Weakside ISO/Zone ??

Yeah I noticed that too and became curious. Most teams will check to a weakside run when they see the shade,5 look.
Basically the fullback blocks will, and the guard and center combo to the Mike. and the backside zones. Gives you a frontside and backside option. I would say stick with with the weakside zone play.

Coach, have you ever attempted to run the ISO (B-Gap) and run and TAG Fold in addition to the FB coming through? I'm thinking if there is a 2 or 3 technique, and the PST is uncovered. The TE could step inside or chop the DE to prevent a slant.

This is something that I've wondered. It does get another body in the point of attack (we have 'nimble' guards). But I wonder if it creates too much of a crowd.

Just wanted to bounce an idea off you, and the others in the forum here.

Joe Gibbs would say that "you have too many asses in the hole"!
Bill

With tight line splits being prevalant in football - sometimes leading too many men thru the hole results in running into the backside of your own men (a "log-jam").

Talk to NFL running backs. Many don't like an "I" fullback in front of them because it obscures their reads of the defense (for example - in option running - they MIGHT key the helmet of the DLM at the POA for their cut). They can't SEE with too many people in front of them.

Back in the mid 80's - the old "NFL Magazine" interviewed the top 10 RB's in the NFL, & ALL 10 of them said that they didn't want a 6'4 250 LB "I" fullback in front of them. An offset "I" is better! OR - the FB ("H" as Gibbs calls him) coming in motion to kick or lead from a slotted or wing position. RB's like Riggins, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, ETC. "didn't want lead backs directly in front of them" (quoting from the article).

Just a thought!

We are talking about two different kinds of football. I stress the Counter; Power-Oh; Inside Zone; Outside Zone. You CANNOT run these plays effectively with more than a 24" split. Most NFL teams (& Division I colleges) that feature these plays split 12"; 18" 24" etc. Joe Bugel likes 14"!

You can't zone with a man playside with a big split. You cannot block down vs penetrators in the counter/power game with big splits. To paraphrase Alex Gibbs (GREAT LINE COACH of the Broncos in 2 Super Bowls) - "big splits only get you BIG PENETRATION by the defense"!!!!!!!

I'm not the least offended! Everybody must do what they think is best. The BIG trend is to have the O-Line off the ball as much as possible in order to zone better, cut off penetration, pass protect, pull, etc. D-Lines HUG the ball - & most are into penetration now. Joe Gibbs said in the paper a few days ago that the MAJOR difference he sees after a 11-12 year absence in the NFL is that defenses are putting more defenders in the "box", hugging the LOS; & COMING!!!!!

Our O-Line GENERALLY makes contact on the second step, because that is your POWER step. It is a race between the O-Line & defense to see if O-Lineman can GET THE SECOND STEP DOWN BEFORE HE IS STALEMATED by DLM. Defenses are coached NOT to allow the O-Line to get the second step down, let alone a third!

Nebraska's 24" splits are fine. Remember I said in my last post that different O-Line coaches vary between 12" & 24". I prefer Guards at 12" or 18"; Tackles at 18" & TE at 24". SOMETIMES I think THAT is too much. I've coached the Redskins offense since 1981, & I can guarentee you that I don't want to zone block or gap down (Counter-Gap) with MORE than 24"!

See the blocking technique used by the Redskins on a BASE/DRIVE block below: If you can accomplish this, you have it made!

1. Explode out.
2. Short first step (1/2 way to fingers of down hand; knee rolls over toe – NOT behind).
3. Back flat.
4. Bull neck.
5. Proper aiming point (aim face at throat of DLM; base of #’s of LB). Look the block in.
6. Second step MUST be beyond first step to win. Make contact on second step (most important step). Hit 1 yard through defender.
7. Whip the arms.
8. Blocking surface (drive the elbows inside & make contact with a triangle of hat & hands (thumbs up) to a lockout; contact the short ribs & “lift him out of his socks” on a 45 degree angle with fork lift motion).
9. Shoot the hips (unlock the power).
10. Driving steps.
11. Feet under you – good base.
12. Maintain contact.
13. 2nd & 3rd effort.

QUESTION: When do you whip the defender?
ANSWER: When he tries to escape the block – you come alive and finish (STAY ON BLOCK).

Thank goodness it's time to stop doodlin' and start doin'!