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Zone Blocking, Part II – Footwork and Blocking Scheme

by: Ken Wilmesherr
Offensive Line Coach, Grossmont College
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Proper footwork and technique are critical for an offensive lineman.

In Part I of this three-part series, we introduced our offensive line philosophy, the basics of the zone offense and key offensive line coaching points. In Part II, we will discuss the footwork, co-op blocks, and schemes of the zone game.
 
FOOTWORK

The footwork is different for the zone play than most other offensive plays. The first step is a directional step. The second step is a power step with the emphasis on getting it on the ground as soon as possible. The tighter the down defenders’ alignment, the tighter the step should be.

When executing the footwork for the zone play, linemen will step simultaneously, taking either a six-inch lateral jab step (set to drive directional step) or a bucket step with an angle of departure of 45 degrees (set to reach directional step) to the left or right. All linemen need to maintain their directional track.

We keep the footwork simple and we have identified three types: “covered steps for a covered lineman” on inside zone, “uncovered steps for an uncovered lineman” on inside zone, and “outside zone”. As we established in Part I, footwork will vary between uncovered and covered linemen.

An offensive lineman is covered if he has a man on him on the line of scrimmage. In addition, he must know if he is covered playside or covered backside. He is covered playside if a defender is aligned in the playside shade or gap. He is covered backside if no defender is in the playside shade or gap, but is head up or in the backside gap.

A lineman is considered uncovered if he does not have a defender either backside, head up, or to the callside shade or gap on the LOS, but is covered at depth by a second level defender. Uncovered linemen will zone with the adjacent lineman to the call side. Covered linemen will zone with the backside (away from the callside) lineman. If both backside linemen are covered, then they must man block.

Here is an overview of the three types of footwork each offensive lineman must master:

 Uncovered Steps for Uncovered Linemen

This is used against a wide defender playside, and by any uncovered lineman in the inside zone concept (Diagram 1).



First step: This is a bucket step or drop step (set to reach directional step) with the angle of departure at 45 degrees. The angle of departure will not change, but the depth of the bucket step will depend on the alignment of the down defender.

I explain to my players their hip should open at a 45-degree angle to the sideline. I also talk in terms of “losing ground to gain ground.” Losing ground allows the uncovered lineman to get on the proper angle to make the block.
 
Second step: This is a vertical step to and through the defenders crotch (knee to and through the crotch). It is important to get the second step in the ground as soon as possible. The speed of the second step is important.
 
Third step: This step will square the offensive linemen upfield.
 
Covered Steps For Covered Linemen

This footwork is used by all covered linemen on the inside zone (Diagram 2).


 
First step: This is a six-inch lateral jab step (set to drive directional step) with the play side foot.
 
Second step: This is a vertical step to and through the down defenders crotch (knee to and through the crotch). The lineman’s base will narrow slightly. It is important to get the second step in the ground as soon as possible. The speed of the second step is important.
 
Third step: This will square the offensive lineman upfield. It is important to keep the shoulders square.
 
The covered lineman can do one of two things with his punch – either one-arm bench or rip to rise. A great teaching tool for the rip to rise is the Crowther progression (the flipper). The co-op block (with an adjacent blocker) will force defensive movement off the line of scrimmage, so make sure the lineman’s eyes are on the second level defender.
 Footwork For Outside Zone

On outside zone, all linemen take uncovered steps and a bucket step (set to reach directional step – Diagram 3).


 
First step: This is a bucket step or drop step with the angle of departure at 45 degrees (set to reach). The angle of departure will not change, but the depth of the bucket step will depend on the alignment of the down defender. Again, the lineman’s hip should open at a 45-degree angle to the sideline, and that we are “losing ground to gain ground.”
 
Second step: This is an outside reach step trying to step on the outside toes of the defender.
 
Third step: This step will square the offensive linemen upfield.

The offensive lineman is trying to rip the funnel on the bucket step. The funnel is the elbow, ribs, and armpit of the defender. The entry level of the funnel is between the elbow and ribs while the end of the funnel is the armpit. When ripping the funnel, the lineman needs to stay square. Ripping the funnel will disallow the defender to hold.

Overall, you can teach the footwork on the outside zone as: “Bucket, Cross Over, Rip.”
 
 TECHNIQUE AND CALLS FOR THE UNCOVERED LINEMAN

It is imperative that uncovered linemen understand the down defenders’ alignment (inside technique, head-up technique, or outside technique) on the playside or callside covered lineman.
 

Inside Shade Technique

There is a greater chance (80%) the uncovered lineman will end up blocking an inside shaded defender (2i, 4i, 7 technique) unless the defender stunts away from him (Diagram 4).


 

Head-Up Shade Technique

There is half the chance (50%) the uncovered lineman will end up blocking a head-up defender (0, 2 ,4, 6 technique). The defender can slant to either gap from a head-up alignment (Diagram 5).
 

Outside Shade Technique

There is a slight chance (20%) the uncovered lineman will end up blocking an outside shaded defender (3, 5, or 9 technique) unless the defender stunts to him (Diagram 6).
 


TECHNIQUE AND CALLS FOR THE COVERED LINEMAN

Covered linemen make “thin” or “thick” calls on the inside zone. These calls are determined by the linebacker’s alignment at depth. For example, if the defense is a 4-3, the center will make a defensive recognition call to alert the entire line. The backside guard will then make a co-op call to alert the backside tackle. The covered lineman will make a “thick” or “thin” call at the LOS (Diagram 7).


If the linebacker is aligned over the callside lineman, then he will make a “thin” call to alert the backside lineman that he will have very little to no help on the down defender. Both linemen will execute a bucket (set to reach) step aiming for the callside shoulders of the defenders.

If the linebacker is aligned over the backside lineman, the callside lineman will make a “thick” call and hang on the down defender one arm, maintaining pressure and inside leverage as both linemen work to the second level defender.
 
Thick Call

In this example, the Will linebacker is thick on the 2 (or 3) technique (Will is stacked on the defensive end or is in the C gap on the back side). The backside tackle and guard are blocking the 2 technique to the Will linebacker (4i at depth – Diagram 8).


 
The backside guard will hang, getting a vertical push on the down defender while creating a double team until the Will backer commits.
 
Thin Call

In this example, Will is at a 3-technique at depth while splitting the crotch or stacked over the 2 (or 3) technique (Diagram 9).


The backside guard will make a thin call to alert the backside tackle that he will not hang on the first level defender. The footwork will also change on a thin call as the guard will take uncovered steps.
 
CO-OPS

When teaching the zone, we use playside and backside co-op block concepts. Co-op blocks are defined as two or more adjacent linemen working together on a down defender on level one and a linebacker on level two.

A term I use when teaching co-ops is “piggyback”, which an uncovered lineman uses to handle slants, stunts, and blitzes. The uncovered lineman will try to piggyback the covered lineman on the inside zone.

When we make our calls on the LOS, we start from the call side out and work in to the back side. Thin and thick calls are made depending on the alignment of the second level defender.
 Backside Co-Ops

We have six backside co-ops: slug, buzz, swap, scoop, solid and trip. Here are examples of each:
 


Slug: Backside co-op between the tight end and tackle (Diagram 10).
 





Buzz: Backside co-op between the tight end and tackle working to a safety on the second level (Diagram 11).
 






Swap: Backside co-op between the tackle and guard (Diagram 12).
 






Scoop: Backside co-op between the guard and center (Diagram 13).
 





Solid: Backside
co-op between the TE, tackle and guard (Diagram 14).
 




Trip: Backside co-op between the tackle, guard and the center (Diagram 15).


 
Playside Co-Ops
We have six playside co-ops: single, double, triple, gang, trio and triplet. Here are examples of each:
 


Single: Playside co-op between
the center and guard (Diagram 16).
 




Double: Playside co-op
between the guard and
tackle (Diagram 17).
 




Triple: Playside co-op
between the tackle and tight end (Diagram 18).
 


Gang: Playside co-op between the back side tackle, back side guard, center, and playside guard
(Diagram 19).
 


Trio: Playside co-op between the backside guard, center, and playside guard (Diagram 20).


 
Triplet: Playside co-op between the guard, tackle, and TE (Diagram 21).


 
SAMPLE ZONE SCHEMES

A scheme is defined as a combination of blocks in either the running game or passing game. Here are a few examples of inside and outside zone schemes against some of the defenses we see each season:
 
Weak Inside Zone vs. 5-3 (Diagram 22)


TE: Set to reach; (Buzz call) with the tackle
SST: Set to drive; “Thick” (Buzz call) with tight end 
SSG: Set to drive; (Scoop call) with center
C: Set to reach; “Thick” (Scoop call) with SSG
BSG: Set to drive; maintain inside leverage
BST: Set to drive; maintain inside leverage


Outside Zone vs. 4-3 (Diagram 23)


TE: Set to reach; (Triple call) with the tackle
SST: Set to reach; (Triple call) with tight end 
SSG: Set to reach; (Single call) with center
C: Set to reach; (Single call) with SSG
BSG: Set to reach; (Swap call) with BST
BST: Set to reach; (Swap call) with BSG

Inside Zone vs. 4-3 (Diagram 24)


TE: Set to drive; “Thick” (Triple call) with the tackle
SST: Set to Reach; (Triple call) with tight end 
SSG: Set to drive; “Thick” (Single call) with center
C: Set to reach; (Single call) with SSG
BSG: Set to drive; “Thick” (Swap call) with BST
BST: Set to reach; (Swap call) with BSG

Outside Zone vs. Eagle Weak (Diagram 25)



TE: Set to reach; maintain inside leverage, possible triplet with tackle and guard 
SST: Set to reach; maintain inside leverage, possible triplet with tight end and guard or possible double with guard 
SSG: Set to reach; possible triplet with tight end and tackle or possible double with tackle 
C: Set to Reach; (Scoop call) with BSG
BSG: Set to reach; (Scoop call) with center
BST: Cut the 3 technique

Inside Zone vs. Eagle Weak (Diagram 26)


TE: Set to drive; maintain inside leverage
SST: Set to drive; maintain inside leverage, possible double with SSG
SSG: Set to drive; “Thin” (Single call) with center, or possible double with SST
C: Set to reach; (Single call) with SSG or a possible trip call with the BSG and BST
BSG: Set to reach; “Thin” (Swap call) with tackle or a possible trip call with center and BST 
BST: Set to reach; (Swap call) with BSG or a trip call with the center and BSG p

(Part III will cover the line drills used to teach the fundamentals
and techniques of the run game).

About the Author: A frequent contributor to both American Football Monthly and Gridiron Strategies, Ken Wilmesheer is the Offensive Line Coach at Grossmont College. He has over 30 years of coaching experience on the high school and college level. Wilmesheer previously coached at Southwestern College and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Chapman College.






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