Zone Blocking

Coach would be glad to help you. Zone blocking and the type of footwork taught will be decided by the QB and running back exchange. Let me know the plays you are considering and I can walk you through this. Coach CAmpbell

JOE BUGEL – INSIDE ZONE BLOCKING (“40/50 GUT”)

NOTE: Uncovered man responsible for inside half of down lineman and covered lineman responsible for outside half of down lineman.

UNCOVERED MAN: Take a lead step and catch up with your covered teammate as you READ the near knee of the down lineman on him. As you work through your playside gap – if the near knee comes towards you block his inside number & fit him up sliding in the direction he is going (eyeball Lber in case he comes inside); if near knee doesn’t come towards you work up on Lber. 3 situations can occur (see COVERED MAN).

COVERED MAN: Take a lead step with your outside foot eyeballing outside number of down lineman on you – second step with inside foot thru crotch of opponent. You must think man block and only go to Lber when wiped off by uncovered teammate. 3 situations usually occur: 1) Down lineman is in an outside shade & stretches – you stay on him and uncovered teammate works up on Lber. 2) Down lineman is head up & anchors on you – use double team technique driving him into Lber & stay on him until wiped off by uncovered teammate then work straight up on Lber. 3) Down lineman head up or inside shade & slants inside – force him to flatten his slant & stay on him until wiped off by uncovered teammate then work straight up on Lber.

LINEMEN NOT ZONING USE “DRIVE” (MAN) BLOCKS. Don’t worry about getting position on defender – worry about blow delivery. When coming off the ball you guide with your eyes (aim with your face), and your eyes take you to the aiming point or landmark which is the playside #. Your first step is a short directional step and you throw your arms out of the socket (“don’t shoot from the holster”). On the second step, your power foot must be on the ground and you arm thrust (100% blow delivery) with your fists into his short ribs (below the pads), tucking your tail and “lifting him out of his socks”. Don’t put your face or shoulder in, because you will be overextended and your head will be down.

NOTE: OUTSIDE ZONE BLOCKING (“60/70 OUTSIDE”): Only difference is that it is a wider reach (almost a pull) – uncovered blocker “piggybacks” covered blocker & covered blocker reaches almost to hip of outside teammate. Uncovered blocker will stay on a down lineman head up on covered teammate, and covered teammate comes off on Lber – “forcing the switch”.

RUNNING BACK (“40/50 GUT” – INSIDE ZONE): 1st. step with playside foot, roll, crossover, and aim nose for Tackle’s inside hip, Key the block on the first down lineman outside the Center, and make your cut on THEIR side of the L.O.S. If there is daylight in the B gap – cram the B gap – otherwise, if DLM goes out you cut inside (& vice versa).

First step is a flat lateral step. Second step must crossover (it has a "roll effect"). Third step squares you up. QB opens out to 5 o'clock (right) or 7 o'clock (left). This is PRECISELY how Joe Gibbs taught it with John Riggins. I don't believe anyone EVER ran the play better than the Skins when they had Riggins. Hope I have answered your question. If not - email me at butzadams@hotmail.com

In the John Riggins days - Joe Bugel liked to "TAG" it (ON T down on 3 tech. & ON G fold on LB).

Coach Campbell - I located my 1991 Redskins playbook, & will quote directly from it: (RB ON INSIDE ZONE):

RB: Toes at 6 1/2 yds (MY note: Riggins PREFERRED "heels at 5 1/2"). PSL to locate bubble. Landmark determined by bubble. Footwork: Open step, cross over, roll. Bubble over Grd press inside hip of the Tklk - feel nose. Possible spill vs DE pinch. Bubble over Ctr or Tkl press outside hip of Grd. BC must press the hole.

QB: Open get ball deep to BC. Must PSL (pre-snap look) to locate bubble with BC. (MY note: this is because RB hits tighter vs. bubble over Ctr or Tkl).

Hope this helps;
Coach Mountjoy

PS: If you can find some Redskins film that is intercut - it is a thing of beauty to watch the RB execute this from the end zone view. Backs like Riggins, Byner, ETC.

Inside Zone with a playside shade on Center: Center reaches shade. On Guard = tite split & ON ball to stop nose penetration - use inside hand (on G will still zone with On T after delivering a shot w/inside hand to shaded Nose. On T = zone with On G. TE = man.

This is the way that both Joe Bugel & Jim McNally blocked it in the mid to late 1980's. NOTE: RB can deepen because with a shaded Nose - he will CUTBACK!!!!!

PS: The BEAUTY of the Redskins' famous "Counter" was that it was originally a complimentary play to the Inside Zone. If the Inside Zone was best AWAY from the shade of the Nose (4 man side) - the Counter was equally good to EITHER side. The Counter is taught to LOOK LIKE THE INSIDE ZONE: QB's steps on Counter Left are IDENTICAL to Inside Zone Right. RB's first step on Counter Left is IDENTICAL to Inside Zone Right. These were important C.P.'s in the Riggins years!

Good thinking!

Assuming we are in 2 TE/2 WR personnel & they have "7 in the box" - Prefer to run it to the side where we have a numerical advantage (3 man side rather than 4 man side). If they have 4 men in the box to both sides of the ball (low S/S PROBABLY on reduction side) - it is better to shade side than reduction side BECAUSE we should get three initial double teams, which gives us a LOT of movement off the ball! This is particularly true vs. the 4-4 teams we played - running the Va. Tech style 4-4.

I know the following is contrary to what most people believe - but it is food for thought. In the Riggins years, Bugle would "TAG" (T & G FOLD) the reduction side. If you zone blocked the reduction side - you might end up cutting back inside the 3 technique to a tilted or shaded nose side WITH a LB filling between the shaded nose & the 3 (very tight quarters)! Joe Bugel (in my estimation the best O-Line coach I ever saw) wasn't married to ALWAYS zone blocking the Inside & Outside Zones (the way that Alex Gibbs was in Denver). He would fold block problems that zone blocking couldn't clearly handle. There are currently two schools of thought in the NFL: A) LIVE with zone blocking, OR B) make necessary call (C-G folds; G-T folds; T & TE folds; etc.). That isn't to say that the Redskins didn't zone block as much as possible - they popularized the INSIDE ZONE in the NFL.

The greatest Inside Zone team of all times was the Redskins in the Riggins years. The greatest Outside Zone team of all times was Denver in the Terrel Davis years. The greatest Counter teams of all time was the Redskins - from the Riggins years & on to the Timmy Smith CLASSIC vs. Denver in 1988 Super Bowl. Real students of the game should get film of these teams & see it for themselves.

You are describing the "G" defense. I have a couple of questions - I apologize if you covered them elsewhere..

1. Why is the left side, with will, the wide/white side? The 1 tech is reduced, while the other side has a wider 3 tech.

2. Are you using the same J.Bugel rules you posted earlier? Does the left TE have a "special rule" to double team to his inside since he is uncovered but has no one to his outside playside?

3. If will stepped up to the LOS, would the zone blocking change for just the TE and OT, or everyone? Now TE drive/base, OT drive/base; everything else the same or TE drive/base; OT and OG combo 7/5 tech and Mike; center and BSG combo NT and BSILB; BSOT and TE cutoff respective men.

I hope this makes sense.

Thanks.

Bill,

Thanks for the explanation - counting the TE covered by the 7 tech makes it all clear.

What are the rules for determining which lineman is covered? What if a defender is in the gap (say a 5 tech) compared to an outside shade on a 4 tech? Who is the 5 tech covering if he is playside or backside?

Thanks for your patience. I will be coaching inside zone for the first time (more familiar with wing-t and shoulder blocking) and the HC is very familiar with the Gibb's and Bugel's schemes.

Thanks. My techs are the same.

I guess if I was a DC, I might try gapping my DT and DE to potentially split any double (or hold/occupy both OL) to minimize vertical push. If the OL goes to fold blocking, at least it is a cleaner read for everyone and it takes away doubles at the expense of giving angles.

So, if a DE lined up in the B gap to try to get upfield penetration so that he is covering part of both the OT and OG, who is covered? By your techs, the OG is covered with a 3 tech? What about the C gap? Is gap a alignment a 5 tech also (OT covered)? I would normally treat the gap as a 5 tech.

Bill, if you want to email me - it is claytonhillyer@msn.com . I don't have your email. Otherwise I'll look for your next post later today.

one back,

if you get a true B gap defender wouldn't it be better to triple combo with the guard,tackle and TE??. Usually that guy is gonna be a 3 tech. or a 4i. If he is 3 tech the guard is on his own (maybe help from center) if it is a 4i then the tackle and guard combo. The problem is that you leave the TE alone, by comboing with the guard and tackle. I would rather the TE get help from the tackle

Having sent numerous linemen into the NFL and have personnally watch Coach Bugel when he was with Oakland and observed due to my linemen they worked out a penetrating defense for zone schemes is best handled by the cutback. Also the near ear rule for setting the combos helps slow or eliminate penetration. Coach CAmpbell

Drills Joe Bugel gave us in 1987 that have been of help:

JOE BUGEL – OFFENSIVE LINE DRILLS (REDSKINS)

“FOUR CORNERS” = Better warm up drill that stretching. For a guy who is stiff – improves feet. Go ¾ speed. Put 4 cones at the corners of a square – 10 yds. apart. Teaches how to run (over exaggerate arm pump) . Go forward-lateral-backward-lateral. RUN to first cone & come under control – SHUFFLE to next cone (with a slight stagger of L foot if going L & R foot if going R) in a bridge position (sit down & bend, with a wide base – bridge neck – keep hands up - be sure to SHUFFLE – not gallop). BACKPEDAL – then SHUFFLE again. NOTE: Your feet can move TOO fast in pass pro).

“SHUFFLE DRILL” (pass pro) = Break down in good “football position” – wide base – don’t worry about speed. Shuffle to lines - 5 yds. – 10 yds. – 5 yds. When changing directions at line - don’t stop & plant to change – keep on balance – keep wide base – don’t gallop or get crossed over.

“STRAIGHT LINE DRILL” (like the Secondary’s “Run the Line” drill) = Straddle line – run backwards – coach waves off & he turns hips keeping eyes on coach. Everything in football is usually below the waist – “you block with your feet”. Teach stiff kid how to turn – break down & stay low, working feet & hips.

“BAG DRILL” = Over the bags – another shuffle drill. Keep hands up – neck in bridge position – back & forth, back & forth, & break. NOTE: How you FINISH any drill is important – put towel 15 yds. downfield & he has to break on ball to towel.

“UP & BACK DRILL” (4 bags in a straight line) = Back-shuffle-forward-shuffle (moving feet) – up & back, up & back. Don’t go 100 MPH – concentrate on moving feet quick - keeping shoulders square – moving in a good “football position”.

“SOFTBALL DRILL” = Used to teach big man to bend at knees – go down & pick up object where you have to use hand & eye coordination to see it (moving target). Use an area with 2 cones 10 yds. apart. Roll softball to farthest point of cone – he runs shuffles laterally & he has to bend knees with both hands down – pick up ball with both hands & throw it to coach. Coach then rolls it to the other farthest point. Direction drill where big guy has to bend & pick it up. GOOD CONDITIONER.

“PUNCH DRILL” = Teaches man how to roll hips, get under target, & deliver blow. Vs. shield, get man in football position – move feet (not a chop) with just bounce movement – step & hit UP – roll hips & hit up thru target. Step & deliver 10 right & 10 left.

“MIRROR DRILL” (pass pro) = Get in perfect fit position with bridge back – service guys grabs rt. arm – blocker sits down & applies pressure (he’s on rt. shoulder). Back & forth a couple of times on a juke – guy tries aggressively to jerk him (doesn’t try to penetrate). Blocker never stops moving feet (doesn’t have to be too fast). “Stack the deck” so offense wins!

“2 MAN BULL SLED DRILL” = Teach how to be explosive. 2 step blow delivery (don’t drive the sled after second step). Parallel stance – frontal position – step – blow delivery. OVER EXAGGERAGE use of fists or heels of hands (with thumbs on top) by taking first directional step & second step is 100% BLOW DELIVERY – throw arms out of sockets on first step (wind up with elbows back for good arm thrust) – second step hit & lift sled up in air.

“TRIANGLE DRILL” = Blocking Lbers (base or cutoff). Use on hand & face on outside number – stay square).

“DRIVE DRILL” = Cutoff drill. Get a perfect fit – drive 10 yds, - stay square.

NOTE: No longer run wind sprints after practice because players will pace themselves. Get the running by: #1 TEAM PERIOD – 40 PLAY SCRIPT – THROWING - line sprints 15 yds. downfield on each pass to cover (like covering punts). #2 “RIGGO DRILL” = 15 plays (40/50 GUT) & RB/Line sprints 30 yds. on each snap. “SELL THE RANCH” during these two drills!!!