IZ/OZ for the mentally impaired!

[Roden10]

I am interested in learning about this stuff. But it is way over my head. Trying to read posts about it is like reading a different language.

Is there an easy place to start or should I just leave this zone stuff to people with more brain cells than myself?

[mahonz]

I am interested in learning about this stuff. But it is way over my head. Trying to read posts about it is like reading a different language.

Is there an easy place to start or should I just leave this zone stuff to people with more brain cells than myself?

Tim

A good place to start is to list your confusions. Between all of us that get it on this forum...we will gladly get you there as well. It’s really simple actually but it is one of those things that just hits you in the forehead like a sledgehammer one day.

Its definitely one of those Eureka moments. ...and worth it IMO.

[Belebuch]

Go to youtube, look up teaching zone blocking. That will get you started.
Go to fishduck.com in the spread offense section is a zone presentation from a nike clinic given by Chip Kelly
Go to smartfootball.com and look up zone blocking
Brophyblog site also has some vids with the man himself Alex Gibbs

Hope this helps you get your feet wet

[Michael]

I think the basic building block is two side-by-side O-Linemen taking on a D-Lineman (over the playside O-Lineman of the two) and a LB (over the backside O-Lineman of the two).  Once you know how it flows from the initial double-team to the eventual pair of one-on-one blocks, you're in good shape.

[jem]

I am interested in learning about this stuff. But it is way over my head. Trying to read posts about it is like reading a different language.

Is there an easy place to start or should I just leave this zone stuff to people with more brain cells than myself?

Tim are you wanting to learn IZ/OZ (True-Zone) or Option Zone blocking?  While some have married double option to True-Zone, if you are talking about Zone blocking with a veer coach he is gonna be talking about something else entirely.

j

[Roden10]

Jem,

I am interested in what Oregon runs and trying to figure out if I could do something similar with youth football. If so how complicated would it be.

From watching some of the videos on fishduck.com it seems like the QB is basically just reading the unblocked man.

[zoezachary]

Jem,

I am interested in what Oregon runs and trying to figure out if I could do something similar with youth football. If so how complicated would it be.

From watching some of the videos on fishduck.com it seems like the QB is basically just reading the unblocked man.

oregon runs midline,isv and the ever so easy and popular speed option....then they have a passing attack that can be and is run from every variation of ace, 2x2, 3x1, 4x1, 3x2 set imaginable...which by itself is a lesson.

zb is a set blocker working in concert to protect their designated zone. sometimes it 2,3, or eve 4 man combinations. the footwork and hands can be a f-ck job if you are not careful.
1.learn what is covered and uncovered and there is no in between...its either or....regardless of splits.
2. Their are 4 or 5 exclusive zone video out there, done by alex gibbs. the one on brophy's site explains a lot of intricate stuff.
3. go to f&f, get the 86 falcons off. pb, and study the calls for the first 2 or 3 dropback pass  protection...It takes some time cause its worded a bit tricky. But it will bring understanding in combination blocking, 2,3,4 man zones.....which also apply in the run game. and it will teach a version of covered and uncovered that is not in to many place....
go to the 1990(?) bengals playbook, learn the numbered defense system. that will also aid you in learning covered, uncovered, and bubbles.
4. Go back and watch the gibbs tapes, AFTER YOU MASTER  #3....It makes it even simpler than it is on the surface.
5. I would get the 2000 and 2003 mcnally tapes, all the alexander tapes, 2010 bill callahan tape mike munchak tape, kromer and the guy from the   gb packers from 2008 cool clinic, not the current o-line coach.
this is not a 5 minute or a over night study deal, it is not an easy fix. It is a  PROCESS AND A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT F-ing animal than anything that is preached by the great coaches on this sight.

gibbs will warn you, as I will do not try and give a set of rules or standardize it, their is a reason for it all.

[ZACH]

Tim are you wanting to learn IZ/OZ (True-Zone) or Option Zone blocking?  While some have married double option to True-Zone, if you are talking about Zone blocking with a veer coach he is gonna be talking about something else entirely.

j

I am interested in option zone not so much to install but to learn a basis of, couldnt hurt

[Jburk]

Go to youtube, look up teaching zone blocking. That will get you started.
Go to fishduck.com in the spread offense section is a zone presentation from a nike clinic given by Chip Kelly
Go to smartfootball.com and look up zone blocking
Brophyblog site also has some vids with the man himself Alex Gibbs

Hope this helps you get your feet wet

Chip Kelly's presentation from that site is great. I loved the way he broke it down on the RB's read and the vision he needs to hit the line. I also loved how he really harped on the physicality needed to run the IZ. His emphasis on the initial double team, linemen being hip to hip and cheek to cheek, and driving the down defensive lineman into the linebackers lap really appealed to me. Real blue collar hit 'em in the mouth approach to the offensive line. 

Made me rethink what I thought about zone blocking, and if I could implement it with 10-11 year olds.

[Belebuch]

IMO it can be done, think about how many coaches teach their kids on their dbl teams to come off and seal the inside when running offenses like the SW/DW. Plus some of the vids i saw had kids around that age being taught.

[Michael]

Chip Kelly's presentation from that site is great. I loved the way he broke it down on the RB's read and the vision he needs to hit the line. I also loved how he really harped on the physicality needed to run the IZ. His emphasis on the initial double team, linemen being hip to hip and cheek to cheek, and driving the down defensive lineman into the linebackers lap really appealed to me. Real blue collar hit 'em in the mouth approach to the offensive line. 

Made me rethink what I thought about zone blocking, and if I could implement it with 10-11 year olds.

Darrell Funk, Michigan's O-Line coach, also made a point of this at Glazier last year.  Zone scheme, while being very violent and physical, with a big vertical component.

[Jburk]

Darrell Funk, Michigan's O-Line coach, also made a point of this at Glazier last year.  Zone scheme, while being very violent and physical, with a big vertical component.

Chip Kelley also talked about not chasing linebackers; the zone man only peeled off to block the linebacker if he was in arms reach, otherwise he was never to chase. He really emphasized that.

Another point about zone that was mentioned, was that Oregon only had four run plays in their playbook. Just four. This allowed a TON of repetition for the O line, so that they would build an immense amount of confidence no matter what the D threw at them.

I worked in some covered/uncovered concepts at the end of this past year, and was surprised at how fast they picked it up. I can see where if this is what you did ALL the time, and repped it accordingly, the kids would get good at it. Simplicity + repetition = confidence, and confidence = aggression. I believe this is what JJ Lawson says.

I know that Pratley runs the same covered/uncovered blocking rule for ALL of his run plays. Pretty simple. 

[Michael]

Another point about zone that was mentioned, was that Oregon only had four run plays in their playbook. Just four. This allowed a TON of repetition for the O line, so that they would build an immense amount of confidence no matter what the D threw at them.

Gibbs has four.  He says he goes to colleges all the time to help them put in zone, and then they use it as one scheme of many.  He says never do that.  I hear youth coaches all the time talk about all the different things they run, and zone is one of about five different things.  My first program, they couldn't even teach the kids to properly block the guy in front of them, and they claimed to "go to some zone" once in a while.  Uh-huh.

We basically block our run plays one way, and we use one block to do it.  Call the nose, count it out, step to an ON block, done.

[Jburk]

Gibbs has four.  He says he goes to colleges all the time to help them put in zone, and then they use it as one scheme of many.  He says never do that.  I hear youth coaches all the time talk about all the different things they run, and zone is one of about five different things.  My first program, they couldn't even teach the kids to properly block the guy in front of them, and they claimed to "go to some zone" once in a while.  Uh-huh.

We basically block our run plays one way, and we use one block to do it.  Call the nose, count it out, step to an ON block, done.

Nice! That's the kind of simplicity that really appeals to me. Rep it and rep it and rep it, then run it.

[mahonz]

Coaches

Im going to stick a fork in all of this before you all try it and fail by saying....and at the YOUTH level the QB may be reading two unblocked men most of the time.

Go back a watch all those Oregon clips. Not one Cover 1/0 50 front except when Tenn blitzed I do believe. Go find UT clips with Vince Young….WVU clips with Pat White…any Wake Forest clips over the last 5 years. See any Cover 1/0 50 fronts?

 If you can comfortably say you will never face a Cover 1/0 50 front then you are good to go. We tried this a few years ago and quickly dumped the idea with a talented group of 7th graders that could pass better than anyone else in the league.

By formation you should never see a 60 front but if you do....its worse.

I would like just ONE YOUTH coach to come forward and say they have had success running pure read read gun with no TE's.

OZ....you could end up with an unblocked DE and DT backside unless you change the rules.  IZ you MUST pick up the DT leaving the LB'r(s) right there to easily fill. You would eventually only be able to run IZ Follows....QB follows TB.

In order to be Oregon-ish at the youth level you MUST also be a serious passing threat as well....otherwise the DC wont take your formations all that serious and go Cover 1 or Cover 0.

If you use a TE or two you only complicate the box.

http://www.dumcoach.com/index.php/topic,4999.0.html

If you really want to be a zone guy at the YOUTH level...I strongly suggest get Oregon formations out of your head and embrace Pro I or Pro Ace and pay attention to the Gibbs presentations. That lends itself to the youth game without an inordinate amount of dumbing down…like bucket stepping. Good luck with that.

Then down the road you can dabble with this College stuff. We ran a ton of this at the semi pro level. Worked great until we ran into the best D in the league...a Cover 1/0 50 front because they had the backers. The reason you don’t see the Cover 1/0 50 fronts in College while watching these Oregon-isk offenses...they really must play Cover 2 because they must fully respect the passing game.

My 2 cents.