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For years, offensive linemen were given man blocking responsibilities. The Promotion & Instruction of Youth Football, Home / Uncategorized / Maximizing the Outside Zone Blocking Scheme. The second player is a 1, the third is a 2, and so on. endobj Before getting into the actual drills, a few things must be understood. Behind the Inside Zone it is the second most popular scheme at the professional and college level. The blocking has been simplified through the use of two blocking schemes-- inside zone and outside zone-- for a variety of different plays. The two plays are based on the teaching that in any inside or outside zone play, there are "covered" and "uncovered" linemen. Landmark is the play side armpit of defender. ", We've found the emphasis on the covered lineman is to have his shoulders pointed up field at all times. Engage, resist cross face move, take them outside/up field. Play-action package off OZ action: Now, this is where the fun begins. The second player is a -2, and so on. It is critical that he is able to read the Tackle. As the name suggests, Zone Blocking Scheme is quite literally blocking a zone, or an area of the field, rather than man. He cannot get the linebacker until he gets there." Please log in again. Outside zone plays follow the same basic rules listed above with a few general guidelines that should be followed. If not, run to the strong side A gap and cut off anything you could possibly see. When the Quarterback is reading the end he is checking to see if he can run it for four or more yards opposite of the play call. Similar line blocking assignments: Just like the inside zone, the outside zone utilizes a full zone scheme. A core component of their ground game has been a zone-blocking scheme, which Ferentz brought to Iowa City over 16 years ago, and continues to be a critical aspect of their rushing offense. This will close any holes between the linemen and prevent defenders from busting through them. 2. In turn, this would allow the linebackers to roam free, unblocked, to make easy tackles in the run game or get to the quarterback in passing plays. https://spreadoffensefootball.com/using-the-sniffer-tight-end-in-the-run-game/. RELATED CONTENT: Building an offensive line: 3 keys to improve combo blocking Covered: There is a first level defender (DLM) from my nose to the nose of the adjacent lineman play side. This provides for numerous cutback lanes for the ball carrier to insert himself. Sign up for our weekly recaps, informed analysis, and film breakdowns. The backside tackle is looking to cut off the defensive lineman to his play-side gap. At the snap, the defensive end would quickly slant to his right, going through the B gap -- between the guard and tackle. The scheme is versatile, doesnt ask offensive linemen to physically overpower defenders, and puts more responsibility on the running back to make the scheme work effectively. @l7)j$v tPO8? With zone blocking, all the offensive linemen will work in tandem to block the defenders, rather than each lineman being responsible to block an individual defender. The linemen open up and get on a 45 degree track. Remember above assume BOB. If they lose sight of him even for a minute, itll delay their ability to pick him up on that second-level block. The Outside Zone begins with a lateral step to the playside; this is essentially a side step. ZONE Effective blocking on inside zone provides cutback lanes for the ball carrier. So when we asked Zweifel the same question of whether or not his kids cut on the back-side, we expected a different answer. Herb Hand, Vanderbilt University (Bounce, Bang, Bend). Zone blocking is a style of blocking for offensive linemen that was created by offensive coaches in response to a new style of defense that had emerged. The aiming point is to track the outside hip of the play side tackle (note: The aiming point of the back is chasing the outside hip of the tackle. This would result in one of two things -- both of which were good for the defense. *%nT]QnMLL**c&u%9l]+4Lj3ImEYJM!A3=bdG$Ui x|q<>;+U\l}2gB!mKl4U b;":#5Im!$y!M90JLEcSQ| . =l7*9s!-Oj8f9Du%hOg5LQen2tg[UvX t,3Ml8S9rlL dl*|MfLsFXJ$D9m+!R `)^+JPiXjU;uhpY` ip9adL3TMW#$8*nWx2#9~\|vp}ppa{m=Rkoxoi*+%7Vs?nK&+b?~DA3v[9NMO34Ndf78b,9\YT jO0:/D['e>=w8ZBq$ J 0^FOr@Dkoj364&aj$fD(OQ ;)g J'9XqDuxqD2I[}vmxmz0TV&3+OI=;@ D-PRLL*@EzfLs* "The aiming point for the drag hand is the backside pec of the defender. <> . 3. The goal is to stress the defense horizontally and the back has to be ready to take it if its there, but especially at the NFL level, getting on the edge is unlikely. Follow us for breaking news and latest updates: Thanks for subscribing! Subscribe for weekly recaps on analysis, insight, and articles. Copyright 2023 vIQtory Sports, all rights reserved. I would have no other time to run other schemes.". Outside zone and wide zone are often related to one another because of where they play hits. 8 0 obj With the wide zone run scheme, offensive linemen work laterally as they try to gain the edge. It keeps our shoulders pointed up field. They teach a run to rip technique, similar to the responsibility of the uncovered lineman to the front side of the play. "We don't ever worry about getting beat underneath, the ball will be outside already," said Ruel. Let's take a closer look at what the zone blocking scheme is, starting with the problem in man blocking that was created by the slant and angle defense. <>/XObject<>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 10 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S>> "He was the best in the business at that time and he used to tell us he always wanted to see our butts so that he can make the right cut. Copyright ©2023 Youth Football Online. Zone blocking is a style of blocking for offensive linemen that was created by offensive coaches in response to a new style of defense that had emerged. It started to become popular in the 1980s and in the 1990s with Alex Gibbs and Mike Shanahan. Some teams will have the Quarterback read the backside Defensive End on this play. When the EMLOS is aligned in a wide-9 technique or way outside the PST, the PST now has to kick that player out. While they ranged from 1-3 yards outside the tight end or EMLOS, we selected two of the more specific responses we received. The first player backside (of the center) is labeled as -1. We are trying to put both hands on the far shoulder pad. Select the appropriate domain. This meant that if the lineman's assignment went to the left, hed be required to follow him and vice versa. Rather than attacking upfield at the snap, the offensive linemen typically move at a 45-degree angle towards one of the sidelines, often leaving the backside defensive end unblocked to generate a . It also includes my OLM One Pager 90 minute practice plan for coaching offensive line youth football. This creates man-blocking principles within the zone blocking system. These indicators can include: Although the outside zone or stretch scheme is an outside hitting play, any interior penetration could slow down the course of the ball carrier. Again its important to drill this technique so it becomes second nature to the Running Backs. The zone blocking scheme is a great way to counter any defensive play that might be called. Zone blocking uses very consistent rules that do not change according to the defensive front. One of the best dvds out there on the inside zone and outside zone. Zone Read Scheme Rules, Techniques and Drills. For spread teams, having the running back at an offset alignment or a pistol alignment gives the running back enough room to make a read off of the play side tackle. It can also efficiently be run with one back, which would still give you the advantage of the leverage on the defense based on what you put into their gaps on either side. Follow, Head Coach Monterey HS @coach_besaw born and raised in the Spread (Eugene, OR) covering all things Spread Offense, A few different ways you can use the sniffer tight end in the run game <> Great against interior pressure: If you're successful with your interior run game like the inside zone and power, chances are you'll see the probability of interior pressure increase. Where the defensive end goes -- and how the offensive linemen double team him -- will determine which offensive lineman blocks the Mike. Since the offensive lineman assigned to that defender was asked to follow him based on the man blocking scheme, hed knock the offensive lineman next to him off course. But when we conducted our research, we've found that the majority of coaches we polled (37.8 %) do not teach the cut block back-side. <> The occurs after contact. "We watch the inside foot pre-snap. Make your splits work for your advantage. So why teach it? This is a simple way to zone block, without having to extensively teach zone blocking principles like covered-uncovered. Iowa's outside zone is modeled after the Alex Gibbs/Terrell Davis philosophy of getting the defense to run on the front side just to cut on the backside. In this case, the Center = 0, RG = 1 and RT = 2. Click here. PS Tackle to 'easy' release to MDM on 2 nd level. Take the first available running lane. It is very similar to what Hand teaches, but his rules refer more to the perimeter defenders than to first level defensive linemen. Track blocking basically means putting the linemen on a track, and they engage only what shows up on their track. The Packers here choose to help their backside guard with their center. The best part about the Outside Zone scheme is that it can be used in a multitude of different ways to attack the defense. That pressure allows for the BST get down the line of scrimmage and to be able to overtake the first-level defender. Heres how it looks: The play is designed to go to the right. endobj Identify your man. Lean back if nothing is there - If there's nothing that shows immediately, lean back and get eyes on what's coming into your gap. To see examples of the pop pass, watch the video below for full in-depth detail. This is still a zone scheme, and OL will have to take their zone steps and pick up anyone who enters their gap because after all, the defense are humans and they will react differently after the snap. As Kelly puts it, "the. While we found the objective clear, the methodology or technique that is used by that uncovered player varied among coaches. :0d-D$:7l+kWqmW8\6*#$Iwf?jBhs(. Forward This Report to Coaches Using Our Easy Form. The best part about the Outside Zone scheme is that it can be used in a multitude of different ways to attack the defense. Think inside shoulder to outside shoulder. For the zone blocking scheme to work properly, there are some keys that offensive linemen need to follow. It's used against and eight man front. Here we need to attack the play side armpit with the inside hand first, then work to the second level. Shoot, my guys blocked inside zone so much that they were taking their steps and shooting their hands while . Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time. 0:57. <> Even if offensive linemen lose ground, the back can run off of those blocks and create positive plays that exploit fast-filling linebackers. This was very similar to a man-to-man defense. This outside zone from the Rams is a great example of an overtake from the BSG and BST. Your email address will not be published. Maximizing the Outside Zone Blocking Scheme. (RB Position Guide), What are Up Downs in Football? Perhaps no other coach knows the zone scheme better than Stan Zweifel. As a result I normally give the players the option if they would like to get the ball dropped down to them. The fullback is responsible for picking up the defensive end on the left side of the field. Outside zone is a play that aims to attack the edge of the defense but utilizes backside cutoffs. In a clinic setting, Coach Greatwood teaches the inside zone concepts of the devastating Duck ground attack. "We want the pulling guard (or whoever is uncovered) to get depth and distance on the pull. On running plays, this is especially important. . He uses the drag hand to catch and hold the defender so he cannot penetrate.". Teams such as the Colts, under legendary offensive line guru Howard Mudd, used to full zone the front side of the play to provide for that fast flow displacement of the defense. BLOCKING RULES RULE: Base - Big on Big rule CALL: "big" Block inside, over, outside to near backer. You might think this is a poor design, as itd allow the linebackers to roam free just as they did with the man blocking scheme. Duo is an inside threatening run that abides by Gap scheme blocking rules and whose name is derived from the goal of getting two double teams on first level defenders. The zone read uses the standard inside zone blocking rules as identified in previous articles, but also utilises the quarterback as a running threat. Please reload the page and try again. Hh9%9|6s$a=|/a!$T|{&q9z\1R3'kNCy@;XgGC8z|T?5B/XI4& It has become even more popular in the past few years with Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay basing their entire offenses around the scheme. Outside zone forces defenses to run horizontally and puts more responsibility on the running back to make the blocking scheme of the offensive line effective. Case 4: The Path/Reads of the Ball Carrier. Outside zone is usually somewhere "on the tackle," or "on the TE." Again, often at the butt or outside leg. Again, the zone blocking scheme will start with the offensive tackle and guards combining for a double team block at the line of scrimmage, followed by one of these linemen peeling off to block a second-level linebacker. As you can see from the description and illustrations, the slant and angle defensive scheme posed a big problem for man blocking schemes. I found this excellent article that breaks it all down here. On the left side of the line, they'll double team the defensive tackle. "Pro Rt. We've found that the difference lies more in philosophy than it does in technique. The Outside Zone blocking scheme is one of the most universal schemes in football. All rights reserved. ,h_;9%Z*`0~`Wgaiwr>Qbsvo]9-o!N"e"wZQ'"-Hb.ZG: nwj?mCA7cQOc7Le:RDZD->Zu!+DGnz@NSSFWbk;Tlp`:@11ZcK :YZgGviGf]XkB`MvpN&:7 The majority of coaches want their covered offensive linemen to be able to finish at a second level defender by the time the play is over. We were first in the league in scoring and first in our league in points allowed on defense. But against stunting first level defenders, keeping both shoulders squared becomes a difficult fundamental to accomplish. Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest trends! Thats where the overtake comes into play. There are many blocking calls used today in youth football. That PSLB thats unblocked is now the responsibility of the tight end. If youre interested in learning more about other base run plays, we have blogs detailing inside zone and other plays here. Each of our plays may have 3 to 4 different ways to block the play based on the defensive formation. Basic Zone Blocking Rules: Inside Gap (first rule is to protect inside gap) Head UP (head up is considered from inside shoulder to outside shoulder) Climb to LB. endobj The PST kicks out the EMLOS. It also shows the running back reading sequentially down the line. Basic Zone Scheme PLAY DIRECTION RIGHT: Left shoulder 10% chance he is mine. __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"eb2ec":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default","value":{"colors":{"eb2ec":{"val":"var(--tcb-skin-color-4)","hsl":{"h":206,"s":0.2727,"l":0.01,"a":1}}},"gradients":[]},"original":{"colors":{"eb2ec":{"val":"rgb(57, 163, 209)","hsl":{"h":198,"s":0.62,"l":0.52,"a":1}}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}, __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"f3080":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1},"f2bba":{"name":"Main Light 10","parent":"f3080"},"trewq":{"name":"Main Light 30","parent":"f3080"},"poiuy":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"f83d7":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"frty6":{"name":"Main Light 45","parent":"f3080"},"flktr":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default","value":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)"},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}}},"gradients":[]},"original":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgb(23, 23, 22)","hsl":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09}},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.5}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.7}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.35}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.4}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.2}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.8}}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, Instantly improve your current positional group, Exclusive access to our staff to help answer your questions, Grow your football knowledge & outsmart your friends and colleagues, Complete breakdown of rules, offensive and defensive concepts, Best course for beginners to learn football, Intro courses that provide you the skillset to talk football like a pro, Engage with your spouse during and after the game. Our hope is that after you read what they do, you find a common ground to adapt what you do to fit your personnel, which after all, is the essence of good coaching. In this case, the defensive end is shaded to the outside shoulder of the right offensive tackle. The only way an offensive Huawei is pitching this offering as a way for hospitals to cut network rollout . The rules. If the Tackle is able to seal his man then the Running Back is free to get the ball to the alley and attack downhill. The tackle to the read side will be blocking the end on his side, and stepping with the opposite foot as the rest of the OL. The Outside Zone Read is similar to the Inside Zone Read in the sense that it the Quarterback is Reading the Last man on the Line of Scrimmage and the Line is Zone Blocking. Below, I explain how that method translate into one-on-one blocks in the inside zone. Learn more about spread offense runs plays from the articles below. Hand tells us the specifics of his ball carrier's path in outside zone from the shotgun formation. Always finish your block. Outside zone is a running play on which offensive linemen focus their blocks on zones, or spaces on the field, as opposed to specific defenders (which is referred to as man-to-man blocking). Many Running Backs can find this to be a more difficult read because they are moving directly sideways which makes it difficult for them to cut and get upfield. It's not as wide. According to our research, 48.9 percent teach an up field, angle step as opposed to 36 percent who teach a bucket step. Here's what the Inside Zone Read looks like Live. Get our blocking diagrams to every defensive front Steps and Combos The next thing you need to study about the Inside Zone is Offensive Line Steps and Calling Combination Blocks. In this instance the Running Back will line up next to the Quarterback opposite of the play call. There are certain indicators that would "tip off" some form of angle or stunt to the play side of zone. The play side guard blocks down on the nose and the center pulls around the guards block and up on the backer. The count is just a good starting point for the who the OL will block with anticipation of taking care of anyone that enters their gap. The difference is the wide zone blocking is horizontal, either going toward one sideline or the other. We're talking full displacement of defenders. . The rules for the covered linemen on the outside zone are through the crotch. !~EV9qJ/f}T}%^=uL!5w\+J#AXz^eyMU=`h2ayaU\d{ gb VJ0 NR|PVp%%s|k/Dd1@aj$H>687 $ the difference between an inside and outside zone, and how . Another common way to utilize the Outside Zone blocking scheme is to get the ball to the running back out of the backfield. The same read rules apply as before, but now if the DE goes upfield, the QB keeps it and runs off the FB block. Unlike a full zone principle, this scheme involves down blocks and pulls at the point of attack. Download now just $7. This all creates a ton of pursuit to the play-side and opens up a small crease on a cutback for the running back. This means simply getting in front of them and cutting off their angle to the football. The next step in the zone blocking scheme deals directly with how to block these two linebackers -- the Will and the Mike, in our example. For outside zone, he will often read the second playside D-lineman and do the same. -TTZ>{fclRPd7yY6)l,$]! The easiest example to see how this works is to talk about the defensive end. 1. UJZ h?l UIJTZQ,m(!L05O5-we "We got it from Glen Mason while he was at the University of Minnesota. Offensive lines were having a very difficult time with all of the zone blitzing of 3-4 defenses, and the stunts of 4-3 defenses. Outside zone is a run play that takes advantage of the cut-off blocks and leverages the offensive line to get an aggressive running attack that will wear down the defenses pursuit. "When we put the lead foot where it is supposed to be, the rest of the body will come with you," said Tenopir. The linemen still count their defenders to the play side when determining their responsibilities. The login page will open in a new tab. Blocking Calls / Rules. Reps. Reps. Reps. Reps. Reps. That's all my guys did in practice. GOD - Gap on Down; GOLD - Gap on LB Down; GOO - Gap on Outside (pass) Can't see the diagram? The tackle would miss the block, forcing the guard to pick up the defensive end or allowing the end to quickly get in the backfield. In a follow-up to the inside zone report that X&O Labs published back in early March, we wanted to research the most productive ways coaches are teaching the outside zone and stretch concept to their players. Diagrams 8-10 (Keith Grabowski's RB reads on force defender) Can't see the diagram? (QB Position Guide), What is a Running Back in Football? In this article, were going to show you exactly how to run outside zone and how you can install it into your offensive system. In this example, the RT will be on his own and is responsible for the DE (2 vs 2 in the count). Teams may have outside zone hit a bit wider than wide zone, but outside and wide zone are the same at its core fundamentals. So, what defensive coaches did was ask all of their defensive linemen to slant one way or the other after the snap. <> An excellent progression. Knee through the crotch. In a follow-up to the inside zone report that X&O Labs published back in early March, we wanted to research the most productive ways coaches are teaching the outside zone and stretch concept to their players. His objective is to get to the next adjacent down lineman's play side number with the purpose of taking him over. They must be taught through practice and game reps to get a feel for when the Tackle does not have his man sealed so they can turn it upfield to gain yards. The end would line up head-up on the offensive tackle. One of these players on each side of the field will come off their initial double team block to get to the second level and pick up the Will and the Mike, respectively. "When you do both you're marrying two different principles so we need to really work on this. The new defensive scheme completely disrupted the thinking of man blocking, and it found many holes in the approach. Which player comes off the initial double team block will depend on where the defensive lineman is lined up and where the initial push goes. A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled in favor of blocking the enforcement of a Louisville ordinance that allows 10-foot-wide buffer zones outside health care facilities, including a . The key to running inside zone is the double teams that occur at the line of scrimmage from the lineman and the running back being patient. Aiming points and angles are some of the most important rules for the OL Sure, some teams have chosen to man block the play, 73.8 percent of coaches still use a covered and uncovered principle when running the outside zone. Instead, each lineman is responsible to block an area . The earlier you teach the zone blocking scheme to your players, and the more often you practice it, the easier itll be for them to master it. It also is using 5G, IoT and Wi-Fi technologies to provide a wireless IoT network system for smart hospital wards. Once the lineman is engaged with a defender, he needs to stay engaged until he feels the next adjacent lineman take his assignment over. The 3rd level defenders have taken bad angles because of how hard the Jaguars pressed outside. You should receive a confirmation email shortly asking you to verify your subscription. The backside hand goes to the sternum of the defender. Truth is, 53 percent of coaches feel that it doesn't need to be a top play in your offense for it to be successful. They're starting to put like, a bunch of . No. If the defense has a bigger, slower defensive lineman, this is great to get them running and ultimately tired out. The tight end is responsible for kicking out the Sam linebacker. Lot of horizontal movement in the back field to open up the middle for the TE, Using the Sniffer Tight End in the Run Game, Outside Zone Midline in the Spread Offense. This takes some work and some practice, but they'll be able to easily pick it up over time. "He wants to get started up field because he is going to come off on the next level. endobj If that makes sense for you, great! When the ball is snapped the Quarterback will take the snap and step directly back as the Running Back come across his face. Ruel stresses the idea of keeping his lineman's shoulders square and getting the stomach up field to guarantee the defender gets hooked. <> Outside zone is a concept that can be used as a base run play (Similar to how we detailed inside zone in the article). When a play side lineman is covered on the outside zone or stretch play, it is his job to handle that down lineman. If players are stacked, the lower number goes to the defender closer to the line of scrimmage. Spread Offensive Run Plays Complete Guide, How To Run Counter In Football Complete Guide, Running The Power Play In Football Complete Guide, The Gap Scheme & How Its Run In Every Offense, What Is Power Read In Football? Blocking Outside Zone Using the Count System The play is designed to go to the right. Inside zone running is vertical blocking where you are trying to move your man either left or . That movement will stop the penetration of the defender inside. 17 Bellstone Drive, Bellingham, MA, 02019. One of the more popular variations of outside zone is the outside zone RPO. Pat Ruel, the assistant offensive line coach for the Seattle Seahawks, teaches a stretch hook concept (a combo horizontal stretch and hook) for his covered linemen to the play side of zone. Each system is taught slightly differently within each team and small adjustments are made via game plans, but generally, this is how they work: In the numbering system, the first defender to the play-side is labeled as the 0. Inside Zone Run to the right (14) or left (15) w/ a lead blocker. Offensive coaches needed to come up with a solution, and that solution was zone blocking. He's authored dozens of clinic articles and published numerous videos on the outside zone. 2. "But we do concern ourselves with a player who lines up in a gap position. The idea is to "stretch" the entire defense the width of the field. Get stomach up field on third step - this ensures the defender is cut-off from his gap responsibility. We have even told him sometimes to cut the front side 3-tech." Teams that can effectively execute outside zone will have success. So Herb Hand, the offensive line coach at Vanderbilt University (who spent a good part of his coaching career under famed spread coaches like Rich Rodriquez and Gus Malzahn) emphasizes the drag hand technique of the covered offensive lineman. According to Sweeney, four things can happen when you cut on the back-side and none are good: Sweeney's negatives of cut-blocking on the back-side of OZ: Now we realize that we may be biased in these numbers.