IZ/OZ for the mentally impaired!

[Belebuch]

Great post! ^^^

[Michael]

But what's special about 5 yards?  What's special about 10 yards?

For us, if you drive a guy 10 yards (hard as that can be) and then he slips you, that's a failed block, even if the RB is long gone.

We only cap it with the borders of the field and the whistle.  And our drills can go a long time.  Twenty seconds isn't unusual during our version of Oklahoma.  And during team, if the whistle blows and you're not on a guy, you have a problem, even if you're 20 yards downfield.

Whatever works, works, and maybe there's no difference.  But we just try to stay away from having any sort of somewhat arbitrary goal for how long we're on our blocks.

[CoachShad]

Michael:

the intent is not to ensure 5 or 10 yards, its to instill that they maintain contact.  Same results different ways of saying it. 

I still say that if they cannot block as individuals they cannot block in combination.  IMHO a lot of folks are putting HS, College, and NFL expectations on paper and in their head and then are sorely disappointed with the results.  I go back to the REAL FACT that most of us do not have equal ability across the LOS.  A block is nothing more than getting in someones way, a decent block is getting in their way so the back can get past you,  a good block actually moves the man in the intended direction, and a great block deposits him on his backside or in another zip code.  Now its up to us to decide where we put the kid that gets in the way with the one who puts folks in new Zip Codes.  More often than not, understanding that, will keep the Gray hairs and disappointment to a minimum. 

 

[Michael]

I agree with all that.  And we never combo, although I want to put it in for stacks next year, I think.

And yes, two lousy guys in a combo tends to result in one lousy combo.

[zoezachary]

Yeah, but I hate relying on the RB not to dork it up, or on the play not breaking down some other way.

I do everything I can to keep the O-Linemen from getting that "clock" in their heads that has them releasing guys after a couple of seconds.  If the RB needs forever, he gets forever.

you dont have to give him a clock tell him to make a decision by the mesh point, which in gibbs world is 3 steps then get north/south...
guess what is also given 3 steps? the ol decision to take or get to the 2nd level......
if you coach the back that he can be wrong it times up beautifully.

[Michael]

you dont have to give him a clock tell him to make a decision by the mesh point, which in gibbs world is 3 steps then get north/south...
guess what is also given 3 steps? the ol decision to take or get to the 2nd level......
if you coach the back that he can be wrong it times up beautifully.

I know, I know.  Maybe it's just me, but I hate defenders EVER being able to release.  And as I said, we don't run zone, although we use a lot of the concepts.

I think the biggest thing that limits explosion runs (or whatever you want to call them), is defenders that have been driven back eventually releasing laterally.  The O-Lineman hits the defender, the defender gets driven back a bit, the RB heads around the edge, and the defender sees it and takes off for the sideline and is there when the RB cuts inside the CB (or whoever is running around out there).

So many videos of youth teams on outside plays show decent initial blocking on the inside, and then seven defenders end up on the ball near the sideline, while the O-Line is still standing in the middle of the field.

I'm not saying it's right, I'm not saying it's wrong.  I'm just saying that's how I look at it.

[Coach_Miller]

   Pretty Nice write up...               


         http://xandolabs.com/2011/07/the-inside-zone-study/

[zoezachary]

I know, I know.  Maybe it's just me, but I hate defenders EVER being able to release.  And as I said, we don't run zone, although we use a lot of the concepts.

I think the biggest thing that limits explosion runs (or whatever you want to call them), is defenders that have been driven back eventually releasing laterally.  The O-Lineman hits the defender, the defender gets driven back a bit, the RB heads around the edge, and the defender sees it and takes off for the sideline and is there when the RB cuts inside the CB (or whoever is running around out there).

So many videos of youth teams on outside plays show decent initial blocking on the inside, and then seven defenders end up on the ball near the sideline, while the O-Line is still standing in the middle of the field.

I'm not saying it's right, I'm not saying it's wrong.  I'm just saying that's how I look at it.

 thats the running running back, not the line.....called blind running, what I absolutely hate. It drives me bonkers.

[Roden10]

But what's special about 5 yards?  What's special about 10 yards?

For us, if you drive a guy 10 yards (hard as that can be) and then he slips you, that's a failed block, even if the RB is long gone.

We only cap it with the borders of the field and the whistle.  And our drills can go a long time.  Twenty seconds isn't unusual during our version of Oklahoma.  And during team, if the whistle blows and you're not on a guy, you have a problem, even if you're 20 yards downfield.

Whatever works, works, and maybe there's no difference.  But we just try to stay away from having any sort of somewhat arbitrary goal for how long we're on our blocks.

I had a guy who would block people 10 yards down field and still his guy would be in on a tackle. I caught it on film and from then on started explaining to the players that while you might be blocking someone a ways down the field, our RB is also running down the field so they aren't as far apart as you might think. After that our motto wasn't til the whistle blows but until they are on the ground or you hear the whistle before that happens.

[Michael]

I had a guy who would block people 10 yards down field and still his guy would be in on a tackle. I caught it on film and from then on started explaining to the players that while you might be blocking someone a ways down the field, our RB is also running down the field so they aren't as far apart as you might think. After that our motto wasn't til the whistle blows but until they are on the ground or you hear the whistle before that happens.

EXACTLY!

When we run team, when the whistle blows, my guys better be on a guy.  If they are not in contact with someone, they know I'm going to be there in seconds.  Doesn't matter where the ball is, or what the result of the play was.

[Michael]

I learned a ton from Paul Boudreau at C.O.O.L. last year.  Most of it was about how to make an O-Line more aggressive.  And I picked up a story from him that my O-Line really liked.  It helped focus them in on being really nasty.

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2012/01/giants_vs_falcons_atlantas_off.html

Nice to see Boudreau getting some pub (not that he wants it, necessarily).