How would you defeat/defend zone blocking?

[MHcoach]

Dusty

Your comments when I was in Chicago were funny as anything. When I showed film & talked about how terrible the Oline was & how we almost never got to backers you were amazed because the video showed some of the worst LB play in history. You sat there laughing at it, I remember that it was great proof of what I was talking about. You were even more amazed when I said the LB in one clip was a scholarship player.

So exactly what you are saying is true, makes me feel like I shared something you remembered in Chicago.

Joe

[Bob Goodman]

Actually if I knew the other team was regularly releasing OL to get into the LBs, whether they were running zone, option, or something else, I'd do what we did in 2010: have scrub interior DL cut block star OL.

[PSLCOACHROB]

Shamrocks

My last youth team scored 763 points in 16 games(over 47 pts a game). My 2A HS team averaged 32 or better. Last season in 8A we averaged 31 a game, so yes we tend to score a lot of points.

Joe

Joe,
  The youth numbers are great. But the 8a Florida hs numbers in your district(very strong district for those outside of Florida and they schedule some tough non district games) are really something to behold. I am excited to see your team this year. I think they will put up some crazy numbers. Hopefully I can get to see you guys live this year. If not I know I will get to see them in the off season over a few beers and some great food.  BTW, I'm going to drag Jeff away from D. after he gets back from Europe and come up and visit.

[MHcoach]

Rob

Thanks, I appreciate it. The funny thing was in Youth we usually shut things down before the half. Every week in 8A we face some unreal D's, it was a struggle for us, but the numbers were there. It was a fun season, now it's this season I am worried about.

I really would enjoy a visit, my door is always open for you & Jeff, Susan enjoyed your visit too.

Joe

[Dusty Ol Fart]

Dusty

Your comments when I was in Chicago were funny as anything. When I showed film & talked about how terrible the Oline was & how we almost never got to backers you were amazed because the video showed some of the worst LB play in history. You sat there laughing at it, I remember that it was great proof of what I was talking about. You were even more amazed when I said the LB in one clip was a scholarship player.

So exactly what you are saying is true, makes me feel like I shared something you remembered in Chicago.

Joe

Joe that was the biggest WTF are you doing I'd seen in a while?  LB Coach needed to eat some arse after that.  Folks to recap the scenario:

Joe was playing up the ability of a Basic Zone Scheme against Defenses.  In one of the clips the LB was absolutely "Trucked" by the Olinemen.  He replayed that a couple of times and the kid flat out demolished the LB.  What was my problem with that?  What in the Hell was the LB doing? One step up, one step back. happy feet dance then BLAMO!  Road Kill! 

It wasn't that the OL was bad or Weak. It wasnt that Zone is not effective, he would have been picked up any way.  HOWEVER, being picked up in the hole is a lot different than being hit 4 yards off the ball doing a Kindergarten Pee Pee dance!!  Damn that mad me MAD!!      

[MHcoach]

Dusty

Lol... Yeah we we would play that team & they would have 50 players to our 20. They had talent out the window, but not once did the LB's ever come downhill. The year before the video I showed you we were on a MaxPrep highlight for rolling up 700 yds in offense against them. We won 56-36, no one played D that game. Ray Ray had over 400yds total offense.

So when guys talk about beating Zone, I have an idea what works & what doesn't. We would play a team in the playoffs that had talent & coaching, man would they beat our butts. They would put 8 in the box, break the chain & keep their gaps, it was like running against a wall. At the 2A school we never had a delivery system to "Spread" them out.

Joe

[Dusty Ol Fart]

So when guys talk about beating Zone, I have an idea what works & what doesn't. We would play a team in the playoffs that had talent & coaching, man would they beat our butts. They would put 8 in the box, break the chain & keep their gaps, it was like running against a wall. At the 2A school we never had a delivery system to "Spread" them out.

Joe

Gents... Here's a huge clue as to how a Zone Team can fail against a disciplined team regardless of talent.  As Joe so keenly points out, regardless of the delivery system sometimes, you are just limited by the scope of athletes you have.  At the same time kids can be coached to play above their so called talent level.  As I said the only way I see to stalemate a Zone Scheme is to force them to be Big on Big and let the backs and backers put the pads on!!   

[MHcoach]

Dusty

That's the reason I read the LB's, we want to make them wrong. If they play downhill it makes it tougher on us.

Joe

[Pearls of Wisdom]

Joe - that is correct.

You know I have run ZONE football since 1982.  The thing our OWN defense does that can make it tough on the offense (ESPECIALLY the Inside Zone).  We play vs our OWN offense in practice so we get a LOT of work on it:

Can't give all the ways to stop our own offense (because some people we play read my posts on here), but here is an EXAMPLE:  B GAP BACKER (looking through the Guard to the near Back):  If the Center & G zone/double the 1 tech. & near Back starts your way = get downhill to the LOS ASAP & the OG will have to come off the double so fast they won't get vertical movement on the 1 tech DT!

SEE DIAGRAM from our defense: