The Archived Articles 1998 Crystal Publications Company

Line Blocking Techniques and the Run and Shoot

Any football coach who is worth his income realizes that the heart of football is played on the line of scrimmage. From the single and double wings and Notre Dame Box to the ProSet and the Run and Shoot spread, line blocking techniques have been essential to success.

By Donald J. Nimphius
Line Coach, Shoreham Wading River High School, Long Island, NY

he essentials of offensive line play include such mundane things as stance, start, alignment, and body position. These four basics are paramount to leverage which is the essence of offensive line play. How many names have they had in the past? Wedge, double-team, cross, fold, fire, down, pass, etc. Any coach can come up with additional names, I am sure.

ahead the separation becomes greater, and his charge becomes less effective due to his necessity to run the hypotenuse of any triangle. Stance In my opinion, the 3 pt. stance is the most effective, although a 2 pt. stance may be used. In this instance, Run and Shoot linemen must be able to move laterally with ease and quickness. They must further be coached to create the most productive blocking angle so as to enhance execution. Past experience has indicated that no more than one quarter of the linemans weight may be supported by the down hand. Coaching point: Only daily drills and supervision can ensure this. Splits The offensive line splits must be 1 yd., wider if it is possible. Such wide splits result in each offensive lineman being out and away from his teammate at the set. To a traditional coach this would be insane! Why does the Run and Shoot want to be so far off the ball? Why such big splits? Run and Shoot blocking demands angles of advantage and deflection of force, not frontal attack and brute strength. The object is to make the defender run the longer leg of the triangle. Much has been written about Run and Shoot option patterns and decision making by the receivers and quarterbacks. Very little has been written about offensive line play. The principals are identical. He goes one way, block him that way. Dont take the defender straight on! Let the back read your head. Invite the defense
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What have Tiger Ellison and his missionaries done to the violent but beautiful game? They have reduced it to its simplest form!

1. 2. 3. 4.

Let us look closely at the elements of line blocking in the Run and Shoot: Alignment: splits, stance/the use of Race Booking. The Slide Step. Blocking the Backside/the Midline Step. The Super Back Drills with the line.

Alignment and Stance; Splits

Alignment Most coaches will be shocked to find out that Alignment, Stance, and Splits are the key to the Run and Shoot! Lets look at the Rule book, rule 2; section 24; line #2. An Offensive player is on his line of scrimmage when he faces his opponents goal line with the line of his shoulders approximately parallel there to and with HIS HEAD OR FOOT BREAKING THE PLANE OF AN IMAGINARY LINE DRAWN PARALLEL TO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE THROUGH THE WAIST OF THE SNAPPER. An effective alignment off the ball is essential for Run and Shoot execution! What is necessary is that the separation between the offensive and defensive lines must be as great as is legal. This separation is approximately three feet, six inches. It may be greater, depending upon the defensive philosophy. How effective is a Defensive lineman when he is that far away from his opponent? If he does anything but go straight

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to shoot the gaps or splits and block him the way he wants to go. The old Live or Die drill is an effective practice tool. Splits and the Slide Step As indicated above, line splits are paramount. Many coaches would demand splits that are much smaller. Most of these are attitudes of a power running game. Not so in the Run and Shoot, which is based on using as much of the field as possible. Thus, line splits of four feet or more are not only the norm, but are essential. How can this work? 1. First of all, alignment off the ball creates an offensive advantage of time and distance. 2. Secondly, unless the defender is well in excess of 62 tall at the end of his initial charge he has still not reached the point of attack, let alone the offensive line. His force is dissipated! 3. Third: the Slide Step. Lets take a bit of technique from ballet. As the offensive linemen come to the line of scrimmage, by rule they are able to adjust their splits in or out so long as their hand is not down. First: They determine the position of the defender, by normal alignment will he be head-up, inside, or outside? Second: They adjust their split(s) via the slide step so as to force the defender to be in the easiest place to block. Third: They must keep in mind that their split must never be less than 3 feet. If the defender splits out with them, so be it. Remember the defender must be coached for every situation. Possibly an offensive advantage (see Diagram One).
Diagram One
Normal Split Defender Head Up 4 feet Slide Step; Widen the Split Defender is inside 5 feet

1. Defender goes to the offensive left and blocks him left! 2. OLineman slide steps to his left and attacks left. Remember alignment separation (see Diagram Two)!
Diagram Two
DL

Based on a triangle, make the defender run the hypotenuse (longer leg). Advantage offense! In Run and Shoot blocking, the offensive line blocks with the same technique, run or pass. The Super Back reads the heads of the linemen and works accordingly (live or die drill). Two additional points are paramount! 1. The Super Backs MUST work with the offensive line during ALL offensive periods. 2. All other offensive line blocking techniques must also be drilled. Down, Fold, Do-Dad, Trap, etc. The Midline Step (uncovered lineman) The basic principle of blocking in any passing game is to have the uncovered lineman pull to protect the backside. The problem is that simple geometry has not really been considered. The traditional technique is for such uncovered linemen to pull back at an oblique angle to block a backside rusher (see Diagram Three).
Diagram Three Traditional Alignment
B F T N B T

By the use of the slide step the offense has created either better blocking angles or increased the route of the defender to the ball. They may have done both! Lets remember: The offense knows when and where the ball is going. Any action by the defense becomes a slant, an easy read by the blocker, quarterback, and running back. However, lets say they slant down towards the ball. What to the offensive linemen do? They slide step and attack the defender in the gap he is trying to fill and block him by angle.

As you can see, an almost equilateral triangle is created. Not a good idea, since most backside rushers are faster and quicker than most guards and tackles. Solution: Alignment and the Midline Step (see Diagram Four).
Diagram Four Run and Shoot Alignment (note alignment off the ball & splits)
B N F T B

GRIDIRON
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The uncovered lineman must step directly backward creating the short leg of the triangle and force the rusher to run the hypotenuse, thereby creating an advantage of both time and distance. The midlining lineman creates a collision course between himself and the backside rusher.

Diagram Five 3 or 5 Step Roll

F T

B N

Point of collision

Additionally, the midlining 3 or 5 step action of the Run and Shoot quarterback enables the block to be more easily executed due to increased distance the defender must travel (see Diagram Five).

Much has been said and written about the difficulty of the Run and Shoot. It is really B only difficult for those of us T with closed minds. Look at the Geometry of blocking. Look at the isolation each defensive lineman finds himself in. The field is 100 yards long, and 53 yards 3 inches wide. Traditional football uses very little of that field. Why not use more of the field? Its free. Pre Snap: Spread the opponent from sideline to sideline. Post Snap: Stretch the opponent vertically. Combine: The passing game with option running. GO WHERE THEY AINT!!
Coach Donald J. Nimphius, 10 Tree Road, Miller Place, NY 11764. He can be reached at 516-473-0369. Donald has coached football since 1960, and is currently the line coach at Shoreham Wading River High School on Long Island, NY. n

Review
Alignment off the ball Splits, the slide step and angles Super Backs drill with the line Midline step of the uncovered lineman Quarterback techniques

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