IZone/Cutback/Big Play?

The percentage of cutbacks is something you have a great deal of control over. Our big plays were mixed ... on the cutback when we could dislocate the Fallback player (Counter, Reverse,Cutback) in the 8 man Front Schemes(usually an Outside Lber/SS). To the playside our big plays usually came when the Lber stayed inside and we hit the seam and had a free ride to the FS.
Against the Over and Under Defenses we had a general rule that we would alert our RB's to.... to the 3 tech expect to cutback, to the 1 tech expect to stay on tract.
Giving you a percentage of when it cutback is dependent on what defense the other team was playing, how they were playing it and what was our matchups in personnel.
For example, fast flow lbers usually were a signal that we were going to cutback. Pluggers signalled stay on tract. A Nose Guard in a 50 front that liked to slant meant we were going to cutback into the A gap on one side of him or another.
But as a guestement, I would say 60% cutback and 40% tract, because if the lbers were staying at home alot, then they were vulnerable to getting sealed on the stretch/outside zone. Hope this helps answer your question

We gameplan the inside zone not as much for wether we need 1 yd or 4 yds but more on which DT can we get movement on , does the OLber hesitate a moment to one side before falling back on the cutback. Can we move the Rec.'s or FB to cause a Favorable secondary alignment bumping out the Olber.
Then we can also give the QB checks for a particular game, for example we want to run the Zone to the 3 tech. everytime 77 is the 3 or check out of it everytime the OLber is in a stacked alignment.
Again, that is what gameplaning is about: giving your kids the best advantage possible.

On the backside if the Olber is stacked he can shut down the Cutback, for example a 1 and 5 weakside with the Willie sitting Inside Shade of the OT and the OLber stacked just outside the 5 tech. The Zone away may need to cut behind the 1 and though your tackle may seal the Lber, the Olber can make the T for a short gain.
In answer to your question no, we don't want to run the Zone into that Look. We would rather stretch that Look since the Olber is in a postion to be sealed.

Good Idea, we use the Bootleg as our #1 playaction. People in our area are going to play 8 in the Box vs 2 backs, so this is one of the Controls we have on the backside SS/OLber, along with the QB Keep, we also like to control his alignment with the 2nd Rec..
That is one of the reasons we are looking at doing some Nasty Splits and Bunch..... to control edge players...SS/Olbers, they seem to make most of the T's against the Zone.

Anyone out there that runs the inside zone well, what do you teach your RB to read on the play. My OLine is doing a good job of absorbing all of the zone blocking schemes, but I now need to teach my RB's better.



Coach

Great zone teams I have known (best being Redskins with Riggins on INSIDE ZONE, and Broncos with Terrell Davis on OUTSIDE ZONE )did NOT stress cutback. Rigggins PREFERRED to cram the B gap. Davis almost always made just one cut on Outside Zone, & if you look at film - it was USUASLLY at the aiming point (original align of butt of TE).

Cutbacks have to occur naturally. If you talk too much about "cutbacks" to RBs - you will develop backs who want to "do a tap dance in the hole".

J.C. - you are 100% correct! The Redskins had a variation off their patented "40/50 Gut" (INSIDE ZONE) that was a called pre-0determined cutback. The play was called "40/50 WHEEL". Everyone blocked it the same as the basic Inside Zone EXCEPT the Backside G & T would deliberately let the men they were blocking cross their face then pin them in away from the cutback. H would kick out EMLOS weak, & the RB would (if the cutback was coming left to the C gap) aim for the outside leg of the RG & cut it all the way back. Very effective play. They actually scored vs the Falcons with it on the GOAL LINE last Friday night!