Zone against head up D

Coach,

We have 3 rules for our inside zone, covered, uncovered and covered with the no uncovered to work with. If they have a force player up in the box you want to throw the ball. They have you out numbered. So the front you have described this is how our rules would work:

TE: Base Reach
PST: Base Reach
PSG: Base Reach
C: Zone combo with BSG to bs lber
BSG: Zone combo with C to bs lber
BST: most dangourous man inside (cut the 2)
FB: PS Lber

BILL - MOST COACHES I HAVE KNOWN WOULD AUDIBLE TO THE 6 YD "HITCH" WITH QB TAKING A 3 STEP DROP. CORNERS HAVE TO BE "BAILING", & THETE IS NO ONE IN THE WALKAWAY. SHOULD BE "STEALING". THIS WAS INFO WE GAVE QB'S:

THREE STEP DROPBACK PASS

HERE IS OUR WHOLE PHILOSOPHY IN A NUTSHELL. PICTURE YOURSELF AS THE QUARTERBACK IN THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLE:

(DRAW A PRO SET)

YOU HAVE TWO MEN SPREAD ACROSS THE FIELD — X AND Z. IF EITHER OF THE TWO MEN IS SINGLE OPEN (CB BAILING), YOU SHOULD THROW TO HIM ALL DAY. IF YOUR OPPONENT SENDS SOMEONE OUT TO HELP COVER HIM, YOU SHOULD RUN! THIS IS THE FIRST THING WE DO. WE CHECK OUR WIDE RECEIVERS. IF THEY ARE SINGLE COVERED, WE GO TO OUR 3 STEP GAME.

ALL OF THE ABOVE IS ASSUMING THE CORNERS ARE OFF AND "BAILING". WE DO NOT LIKE THE 3 STEP GAME INTO HARD CORNERS. SO, IF THE CORNERS ARE OFF AND BAILING — HOW DOES THE DEFENSE HELP THEM? CHECK THE ALIGNMENT OF THE MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FLAT. HE CAN LINE UP IN ANY OF 5 PLACES.

DRAW DIAGRAM:


1. "F" = "FORCE" (8 OR 9 TECHNIQUE)
2. "E" = "STACKED ON HIP POCKET OF 5 TECHNIQUE"
3. "W" = "WALKAWAY" (1/2 WAY OUT)
4. "A" = "ADJUSTABLE" (3/4 WAY OUT)
5. "X" = "ON X" (OUTSIDE; HEAD; OR INSIDE SHADE)

"FEWAX" DETERMINES THE USE OF THE 3 STEP GAME IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE CORNER IS OFF AND BAILING. EXAMPLE:

A) "HITCH" = YOU WOULD NOT THROW THE HITCH VS. THE "X" OR "A" POSITIONS (UNLESS YOU WANTED TO LIMIT YOUR CHOICE TO THE INSIDE RECEIVER). IF YOU THROW IT VS. THE "W" POSITION — YOU HAVE TO READ HIM CAREFULLY AND BE SURE HE IS HELD DOWN BY THE INSIDE RECEIVER. IT IS GREAT VS. THE "F" AND "E" POSITIONS, BUT YOU WILL PROBABLY NOT GO TO THE INSIDE RECEIVER VS. THE "E" POSITION.

B) "SLANT" = YOU WOULD WANT TO THROW THE SLANT VS. THE "X" POSITION IF HE IS IN AN OUTSIDE SHADE OR HEAD UP (IF HE IS IN AN INSIDE SHADE — DON'T THROW IT UNLESS YOU SPEND A TON OF TIME TEACHING THE "SPECIAL" RELEASE REQUIRED). VS. THE "A" AND "W" POSITIONS IT IS VERY GOOD IF THE DEFENDER IS PULLED OUT BY THE INSIDE RECEIVER'S FLAT ROUTE (OTHERWISE — THE SLANT IS TAKEN AWAY AND THE FLAT SHOULD BE THERE). VS. THE "F" AND "E" POSITIONS YOU WILL HAVE TO HIT THE SLANT QUICKLY BEFORE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO WORK UNDER IT (IF THEY HANG — THE FLAT ROUTE COMES OPEN).

C) "UP" (FADE) = THE ONLY PART OF OUR 3 GAME WE REALLY LIKE TO CALL VS. HARD CORNERS. HIT THE W.O. IN THE "HOLE" 18-22 YDS. DEEP BETWEEN THE CORNER AND SAFETY. CAN PUT INSIDE RECEIVER ON A "SEAM" ROUTE UP THE HASH TO HOLD THE SAFETY, OR ON A FLAT ROUTE TO HOLD THE CORNER (WHICHEVER YOU NEED TO DO).

coachjd,

Do you have your players step playside foot first in the zone. If you do, on my above scenario, do find it tough to block if all linemen slant weak (away from zone), since you base playside?