would be a defender on him. The next is over(and example of this would be an uncovered guard, with a LB over him at the second level. The final is near, which could be a near-side defender over the opposide shaded eye of another linemen(not in a gap).
The Zone blocking uses Tandem Block(these are abbreviated double teams, where the second offensive linemen engages the outside shoulder of the defender, while the other lineme gets in position to engage into his body. The first linemen will then peal off of a second level defender(a LB or a safety playing in the box).
As for area defenders, these are d-linemenwho are reading a play, an are going to cover a certain area based on where the play in going. A gap defender is a certain style of defense(usually in a 3-man front), where the d-linemen is responsable for a certain gap.
EMOLS – end man on line of scrimmage
Tiller56 - February 4, 2012
Thanks man
Thanks for the time, man. I looked at it again and think I have the gist of it. Main point was the big step, very quick engagement (seems like just a hand to shoulder) prior to going after the linebacker.
TCO - February 5, 2012
wonder how this affects pass blocking
It seems like ZBS line is worse when you need a one yard conversion or punching it in the red zone. Is it also worse for pass blocking? IOW are the big fatties better for pass blocking or the fleet ZBSers?
TCO - February 5, 2012
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