Inside zone is great for the OL because the blocking rules are very simple. The simpler it is on the men blocking up front the more multiple you can be in the back field. Inside zone is usually the first blocking scheme we install day one. It is great because you will usually have 2 double teams. They are vertical double teams to the nearest linebacker. Keep in mind that depending on the play you must teach your linemen no to chase linebackers when they are running out of the box. You will see this on a read play.
The BIGGEST coaching point is: stay on the double team and work your way to the linebacker, do not come off the double team prematurely. Only come off the double when the linebacker commits and is plugging the hole and/or approaching the line of scrimmage. You must double and work your way up the linebackers level. Your linemen should have 4 eyes on the LB’er incase he scrapes to the right or the left, or plugs/blitzes. Either way you have 2 linemen covering each run lane. Another key is there are 5 linemen, that means you can only block 5 defenders. It sounds logical, but I wanted to preface this. So if there are 6, 7, or 8 in the box. You are either have to bring more blockers in on offense or read the defender.
The blocking rules are very simple. It’s the old O.I.L. rules. On, Inside, Linebacker. If someone is on me “in front of me” I am blocking him. If I do not have a defender in front of me than I am able to help teammate double to the second level aka the Line Backers level.
Below are the blocking schemes. The 2 most prevalent even fronts (4 defensive linemen) you will see are first. Then the 3 odd fronts (3 or 5 defensive linemen, and center covered by a nose tackle) you will see the most. Both are inside zone right. In our terminology our offensive series, Inside Zone Right is called “0”. For inside zone left would be “1”.
Even Fronts
Blocking vs 4-2
Left Tackle and Left Guard will double. Center and Right Guard will double. Both double teams are vertical to the nearest linebacker. Right tackle is solo on the right DE. Left End is unblocked to be blocked by another offensive player or read by some form of option.
Blocking 4-3
Left Tackle and Left guard Middle backer. Inside zone you want to block the most inside backer. Center and Right Guard double to the WLB. Right Tackle is solo on the DE. Sam LB will have to be blocked by another blocker brought in or read by some form option/rpo.
Odd Fronts: Vs on odd front it is best to do it our of at TE formation because you can almost ensure that you will be able to have 2 double teams at the point of attack.
Blocking 3-4
Left TE and Left Tackle will double to the nearest inside LB. Left Guard and Center will double to the nearest backer on their right side with this play being right inside zone. Right Guard is out blocking the DE. The Right Tackle is out on the OLB. If the OLB is out there then the RG and RT can double on the DE blocking him out to the OLB. The RG and RT blocking out this way will create a nice cutback lane for the RB.
Bear Front/ 5-2
Just like above vs 3-4. Left TE and Left Tackle will double to the nearest inside LB. The TE will still step to double incase DE slants, if not he immediately climbs up vertically to the Inside LB. Left Guard and Center will double to the nearest backer on their right side with this play being right inside zone.
3-3 Stack
With stack teams they try to slant and stunt. The most prevalent defensive scheme you will see with a stack team is “Jar and Jelly”. For example, the Defensive Line will slant right and the Line backers will fit slanting left or vice versa. By having a TE you will be able to ensure you can have a double team on every Defensive linemen, double teaming vertically to the stack backer.
There are other ways to block you can block inside zone. But these are simple and very effective ways to block inside zone. The best thing is if a Linebacker walks up to the line of scrimmage on a blitz, all your linemen do is communicate that the double team is killed and it turns into a solo block. Very easy in the sense that the Linebacker and the Defensive linemen are both now 6 inches in front of your Olinemen’s face.
I hope you got you got something out of this article. I like chunking the information and delivering the information in small bites rather than long form. There will be more articles on the “0 & 1” run series. If you would rather longer format let me know in the comments. All content on our channel is free. Thank you for reading and please share, like, and subscribe.