Zone Blocking

Raymond Lynch

I prefer to use the zone blocking schemes compared to man blocking schemes for my football team. The first thing I like about zone blocking is that it helps the offensive players block the same play, versus many different fronts. No matter if a defense lines up in a 4-3, 3-4, 5-2, 3-3, or anything else, the lineman have specific areas to block instead of figuring out where “my man” is. The teams I coach against run a variety of defensive fronts and it can get confusing to my offensive players, who do not know the game of football that well, who they are blocking on certain plays. By coaching them to block a zone instead of a certain player, this helps simplify things and make it easier for your players to make the blocks they are supposed to make.







Coaches should still coach the different fronts so players understand what they are seeing but know they do not have to block a certain man. Zone blocking is helpful because nowadays, defenses are always shifting and moving with stunts, slants, and blitzes. If a defensive player loops or goes somewhere they are not usually lined up, an offensive player might let a different defensive player run by, untouched, while trying to get to “his man” to block if it were a man scheme.







By having a zone blocking scheme, it gives the running back multiple options of where to run the football. If the first read is open, the running back can take it. If that first read is closed, the running back still has multiple options of where he can run, depending on how the players in front of him made their blocks. However, if the running back is supposed to run to a hole in man blocking scheme, and the hole is filled, it is more difficult to find running room. By having the zone blocking scheme, it allows the running back more freedom.







The way I coach the zone running play with my quarterback, it also allows the quarterback to make reads based on the backside defender. We make simple calls such as ZORO, zone right, or ZULU, zone left. The line will then make an 11 or 12 call to block zone right or left. The quarterback gets the ball and his eyes immediately go to the backside defender on the line of scrimmage. By giving him the option to read this player, he can also pull the ball and run, which helps slow down the defense. This is preferred to be done with an athletic quarterback, but can be done by any of your quarterbacks. By pulling the ball, the quarterback can run opposite the zone call or I can tag the backside wide receivers with route combinations or even a screen to create a type of triple option. There are many different things that can be done off the zone play.