question about zone vs blitz

Outlaw,

That is the beauty of a delayed blitz all right! Your PSG is darned if he does and darned if he doesn't! The obvious answer is to not commit the C on the zone block but to have the PSG base his man by himself and shove his butt into the A gap, thus forcing the Mike to have to loop to get to the RB if he is still coming. I would just have the C go straight to the Mike from the git go. It will work fine for you, provided your PSG can base the 2 by himself! Of course it is not zone blocking any longer because we don't chase LB's in zone, but if the PSG can't handle the 2 tech by himself, you will have to "slam and slide" the C from the combo on the 2 to the Mike. If the Mike moves outside to the SAM LB side a few steps, then the PSG will have to come off the combo and "slide" to him. Try it in practice and see what you think coach. Just a suggestion as always.

Coach Easton

On INSIDE ZONE - Center takes his first step at a 45 degree angle at the 2 tech. & watches Mike out of the corner of his eye (2nd step NEVER crosses over so he has the proper footwork to come off on Mike - actually he should SQUARE UP on 2nd step). The ON G blocks outs # of the 2. The Center puts his lead hand out for the 2 but if at ANY time Mike blitzes he picks up Mike. The ON G STAYS on the 2 UNLESS wiped off by the Center. THUS - you should have no problem! VERY GOOD chance of play CREASING the B Gap!

Having the Guards split no more than 18" is part of the answer too!


NOTE: If the MLB tried a delayed blitz BEHIND the Center on the OUTSIDE ZONE - he would NEVER make the play, & his pursuit would be lost to the defense!!!

I put this in with the help of Joe Bugel & Jim Hanifan - two of the greatest O-Line Coaches in the history of the NFL. I have been running that play since 1982, & it has not been a problem for us.

The Center MUST square up if he hasn't made contact on his first (6") 45 degree step at the DLM. That is the KEY to the play! This is how it has worked for US! The TIGHT LINE SPLITS HELP!

I also fully understand the "4 hands on the DLM & 4 eyes on the LBer", BUT, the Center cannot committ BOTH hands UNLESS the 2 technique comes HARD INSIDE - if he did his shoulders would get turned & he could not come off on the LBer. He leads with ONE hand, then that becomes TWO hands ONLY if the 2 technique comes hard inside!

Here are the instructions from two of the GREATEST:

#1 Jim Hanifan (99 Super Bowl Champs with Rams):

JIM HANIFAN – ZONE BLOCKING


INSIDE ZONE:

A. UNCOVERED: 1st STEP AT DLM (45 DEGREE ANGLE) – SQUARE SHOULDERS ON 2nd STEP.

B. COVERED: HAT AT OUTSIDE PEC OF DLM.

C. FRONTSIDE AND BACKSIDE BLOCKERS USE SAME TECHNIQUE.

D. RB: IF ON G COVERED RUN TO HIS OUTSIDE LEG (IF IT’S NOT THERE GO BACKDOOR). IF ON G UNCOVERED RUN TO INSIDE LEG OF ON T.


#2 ALEX GIBBS - two Super Bowl wins with the Broncos:

TIGHT ZONE:

A) UNCOVERED: DIAGONAL LEAD STEP WITH NEAR FOOT TO THE HELMET OF THE DLM. IF HE HASN’T COME INSIDE OR YOU HAVEN’T MADE CONTACT BY THE FIRST STEP – GO UP ON Lber. (DO NOT CROSSOVER WITH BACKSIDE FOOT IN TIGHT ZONE).


B) COVERED: LEAD STEP WITH PLAYSIDE FOOT & AIMS FOR THE
OUTSIDE # OF THE DLM.



C) RB: FIRST STEP LIKE OUTSIDE ZONE & PLANT, CROSS OVER, & PLANT ON TRACK TO YOUR LANDMARK - THE OUTSIDE LEG OF THE ON G – PRESS THE LOS. READ THE HAT OF THE FIRST DLM OUTSIDE THE CENTER (NOT COUNTING A SHADE). IF HE GOES OUT OR DOESN’T MOVE – ROLLBACK. IF HE GOES DOWN – READ THE NEXT ONE GOING OUT. DETERMINE WHERE CUT WILL BE WHEN YOU REACH HEELS OF ORIGINAL ALIGN OF ON G.


PS: IF they CAN stop the Inside Zone using the technique you describe - they certainly CAN'T stop the Outside Zone - so run more of that!




PPS: You can ALWAYS make the "MINGO" CALL (man block) & simply have the Center block MLB & ON G block 2 tech. This is a viable alternative used by most all good zone teams IF something goes wrong!


FINALLY - here is how Howard Mudd - O-Line Coach of the COLTS teaches it (the CENTER on that block). Notice WHEN the "one hand becomes 2 hands", etc. They do a GREAT job on the Inside Zone at INDY!

UNCOVERED HELPING

1. Step at DLM – lead hand up.
2. Landmark – “piss on inside foot of defender”.
3. Target middle.
4. See LB – feel the pile.
5. Don’t abandon course – wait for LB to read – don’t
be impulsive.
6. 1 hand goes to 2 hands IF DLM comes towards you.

COVERED WITH HELP

1. Outside middle target (aim nose 1”-2” outside middle)
2. Controlled strike – lead step.
3. Accuracy more important than force – take time.
4. Step on outsides of his feet.
5. Hands on both sides of your nose.
6. Work hands and feet & press him away from you – no turn –
Even if you’re not moving him – be ready to finish him when
RB moves him.
7. Man leans or stunts to your help. Then
free outside hand & wait till you get to the depth of LB.
8. When it’s time to come off – block the LB on angle you find
him on – middle of cylinder – nose outside.
9. 2 hands goes to 1 hand.

Alex Gibbs believes that if you don't make contact by the FIRST step (NOT the 2nd step) - then "it's time to climb"!

If your ON G is split only 18" - your Center takes ONE 6" step at DLM, & IF HE ISN'T COMING INSIDE BY THEN - GO TO MLB. That's EASY to do if the CENTER squares up ON the second step (remember - he's only moved 6" out of his stance, & if he stays square on the next step - it is EASY to get on MLB!

This CERTAINLY can be done in High School IF YOU COMMIT THE TIME, & don't do a bunch of OTHER stuff!!!!!!! MOST HS teams I know ZONE BLOCK, & many are EXCELLENT at it! I can remember EVERY offense that came into vogue in my coaching career (Split-T, Wing-T, I-Formations, Wishbone/Flexbone, Houston Veer, Pro style stuff, etc., etc., etc.). Each time a new system came along - skeptics said "you can't do that in High School"! Well, they were wrong! Every one of those systems was (& IS) being used successfully on the HS level.

All the Center has to do is prevent penetration (with the O-Line OFF the ball & split only 18" - this is not a problem). As "Outlaw" said - the "MLB is coming DELAYED" (key word) to the BACKSIDE A GAP - the Center steps to him on his SECOND STEP. Remember - it is a "DELAYED BLITZ" (if a Center can't get to a MLB on a "delayed blitz" in the BACKSIDE A GAP by the Center's SECOND step - find a new Center)!!! The Center is TOTALLY square on his second step (remember - he hasn't moved but 6" on his FIRST step). LBers that blitz zone blocking are just taking themselves OUT OF THE PLAY! Zone blocking was FIRST USED to beat SLANT/ANGLE teams that SCRAPED the LBers thru to flow (most often OPPOSITE the direction of the SLANT/ANGLE), so the O-Line couldn't get up on them. That is what zone blocking is FOR!

With the ON G blocking the 2 tech - this play will cram the B-Gap!

We start DAY ONE with this situation in practice (blocking a 4-3 OR 4-4, since that is what we face MOST - with LBers penetrating A Gap). REMEMBER: If we have ANY problem - All our Center has to do is call MINGO & he takes the MLB & the ON G takes the 2 technique MAN FOR MAN!

HEY BILL,

You know that I am an advocate of anything that can be done scheme wise in the NFL can be done on the HS level after a fashion. Now , I am quite cognizant of the fact that it is DELAYED BLITZ BY THE MIKE we are discussing here. If the Mike comes through the BACKSIDE A gap, then that is even more reason for my suggestion to the problem, IMO. Now, that you remind me of the MINGO CALL that brings it back into perspective for your method as that was my main concern to ATTACK the Mike, not wait for him to come after the PSG has already committed to the Dble team zone block and is totally out of position to stop him.

Coach Easton