O
n behalf of the entire staff at the The Purpose of Zone Blocking
Minnesota’s
University of Minnesota I would like to
thank the AFCA Summer Manual Committee
Bread and
for inviting me to share with you our thoughts
about the inside zone. We have been run-
ning, researching and fine-tuning this play for
Butter: a number of years, going back to our days at
the University of Kansas. There are a num-
Th e Ins i de
ber of coaches that have impacted and influ-
enced my thoughts, and I would be remiss
not to thank them for their contributions to
Zone the improvement of the play.
First and foremost, Head Coach Glen
Mason has always had a strong commit-
ment to the development of the running
game. Those directly involved; our former
offensive line coaches Pat Ruel, Elliot
Uzelac and Steve Loney, and indirectly, two
offensive line coaches for whom I have great
admiration and respect, Jerry Hanlon and
Larry Beightol. All of these coaches have
had a tremendous impact on me from both
a fundamental and schematic standpoint.
The ability to run the football is a thing of
beauty. It is an art. It takes a tremendous
amount of time, effort, and patience. There
is no easy way or short cut to having a
great running game. It’s an ATTITUDE! You
and everyone involved have to be totally
committed. Realistically, the running game
is not for everyone.
Upon taking over the Gopher program in
December of 1996, Coach Mason chal-
lenged us to develop and produce an
offense based on an effective running
game. Undoubtedly, the development and
consistency of our running game would be
imperative to our success at the University
of Minnesota. We knew this would not be
an overnight process since Minnesota had
consistently ranked near the bottom in
rushing offense nationally and in the Big
Ten. Patience but perseverance!
Based on our offensive success at
Kansas and the personnel we inherited at
Minnesota, we decided that the zone run-
ning game gave us the greatest chance for
success. We were going to hang our hat on
zone blocking.
What is Zone Blocking?
Zone blocking is two adjacent offensive
linemen responsible for blocking two
defenders in a certain area. As movement
begins, either the inside or the outside
offensive lineman remains engaged and
blocks the down defender and the remain-
ing offensive lineman comes off and blocks
the second level defender.
1. Deny penetration.
2. Create movement on level one, the
line of scrimmage.
3. Seal off the onside/playside linebacker.
Why the Inside Zone?
1. We can run it from multiple formations
and backfield sets (15 different sets in ‘02).
2. We can, do and must run it to both the
tight end and split end.
3. We can, do and must run it into every-
thing. We run it to both the low shade and
the three technique.
4. We keep it simple, allowing our offen-
sive linemen, tight end(s), runningback(s)
and wide receiver(s) to be confident and
aggressive.
5. We don’t have to have superior play-
ers to be successful.
6. We minimize mistakes, which results
in very few lost yardage plays.
7. We have a minimal number of tech-
niques for offensive linemen/tight end(s).
8. We can game plan by personnel
groups/formations to gain advantages.
9. It typically features our best player,
runningback.
10. Misdirection off the inside zone —
keeps, nakeds, bootlegs and reverses.
11. It sets up our play-action passing
game.
The inside zone play (Diagrams 1, 2, 3)
has been the “bread and butter” play in our
rushing offense since 1997. Over the course
of the 2001 and 2002 seasons, our inside
zone has accounted for 26 percent of our
called running game, 26 percent of our rush-
ing offense and has averaged 5.43 yards per
carry.
Diagram 1
Diagram 2
 Diagram 3
Offensive Line Requirements
1. Deny penetration.
2. Control and/or get movement on
defensive lineman.
3. Stretch defenders east and west to
create seams and running lanes.
4. Get to the point of attack.
5. Come off the ball with short steps and
flat backs.
6. Keep hips and shoulders square.
7. Maintain proper splits: two feet-two
feet-three feet.
8. Take proper aiming points and hit
landmarks, the playside number.
Running Back Requirements
1. Align with heels at six-and-a-half
yards.
2. Footwork — open, crossover, plant,
and square shoulders to line of scrimmage.
Aiming point: One yard behind original
alignment of tight end.
3. Keys:
Primary key — run off blocking of first
down defender (Diagrams 4 thru 7).
Diagram 4
Diagram 5
Secondary key — next adjacent defend-
er on line of scrimmage.
4. Runningback can and must help
linemen.
Diagram 6
Diagram 7
• Move the linebackers — run a disci-
plined track.
• Press the hole — B gap.
• Patience! It’s not the speed to the
hole, but the speed through the hole.
5. In my opinion the biggest mistake a
coach makes is to draw the runningback
course as a cutback (Diagram 8).
Diagram 8 Wrong
Quarterback Requirements
1. Open with depth to five or seven
o’clock with ball seated.
2. Get the ball to the runningback as
deep as possible. The runningback must
press the “B gap” (Diagram 9).
Diagram 9 Correct
3. Always carry out a good boot fake.
Wide Receiver Requirements
1. Crack safeties.
2. Man block — stalk or run off the corners.
In our inside zone blocking, our lineman
must know:
• Rule — block playside gap — either
covered or uncovered.
• Technique — stretch base.
• Proper fundamentals.
• If offensive lineman to your inside is
covered (ex. 5 & 9 technique), the offensive
guard-offensive tackle are the tandem and
the tight end is “manned-up.” His technique
is to “base block.” The defender and his
landmark tighten down to the defender’s
sternum because he has no inside help.
Our inside zone utilizes power zone
blocking schemes, and we talk in terms of
offensive linemen/tight end being covered
or uncovered. Defensive front recognition
and communication between linemen/tight
end(s) is essential to insure everyone is on
the same page and to correctly identify
tandems. The coaching points and tech-
niques coached and executed up front are
the same from position to position. This
enables us to effectively interchange per-
sonnel within our offensive linemen and
allows us to rep and coach five, six, or
seven positions simultaneously depending
on personnel. Due to the nature of this play,
we consider everyone up front to be point-
of-attack blockers. We do not “butt block”
on this play.
Covered Blocker vs. Down Defender
• The covered blocker’s rule is to stretch
base the defender using a 4-6 inch quick
lead step with the outside foot. The width or
angle of the first step is determined by the
alignment of the defender. The wider the
defender, the wider the first step. As a gen-
eral rule, we want the first step to be slight-
ly wider than the defender’s outside foot.
This opens our hips to the target.
• The second step with the inside foot is
in the crotch of the defender and is also a
short 4-6 inch step.
• The third step is a width step. It is
important to press the defender and stay
square. This widens or stretches him.
• Our landmark and contact point is
nose and eyes to the playside number with
our inside hand contacting the opponent’s
sternum. We are going to get movement off
the ball and/or widening and stretching by
the defender to create wider running lanes.
We must deliver a blow by cocking our
elbow tips and punching the defender’s
breastplate as we come off the ball.
• If the defender widens, stay square
and continue to widen and stretch him.
 • If the defender veers inside, stay
square and squeeze him off to adjacent
offensive lineman.
Note: You should feel adjacent offensive
lineman contact you and force you to the line-
backer level. It is important to stay tight so you
don’t get beat underneath by the linebacker.
• Offensive line courses should mirror the
runningback’s course, just as if they are ball
carriers. We continually emphasize short
steps, flat backs and coming off the ball.
Keeping our hips and shoulders square.
Summary — Covered Blocker
• Once engaged, stay engaged.
• Come off the ball vertically. This will
force the defender to stretch.
• You cannot allow defenders to come
off blocks. Control the defender with your
hands by taking him where he wants to go.
Uncovered Blocker vs. Linebacker
• Our first step is a short 4-6 inch lateral
lead step. It must open our hips (point
crotch at defender) to enable us to over-
take the defender if he veers inside. We
don’t talk in terms of “bucket” step, but we
will at times “lose ground to gain ground,”
depending on the width of the defender. We
coach “short steps, flat backs, coming off
the ball and staying square.”
• The second step is also a short step;
cannot crossover, with our eyes on the
down defender (inside hip) feeling the line-
backer’s reaction and flow.
• The third step is for width and should
put you on a course for your landmark, the
playside number of the linebacker.
• With the down defender playing out-
side/away from you, redirect your hips and
shoulders (mirror runningback course)
north/south to linebacker’s playside num-
ber. It is imperative to hit linebacker square
and fit him up so we don’t glance or bounce
off the defender.
• This block, offensive lineman vs. line-
backer, should be the desired block up
front due to the physical mismatch.
• If the down defender veers inside to you,
attack him and overtake him. By attacking
him you will physically force the adjacent
offensive lineman to the linebacker level.
Note: Coaching points and techniques
are the same on the backside. Example:
Left side mirrors right side when play is
going to the right and vice versa.
Summary — Uncovered Blocker
• Key down defender for movement.
1. If movement is away from you, look Diagram 13
up linebacker and work up to him.
2. If movement is to you, attack, over-
take and force adjacent offensive lineman
to linebacker level.
Drill Teaching Progression
1. Drive block by offensive lineman/tight
end vs. different alignments. Chute pro-
gression not covered in this article
2. Run Boards vs. Air. Diagram 14
Diagram 10
6. We then advance to 1/2 line. This
Coaching Point: Offensive linemen/tight enables us to work as an entire playside
end come off the ball with flat backs, short group and get more teaching repetitions.
steps, staying square. Diagram 15
3. Stance and start 1/2, 3/4, full speed vs.
shade, three, five, seven, nine techniques.
Diagram 11
Conclusion
Again, I would like to thank the AFCA for
the opportunity to share some of our ideas.
Repeat with the shade, three, five, The inside zone has been the “bread and
seven, nine techniques veering inside. butter” of our offense for the past 12 years.
Diagram 12 Hopefully, these concepts will benefit you
and your program. We, as coaches, are part
of the greatest team game ever. It is your job
and mine to make sure we serve this great
sport in the manner it has served us.
Keep football a
Coaching Point: Short steps, flat backs,
stay square, and handle movement.
4. Stance and start 1/2, 3/4, and full
safe game with
speed vs. shade, 3, 5, 7, 9 techniques with
linebacker (Diagram 13). concentrated
Coaching Point: Come off the ball with
short steps, flat backs, and stay square. efforts toward
Handle movement on different levels.
5. Same drill as three above but add proper techniques.
adjacent offensive lineman. (Example:
Center & guard, guard & tackle, tackle &
tight end) (Diagram 14).