Zone Play Concepts and Techniques

by: Eddie Williamson
Asst. Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach, TCU
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We have a very diverse offensive system at TCU. The breadth of our offensive system forces our linemen to develop a number of skills. We try to have our schemes carry similar patterns, concepts and elements to reduce the amount of practice time used for learning plays. We try to invest most of our practice time in technique training.

The Zone Play has been traditionally one of our most productive plays. We use it as well to establish a physical personality for our offense and we believe its productivity increases as the game proceeds. On the inside and outside zone we have a couple of principles that our players learn if they are leading a zone block, supporting or helping a zone block or if they are basically by themselves in a single block.

All of our linemen look to the backside of the play call if they are covered by a defensive lineman. If that lineman is uncovered they can expect zone help. If he is covered the lead lineman may be forced to single block the man on him without a special called adjustment. His aim and take-off are both affected by this. An example is the inside Zone Play vs. a 50 defense run to the right (See Diagram 1).

Diagram 1: Inside Zone Play vs. a 50-Defense Run to the Right

Here the TE is basically in a man scheme and does not expect help from the tackle because he is covered also. The right tackle expects help from the right guard and the center expects help from the left guard. The TE will step to align his feet with the feet of the outside linebacker and press his force through his outside number.

The right tackle and center will step to put their backside foot on the playside of the defender’s backside foot. This gives the blocker slight leverage to the call side of the play. When that track is established they push hard through the front half of the defender with their backside foot and hip. They carry with them any part of the defender on that track. Both guards step through their playside gaps and push any part of the defensive lineman in the gap to their linebacker (See Diagram 2).

Diagram 2: Inside Zone Footwork and Aim Points

Our philosophy is to push the defensive lineman to linebacker level before coming off the zone block. If the linebacker presses the line of scrimmage quickly, the zone must break down quicker; but the focus is moving the defensive lineman.

The left tackle steps to put his backside foot through the middle of the backside defensive end. He forces through this track and blocks the most dangerous threat from the defensive end to the backside linebacker. A good example is against a 4-3 defense (See Diagram 3).

Diagram 3: Zone Play vs. 4-3 Defense

The TE can expect zone help from the right tackle; the right guard expects help from the center; and the left guard expects help from the left tackle. A special note here is that the backside tackle always is ‘uncovered’ if the backside guard is covered. This concept secures the guard with help.

The mechanics for the TE, right guard and left guard are to put their backside foot and hip on the playside of the defender’s backside foot and to push them on that track. The uncovered players (right tackle, center and left tackle) step through their playside gap pushing any part of the defensive lineman to linebacker level. We emphasize getting step one and step two on every block on the ground as quickly as possible. The uncovered lineman must always have awareness of the linebacker’s position and play without losing his chance to exert pressure on the defensive lineman he is zoning to.

The angle of departure and steps for the uncovered lineman offering zone help depends on the width of the line splits used and the depth at which the defensive line and linebackers play. There can be some limited angle of the shoulders and hips but this should be kept to a minimum. We use the same scheme or concept for the outside zone but our aim points on the defensive players widen. We try to push our backside foot and hip through the playside armpit of the defender. The helper in the zone will aim to put his backside hand and foot through the middle of the defender. This approach and concept are taught across the line (See Diagram 4).

Diagram 4: Outside Zone Footwork and Aim Points

The zone is not a complicated play from a mental standpoint. Skill, technique and understanding along with a physical nature are what makes the play a good and successful play for the Frogs.

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