mplementing The Zone Running Game:

The nside Zone Play

Keith Grabowski
Lakeside High School
6600 Sanborn Rd.
Ashtabula, OH 44004
grabkj@gmail.com
Deny penetration and take care oI level one.
Ideally we will block the DL into the LB.
Worst Case scenario is a stalemate.
Basic Philosophy oI the play:
To secure movement along the line oI scrimmage
while accounting Ior blitzes, stunts, slants, and
stems.
To create running lanes Ior the running back by
distorting and displacing the deIense.
To block zone to call allowing Ior a double team
along the line oI scrimmage.
To Iorce the deIense to guess where the ball is
going to be run, while Iorcing them to be wrong.
The primary objectives oI the play are:
Gap Responsibility
TE T G C G T TE
Play Direction
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L Tech. Menu
L Outside Technique (3)

Play Direction
Step at 45 degrees with
The outside Ioot at the
DL`s outside #.
Most likely he is outside
Gap responsible, so we
Want a hat on his outside #.
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L Tech. Menu
L Head Up Technique(2)

Step is straight ahead with the

utside Ioot at the outside #.
The DL has a way go, but the
L is outside gap responsible.
II he comes outside the L will
Still have outside leverage.
II he goes inside, it is not the L`s
Gap responsibility. He will punch
& go to level .
Play Direction
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L Tech. Menu
L nside Technique (1)
(Uncovered Pry Technique)

Come oII the ball with the

Inside Ioot to the outside #
Landmark. Do not allow
Penetration.
ne hand punch until help
From the inside gets there.
Play Direction
This DL technique rarely
Will come across to the
utside gap, so L will
Be working up to level .
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L Tech. Menu
rontside Combo Calls
'Ace Ca|| oy lre 0uard lor lre Cerler lo coroo
W|lr r|r. Vade |l lrere |s a 2 or 1.
'0ouo|e Ca|| oy lre Tac||e lor lre 0uard lo
coroo W|lr r|r. 0r|y vs. 50 (2 or 3)
'Tr|p|eCa|| oy lre T|grl Erd lor lre Tac||e lo
coroo W|lr r|r. vs. 2 or 3.
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L Tech. Menu
ackside Combo Calls
'Crar||e Ca|| oelWeer C & 830 lo g|ve 830
re|p or lre srade(1 lecrr|que)
'0eorge Ca|| oelWeer 830 & 83T
'Tor Ca|| oelWeer 83T & 83TE (|l lrere |s a TE
oac|s|de or|y)
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L Tech. Menu
Combo Calls
Play Direction
'Triple
'Ace
'George
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L Tech. Menu
Slide oI 3
Combo Calls
Play Direction
'Triple
'Ace
'George
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L Tech. Menu
Slide oI 3
Combo Calls
Play Direction
'Triple
'Double
'Charlie
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L Tech. Menu
Slide 3 oI 3
Combo locks
Landmark outside # Landmark inside hip

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L Tech. Menu
Slide oI
Combo locks
Landmark outside # Landmark inside hip

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L Tech. Menu
Slide oI
ackside Scoop Technique

Play Direction
Punch to buy time &
Get oII to gap responsibility
Scoop & get head
In Iront to prevent
Penetration.
0|p& r|p, grao grass gel lre srou|der urderrealr. Tre T |s lry|rg lo scoop r|r or dr|ve r|r doWr lre ||re |l re car rol gel
r|r scooped. Tre guard la|es a srorl slep oul does rol gel loo occup|ed W|lr 3 lecrr|que. worsl case scerar|o srou|d oe
a sla|erale.
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Uncovered ackside Tackle
(Track SL)
Step with near Ioot to
Stop penetration, then
Block the backside LB
Play Direction
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L Tech. Menu
Slide oI
Uncovered ackside Tackle
(No George Call from SG) = Sift Tech.
Step with near Ioot to
Stop penetration, then
track the BSLB to protect
the 'Read keep!
DE slants to RB.
BST track the BSLB &
seal him outside.
Play Direction
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L Tech. Menu
Slide oI
The Zone Play:
Techniques & rills
Offensive Line
T 8oard R|grl & Lell: Learr roW lo reacr a l|grl delerder
ga|r grourd ard v|o|erl|y or|rg lre secord slep
1sl slep over
speed ol secord slep-gel |l doWr qu|c|
lool or secord graze lre ooard
ga|r W|dlr ard deplr doWrl|e|d
TBoard Right
TBoard LeIt
Variation(Iocus on get nd down quick)put a piece oI PVC Pipe
n the ground where the Iirst step will be placed. Give ststep,
nd step commands
T 8oard R|grl & Lell Coroo:
Learr roW lo 'Pry ard core oll al lre r|grl l|re.
L8 W|lr sr|e|d W||| rera|r slal|orary.
urcovered 0L W||| rol core oll url|| re
reacres lre L8.
le srou|d Wor| lre ore rard 'Pry
url|| re cores oll
T 8oard R|grl & Lell var|al|or:
Focus on getting nd step down quick
put a piece oI PVC Pipe on the ground where the Iirst step will be
placed. Give ststep, nd step commands.
TBoard Right
TBoard LeIt
'st Step
'nd Step
The PVC Pipe puts the Iirst step oII balance and Iorces the second step
down quickly.
Reacr 1-2 Purcr R|grl & Lell
lr crules vs. sr|e|ds
sl|c| or grourd
s||grl ollsel ol 0L
qu|c| 1-2 purcr
sraded 0L vs 0L(creale ouls|de a||gred delerder)
|oW pad |eve|
lrer |rred|ale|y 1-2 purcr ard dr|ve
1sl slep square-2rd slep W|lr purcr
Corl|rue ard dr|ve r|r oul ol lre crule
SORRY THS SL WAS CRAT ON MAC
& CAN'T GT T TO ANMAT SMOOTHLY
TARGETS FR PUNCH N ZNE
utside Hand to utside Number
Inside Hand to Inside Number
THUMBS UP, ELBWS IN!
nstallation of the
nside Zone Play
Prior to teaching the Zone Progression, we teach an individual rive lock.
We use the sled, chutes and boards to teach the proper technique.
When blocking the sled we set our linemen in different positions so that
they may take all the various steps they will use when blocking our
nside Zone Play.
1. Teacr lre delers|ve ||re lecrr|que |derl|l|cal|or sysler.
2. Exp|a|r Wral a delers|ve ||rerar |s rosl |||e|y lo do |r eacr a||grrerl = 90-50-10 (1 W|||
rosl |||e|y go lo your |rs|de gap, 2 car go e|lrer Way, 3 W||| rosl |||e|y slay lo your ouls|de
gap). 0r lre d|llererl lrorls srou|d oe lrroWr al lrer ard lrey srou|d ra|e a lecrr|que ca||.
Exp|a|r lral lrey W||| ra|e a lecrr|que ca|| or every p|ay.
3. lrlroduce 0ap respors|o|||ly. Tr|s car oe dore or lre ooard. A gr|d pa|rled or lre l|e|d
Wou|d a|so re|p lo |||uslrale lr|s po|rl.
1. lrlroduce L|re Ca||s: Ace, 0ouo|e, Tr|p|e & Crar||e, 0eorge, Tor. Exp|a|r lral lrey W|||
ra|e a rea| ca|| or a durry ca|| or every p|ay lr|s year.
5. 0r lre l|e|d Wor| 1sl slep, 2rd slep, l|re oul W|lr ooards, p|pes & crules.
. 0erorslrale |ardrar|s. Tr|s srou|d oe dore |rd|v|dua||y ard rol |r coroos al lr|s po|rl.
lrs|de, lead-up, ard 0uls|de lecrr|que srou|d oe exp|a|red ard derorslraled.
. Teacr a coroo douo|e lear versus a 2 lecrr|que lral |s lry|rg lo gel slra|grl up l|e|d.
Al lr|s po|rl oolr ||rerer are gell|rg upl|e|d ard slay|rg square. 8olr W||| slay or lre
o|oc|. Trey srou|d dr|ve lo |eve| 2(rar| |l W|lr a core). Tr|s car oe dore or ooards ard
|r crules. we W||| Wor| |l lear ard group lr|s Way.
8. Teacr lre coroo W|lr a 2 lecrr|que ard rave lre 0L Wor| lo r|s |rs|de gap ard r|s
ouls|de gap. NoW lre |ardrar| |s rov|rg, ore ||rerar car core oll lre o|oc| ard lre
olrer car slep oll lo |eve| 2. Trey srou|d Wor| lo slay or lre o|oc| url|| lrey reacr lre
core ard lrer slep oll lo o|oc| lre L8 al lr|s po|rl |r lre leacr|rg progress|or.
9. NoW leacr 'Pry lecrr|que ard Wrer |l car oe used. Ar urcovered 0L W|lr ar |rs|de
a||gred delerder car slep W|lr |rs|de lool ard purcr |r order lo s|oW perelral|or ard
a||oW lre 0L Wro ras lral gap respors|o|||ly lo la|e lre o|oc| over. Pracl|ce lr|s
lecrr|que W|lr ar L8 ard ar adjacerl ||rerar g|v|rg a coroo ca||.
a. s|ll lecrr|que
o. scoop/cul lecrr|que
10. NoW progress lo lu|| ||re dr|||s W|lr a|| ||rerer g|v|rg lre|r ca||s ard Wor||rg lre|r erl|re
o|oc||rg progress|or.
11. Aller lre ||rerer rave ga|red sore prol|c|ercy |r urderslard|rg lre correcl ca||s lo
ra|e, roW slarl Wor||rg our erl|re ca|| sysler.
N0TE: 0r day 1 ol group rur ard lear, We W||| rol core oll ol our coroos |r order lo
erpras|ze dr|v|rg lre 0L |rlo lre L8. we a|so erpras|ze lo lre T8 lral re rusl rove lre
L8.
15-25 r|rule reel|rg - rev|eW gare p|ar, scoul|rg reporl, l||r
10-15 r|rules w.A.L.T. (wor| al L|ll|e Tr|rgs)-s|oW lerpo lurdarerla| or Wa||-lrru
per|od oy pos|l|or.
20-25 V|rules lrd|v|dua| 0llerse - Eacr pos|l|or Wor|s dr|||s spec|l|ca||y re|aled lo our
ollerse.
20 0roup Rur 0r|||s: 8 0r|||, 9 0r|||, 1 0r|||, 5 0r|||.
Purpose-gel as rary reps as We car lor 1sl ard 2rd group. 3roW our ollerse a||
lre |oo|s We W||| see ard use a|| ol our persorre| group|rgs aga|rsl lre
opporerl's delerse.
25 V|rules Pass Re|aled 0r|||s, or , PuP, 3creer, 0raW
(3creer ard 0raW a|so rev|eW W|lr 0L dur|rg 3pec|a| Tears)
25 V|rules Tear - 3|lual|ora|: Vorday-lrlroduce Forral|ors lor Wee| ard pracl|ce
oase ollerse vs. lre|r oase delerse. Tues- 3rd 0oWr Erpras|s, wed. Red
Zore/0L Erpras|s, Tru-Rev|eW & 2 r|rule ollerse.
Practice Plan
Zone T Coaching Points
0|sl|rcl Read espec|a||y or doWr & d|slarce
s|lual|ors(|roW roW rucr you reed)
1sl slep |s oper ard 2rd |s al |ardrar|. 0el 3rou|ders
po|rled lo s|de||re. Va|e lre L8's rove.
You W||| rave a pr|rary ard secordary read.
0oa| |s 3.5 yards r|r|rur every p|ay.
Adjusl a|r po|rl oased or Frorl or lo|e ca||ed.
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TB Tech. Menu
Tailback 6 Second Rule-Zone
dentify your Read: 1st LM past C(shade
does not count).
dentify the L you need to move.
dentify your secondary read-the next
inside LM from your primary.
dentify alignment of nd-inside of our last
lineman(OT or T) realize that the play
may come all the way out the backdoor.
T Read Coaching Points
Unless your read pinches, your eyes
should be going to your secondary
read.
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Slide oI 4
TB Tech. Menu
Primary T Reads
Read the outside hip oI the Iirst
Covered lineman playside.
React to what he does. In this example
Cut inside.
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Slide oI 4
TB IZ Tech. Menu
Secondary T Reads
Read the outside hip oI the Iirst
Covered lineman playside.
React to what he does. nce you see
his movement outside, get eyes to next
DLM inside.
In this example he is reached by the
BSG, so cut up through playside A
gap.
cut & get yards!
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Slide 3 oI 4
TB Tech. Menu
Secondary T Reads
Read the outside hip oI the Iirst
Covered lineman playside.
React to what he does. nce you see
his movement outside, get eyes to next
DLM inside.
In this example his movement takes
him into the PS A gap, so cut up
through backside A gap behind the
BSG.
cut & get yards North & South!
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Slide 4 oI 4
TB Tech. Menu
TB Zone Reads:
TB Aim Point & Primary Read is st Covered L (#50).
He sees #50 take drive his man outeyes to secondary
read, the next DLM inside.
LS
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oI 5
TB Zone Reads:
TB Aim Point & Primary Read is st Covered L (#50).
He sees #50 take drive his man outeyes to secondary
read, the next DLM inside.
C, BSG & BST wash their men past.
TB Cut is behind the BST, inside the FB kickout.
LS
TB Tech. Menu
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oI 5
LS
TB`s cut presses the LShis cut is on their side oI
the LS.
TB Zone Reads:
TB Tech. Menu
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3 oI 5
LS
TB makes one cut and gets NorthSouth
TB Zone Reads:
TB Tech. Menu
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4 oI 5
LS
Free SaIety is the TB`s man to beat.
TB Zone Reads:
TB Tech. Menu
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5 oI 5
FB Zone Reads
The FB Zone is no diIIerent than the TB Zone as Iar
as reads, but it will be quicker because oI the FB
distance Irom LS.
Primaryst Covered L
Secondary Readnext inside DLM
TB Tech. Menu
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oI 6
Primary readeyes to RT #65.
TB Tech. Menu
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oI 6
DT is Ilowing out and RT takes him that way.
Eyes go to secondary read(Center #57)
TB Tech. Menu
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3 oI 6
Center cuts his man oII, so running lane is straight
through the A gap.
TB Tech. Menu
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4 oI 6
FB should get NS and get yards!
TB Tech. Menu
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5 oI 6
Gain extra YAC by delivering a blow and Ialling
Iorward when tackled.
TB Tech. Menu
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6 oI 6
The Zone Play:
Techniques & rills
Tailbacks
ump Cut Drill
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TB Tech. Menu
TB Footwork Drill
Purpose: Teach the back to
Make a quick lateral move
(simulate cut behind L) and
Then burst.
Can vary direction aIter lateral
Move. Coach can stand at top
I drill and point, or have a
Player simulate an DL. ther
Variations are to add yards aIter
Contact moves.
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PSG = aim point
P
S
G
'3B Drill
Purpose: Teach the back to
Make a quick lateral move
(simulate cut behind L) and
Then burst.
Can vary direction aIter lateral
Move. Coach can stand at top
I drill and point, or have a
Player use dummys to simulate
a DL. ther
*Variations are to add yards aIter
Contact moves.
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TB Tech. Menu
PSG =
aimpoint
"end "ang "ounce