Installing Today’s Hybrid Pistol Offense Run & Pass from Top to Bottom
This manual provides you with the full offensive line, receiver, and quarterback mechanics for installing each offensive play presented. Coach Campbell has left no stone unturned for implementing today’s Pistol Offense into your program.
My brief coaching resume': Coached from 1961 thru 2001 ON THE FIELD.
36 years coaching in Virginia High School ball - most of it as Head Coach on the 6A level (highest level in the state).
4 years in college (2 years in Division II as "passing Game Coordinator", & 2 years in Division III (with the 1969 National Champions). Was offered the position of Offensive Coordinator at Colorado State University when Chester Caddas was Head Coach (any of you who know Chester can check this out if interested) - had to decline because of my father's terminal illness at that time.
Coached Semi-Pro ball (Richmond Ravens) during 1987 - sent 9 players to the NFL during the strike - 7 of whom started for the Redskins.
Have had NUMEROUS former players play in the NFL - including current Pro Bpwl LB (Steelers) James Farrior - who played for me in High School from 1991-1993. Also, Darren Perry (who started 9 years at W/S for the Steelers) who is currently Steelers Secondary Coach (played for me in High School from 1983-1986).
Since retiring - have served as consultant to two VERY GOOD H.S. programs in the Richmond, Va area - one of which was 2003 State Champions!
I'm sure you are a FINE coach! For one thing, you SEEM to have an APPETITE for the game!!!!!
Where are you currently coaching? You might trade someone on this site for the Alex Gibbs tapes (get the Joe Bugel & Russ Grimm tapes too if you coach O-Line).
Here is how we run the Inside & Outside Zone (both rules & techniques). This is how the Redskins ran it when they had the "Hogs" & John Riggins (& when the kids we sent them during the 1987 "strike" played there): These are SIMPLE - but it worked for us!!!!!
I. TECHNIQUE:
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". RB aims for butt of TE and cuts off his block.
RUNNING BACK ("40/50 GUT" — INSIDE ZONE): 1st. step with playside foot, roll, crossover, and aim nose for Tackle's inside hip (if bubble over Grd) or Guard's outside hip (if bubble over Ctr or Tkl). 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). NOTE: On the OUTSIDE ZONE ("60/70 OUTSIDE) — RB drop steps & runs a straight line for butt of TE — cut inside or outside of his block.
QB: On Inside Zone the QB opens to 5 o'clock on 40 GUT and to 7 o'clock on 50 GUT. On the Outside Zone the QB opens to 4 o'clock on 60 Outside and to 8 o'clock on 70 Outside.
II. RULE BLOCKING FOR EVERYONE:
I ZONE BLOCKING RULES:
A) (EVERYONE) IF YOU ARE UNCOVERED — ZONE WITH YOUR TEAMMATE TO PLAYSIDE. B) (EVERYONE) IF YOU ARE COVERED LOOK BACKSIDE - #1 IF YOUR TEAMATE BACKSIDE IS UNCOVERED - ZONE WITH HIM. #2 IF YOUR TEAMATE BACKSIDE IS COVERED — MAN BLOCK.
Here is some stuff fron Nebraska (when Osborne was there) that are SIMILAR to what we do, & may be of interest to you. It is almost midnight in Virginia, & I'm going to get some "shut eye"!!!!!
Inside Zone Blocking
Inside zone blocking is designed to use the movement of the defenders against them as the running back finds the crease in the defense. Though inside zone plays are usually called to the guard or tackle holes (3,4,6,or 7), they can break open anywhere from tight end to tight end, depending on how the defense attacks.
Inside zone blocking rules allow linemen to use the movement and attack angles of the defenders against them. Whichever way the defender chooses to go, he is sealed off and the running back is prepared to cut off the block. Nebraska running backs are taught to attack the line-of-scrimmage (LOS) before cutting on inside zone plays. This gives the blocks the needed time to develop. The rule for the I-back is that his feet must replace the feet of the lineman before he can cut.
Inside zone blocking rules are keyed by whether a lineman is covered or uncovered. A covered lineman (one who has a defensive lineman aligned across from him) will execute a "stretch base" technique. This means he will take a short stretch step to the play side (step right on a 44, left on a 46) and attempt to control the playside shoulder of the d-lineman. The purpose of the stretch step is to invite movement by the d-lineman, then immediately engage him.
Uncovered linemen (no d-lineman across from them) execute a "stretch double" technique. Stretch double also calls for a stretch step to playside. The uncovered lineman then attacks the backside shoulder of the same d-lineman, creating double teams on most of the defensive linemen.
NOTE: the linemen operate on a system that moves to playside, NOT toward the hole called. On a 44 dive the play is called to the right guard, but the key is that it is a right side play. The right tackle's and right tight end's playside shoulders are their RIGHT shoulders even though the play was called to the left of them. The 4 hole is to the right side of the center, so right is playside for everyone on the line.
In executing the stretch double technique, the uncovered lineman assists the covered lineman to the playside; i.e., if a center and playside tackle are covered, the playside guard executes the stretch double with the tackle, NOT the center. If side-by-side linemen are both covered, the playside lineman is "on his own," and executes a stretch base block without double team help.
When executing the double team, both linemen follow what some coaches call a four hands-four eyes technique. This means they have four hands on the defensive lineman and four eyes on the linebacker in the area (their zone- which is where the name of the blocking comes from). When that linebacker commits to attacking the LOS one of the linemen chips off the double team and blocks him. The other lineman must be in position by then to take over the block on the lineman by himself. The linebacker is technically the responsibility of the uncovered lineman, but in practice either lineman can chip off and take the linebacker, depending on their position.
The goal of the stretch and stretch double is to create a cutback lane for the running back. When executed correctly, the "stretched" defender has moved in the direction of the call, and the stretch double prevents him from reaching a running back that has "cut back" against the flow of the play. If the double team can prevent the down lineman from making the tackle, and the "chip off" block prevents the playside linebacker from doing the same, the play can quickly get into the secondary.
The beauty of zone blocking is that the defense can pick its poison. Which ever way they choose to attack or stunt, the linemen (if they have perfected the zone blocking teamwork) can account for them. And the running back is trained to watch this block develop and cut off of it, no matter which direction the defenders are moved.
A very important block on an inside zone play is the backside seal block that allows the IB to cut back all the way to the backside TE spot if the whole defense fights to the playside. Depending on the formation used, the backside tackle, tight end, or fullback can be used to block the backside. A sure sign of an inside zone play is when the fullback heads away toward the TE without a fake while the IB goes straight ahead for a handoff. In one-back sets the backside seal cen be done by a wingback in motion.
The offensive line blocks Outside Zone Rules. These are similar to Inside Zone Rules in that they use the covered/uncovered read and playside direction. The blocking techniques, though, are different, as the plays are designed to get the defense moving laterally across the field and create seams in their coverage.
The covered lineman executes a "rip-reach" technique. He takes an angle step at the playside shoulder of the defensive lineman and rips with his backside arm. His job is to turn the DLs shoulders and get him off-balance and prepared for his partner.
The uncovered lineman executes a "pull and overtake" technique. He takes a shallow pull step toward playside (sometimes called a bucket step) and works to take over the block of his partner.
The covered lineman wants to rip through his d-lineman to get to the linebacker, while his uncovered partner takes over his original block. If the covered lineman is unable to rip through because the DL fights to the outside, then the covered lineman stays with that block and the pull and overtake lineman pulls around that block and finds the linebacker.
You my friend love this game. YOur contributions are truly appreciated. This is just your knowledge of o-line i don't even wanna know all the little coaching techs you know for passing.