Chip Kelly’s Numerical System to Zone Blocking

Welcome to the Site, *** Before moving forward, this is my 1st post and I did it on word before the blog so there are some minor things that I didn’t have right this go around but will address in the future. Mainly the Font size changes. If your having trouble reading anything click on it and it will pop up as a .jpeg and be normal size. Sorry for any inconvenience*** Today I want to talk about zone blocking. Specifically, I want to talk about traditional zone blocking and how Chip Kelly simplifies the approach for his players. In a traditional zone blocking scheme, the concept of covered and uncovered is the starting point for most coaches. I think most people who will read this will understand that principle but just to touch up on it. When a Player is uncovered, he steps to the play side and helps double team the defender of the covered player to the play side. In the Figure above, the Right Guard would take a bucket step and Combo Block or Double Team the Defensive End over the Right Tackle. The Left Guard would combo block with the center because the center is covered and the left guard is uncovered. Just to Clarify, a Combo Block is a double team in which 2 players drive back a defensive linemen and depending on which way he goes, one of the combo blockers release to block at the 2nd level (typically a linebacker). As you can see, the traditional system to Zone Blocking can contain a lot of verbiage and understanding of whats going on. It becomes more difficult for players when they begin having to recognize not only multiple fronts but fronts that are stemming (Moving around) prior to the play being snapped. When Linebackers are moving forward and backward and showing they may blitz it changes whether a player is covered or uncovered. This can make you change your call at the Line of Scrimmage and can cause confusion if not taught properly to the kids. That reason is why Chip Kelly’s Numerical system to Zone Blocking is a much more simple method to zone blocking. At least in my opinion. Below I will explain the Chip Kelly method and than I will explain the differences in the 2 systems and why it makes the blocking not only easier for the players but the play calling easier for the coaches. Note: I gathered all this information from a Nike COY Clinic presented by Chip Kelly a few years ago. The link to that presentation can be found at http://www.trojanfootballanalysis.com/pdfdocs/oregonruns.pdf Some other links that may help are 2 video’s on the inside zone and the outside zone created by fishduck.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekf3RGWwqMQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69NBg_ZDixE I honestly don’t think you need the calls after implementing the system for longer than a few weeks. The kids pick this stuff up pretty easily, long as you teach it simple the kids think its simple. It’s actually harder for coaches because they’ve already been taught one way and they have to re-learn new things.  The kids are being taught this first and it really just clicks fairly easy for the most of them. There really aren’t that many different looks the kids are going to get.Everybody is running a lot of the same stuff so it can only be a few things. That’s why I say the Line Calls are something that after a few weeks become obsolete because kids just know because of the look they see. Here’s a look at the adjustment for adding a Tight End to the Box. Okay, that’s the Chip Kelly system very quickly. I left out a lot of the technique stuff because that’s stuff I believe most coaches can figure out or should know. I think it’s pretty simple to understand why Kelly’s system is much more simplistic than a traditional zone system and how by simplifying it, you can play much faster. A key to the hurry-up tempo he incorporates. One key thing in all of this is that their is a major difference in Inside Zone and Outside Zone. The Blocking Scheme changes from a technique standpoint. Assignments are the same in the sense of who you block for the most part but in the outside zone we are trying to work our combo blocks to the outside. Our commitment to the 1st level block is much thinner as compared to the inside zone run. In the Inside Zone were Driving and on the Outside Zone were Stretching. The covered and uncovered rules still apply, just different techniques on how to do it and obviously the aiming points and holes for the running back. In my next post I will cover the differences in the inside zone and outside zone and how to execute both plays.