Offensive Line Blocking Schemes

[VaBeachSkinzFan]

I know that they are suppose to be switching to a zone blocking system this year. But I was uder the impression that they would not be doing it on every play. When I was discussing this with a friend(Who BTW played O-Line with Jim Molinaro is High School and went on to play guard at a Division 1 shool) he told me that you can't do both it either has to be one or the other. I played DB so I don't know much about being a Lineman but I know I used to swith between a Man and Zone sceme all the time. Can someone enlighten me on way it is harder for Lineman? But I guess the most important question here is if anyone knows if the Skins will be switching or only doing the Zone.

Thanks

:point2sky

[dreamshatterer]

Not too sure

[kappaluvacee]

Sure you can. 'Skins did it last year. That's why Gibbs kept saying it appears that Clinton Does better on Stretch plays. Those are plays that the 'Skins were using that utilized a zone blocking scheme. Maybe at the college level your friend's team didn't switch, but it can be done. I can't imagine how much simpler it would be for defenses if they only had to account for one blocking scheme. It's almost like looking at D-Lineman's schemes. They employ a multitude of schemes too such as twists and pinch to name a couple. This keeps the O-line off guard and increases their chance of disrupting the O-lines blocking scheme.

[E-Dog Night]

Take this for what it's worth, as I am not a professional football player nor do I know for certain what Gibbs will do.

But - I can tell you that NFL linemen can block different schemes for different plays. All you have to do is watch the linemen during a game. Last year, there were some plays that were in the "zone" category and some were pulls and some were straight ahead man blocking. I expect to see much of the same this year.

I seriously doubt that we will see Gibbs completely abandon the pulls and counters that he is known for. What we will see is more of a modified version of that. Instead of both the guard and tackle pulling, we will see just the guard, so ensure that the play doesn't get blown up from the backside.

But in the end, these are the best linemen out there. With all due respect to your friend, I think for college schemes, they go with one scheme as not to confuse people. In the NFL, players are expected to be versatile enough to run different schemes, depending on what the defense is trying to do.

[VaBeachSkinzFan]

Originally posted by kappaluvacee

Sure you can. 'Skins did it last year. That's why Gibbs kept saying it appears that Clinton Does better on Stretch plays.

See that's what I thought.

Originally posted by E-Dog Night

I seriously doubt that we will see Gibbs completely abandon the pulls and counters that he is known for. What we will see is more of a modified version of that. Instead of both the guard and tackle pulling, we will see just the guard, so ensure that the play doesn't get blown up from the backside.

But in the end, these are the best linemen out there. With all due respect to your friend, I think for college schemes, they go with one scheme as not to confuse people. In the NFL, players are expected to be versatile enough to run different schemes, depending on what the defense is trying to do.

Good point E-Dog Night. I had thought as much but I also know things aren't always as easy as they seem and so I wasn't sure if maybe there was that much of a difference in the two that they can't both be used.

[GURU]

I think part of the problem is that too many journalists have attached the term "Zone" blocking to Alex Gibbs' and the Broncos' offensive line schemes. In other words, "zone blocking" has become a term synonomous with the Broncos and Alex Gibbs, just the same way "West Coast Offense" has become synomomous with Bill Walsh.

It's misleading, however, because zone blocking has been around as long as football. Just like in basketball or in football pass coverages, you CAN switch it up. But particular coaches prefer one style as the basis of their blocking schemes.

Paring it down to the basics, man blocking is when the play is designed for particular blockers to block specific defenders. Zone blocking is blocking whoever is in front of you, whether you are blocking straight ahead, or pulling, or trapping. Basically.

Now, I could be wrong, but my understanding is that many of the classic Redskins running plays, such as counter trey, are essentially zone blocking plays. The movement of the blockers on the play is predetermined. It's their job to block whoever might get in the way.

The difference between Joe Bugels' and Alex Gibbs' systems are philosophical. The classic Redskins running plays are designed to "mass" blockers--that is, to create more blockers than defenders--in a small area to punch through a particular hole. Alex Gibbs' plays are designed to "stretch" the defense horizontially, rather than to create a specific hole. The running back must quickly find the hole created by this "stretch" blocking.

Anyway, that's a VERY basic explaination of my understanding. I think it's perfectly possible for an NFL team to run both styles of plays. But it takes intelligent, versatile offensive linemen and a running back willing to change things up.

This is still a work in progress. The key is figuring out how to run the stretch plays AND the classic Redskins power plays out of the same offensive formations. If Joe Gibbs and Joe Bugel really can find a way to seamlessly blend these two styles of run blocking, they will really be able to keep defenses off-balance. If anyone can figure it out, these two can.

[Chachie]

I would expect Art to have some more insight on this. He's pretty good with Xs and Os. Art? You around?