The zone run in

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wit ...

is a running play based on zone blocking.

Play description

Zone running actually has many different variations; an inside zone play or an outside zone play also sometimes wrongly labeled as the stretch (which is in fact a different play). The difference between the three popular zone plays are the aiming point and reads for the ball carrier. While the inside zone has its first landmark around the guards original position, the outside zone aims at the off-tackle area. The stretch usually reads the force defender outside. Zone blocking originates with blocking the first level (defensive line). There are usually two double teams on every zone blocking play (playside and weakside). From each double team, one of the lineman from each will work onto the next level (

linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, pl ...

s). Depending on the flow of the linebackers, either the drive man (inside blocker of double team) or the post man (outside man of the double team) will leave the double team in order to reach the linebacker. If the linebacker reads over the top of the double team (outside) then the post man leaves the double team in order to block the flowing linebacker. If the linebacker comes inside the double team (underneath), the drive/inside double teamer will pick up the backer. This blocking scheme creates cut-back lanes, open pockets of space through which the running back can run. Cut-back lanes are created due to an overcommitment (flow) by the defense and a seal block on the backside by linemen. Where most plays are designed to go to a specific hole or gap along the offensive line, a zone run requires the running back to read the blocks in front of him and choose the best crease to enter. In theory this allows the offensive lineman to block the

defensive linemen In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...

in whatever direction is most convenient, assuming a hole will be available somewhere.

Users

Most NFL and Division I NCAA football teams that rely on running the ball now use zone blocking schemes. The zone run has been made popular in the NFL and Division 1 because of advanced defenses, lateral speed of defensive players, and athleticism of offensive linemen and

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. The ...

History

The concept of zone blocking in both the run and pass game was created by Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. However, this blocking scheme came to prominence in the modern game when used by the

Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...

, under offensive line coach Alex Gibbs (formerly the offensive line coach for the

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 a ...

), and head coach Mike Shanahan.

References

{{Gridiron football plays American football plays