Inside/Outside Zone Count System

A few years ago, our high school sent our football coaching staff to the University of Oregon to learn more about the No Huddle Spread Offense.

When we sat down with the O-line coaching staff, they talked about how they use the Count System in order to identify who's blocking who.  So here is what I learned while attending the clinic.

When running any type of zone play, the Count System tells the offensive line who they are suppose to block while the covered/uncovered principal tells them how they are suppose to block (footwork & hand placement).  When using the Count System it ensures the offensive line will block five to six play side defenders, while the Quarterback or insert player is responsible for one defender.  The Center must recognize and identify which defender is #0.  Must have a Center who is somewhat smart (must be able to count, LOL!!) and is a good leader, since he is setting the blocking schemes.

How Does It Work Coach?

The Center must identify and block the "Point" man (the defender assigned as the A-Gap defender to the play side, which we number 0).  The O-line will block five (5) play side defenders.  Now if we incorporate a formation with a Tight-End, he will be responsible for the #3 defender outside of the Center's man.  If the defense aligns in a six (6) man box, the Quarterback is responsible for the 6th man.  Quarterback must make the defender respect him as a runner.  Understand that we will double team the 1st line defender to our assigned number and must get VERTICAL Movement!!

Covered

• Outside Shade
• Head Up
• Inside Shade

Uncovered

• No D-Lineman covering you up

Man

• Two (2) adjacent lineman covered

Vertical Movement

• 2nd Step is a lead step straight ahead
• Take care of the 1st level 1st
• Getting vertical movement on double teams
• Stay on your aiming point

Blocking Rules:

• Center - Identify and block #0
• Guards - Block play side #1 and backside #1
• Tackles - Block play side #2 and backside #2
• Tight-End - Block play side #3, while QB is responsible for backside

So here's how it looks:

NOTE:

The Inside Zone is a HOLE to CUTBACK play.  DO NOT BOUNCE OUTSIDE!!


Examples

Outside Zone Explanation

• Blocking rules are the same as Inside Zone
• Difference is the aiming point of the Offensive Lineman
• Play Side O-Line takes a kick-step to the outside and Karaoke crossover step to get up field
• Backside opens on the play side foot and loses ground (Don't allow penetration)
• Rip & Run technique, try to get the outside shoulder of defender
• If we haven't reached the defender by the 3rd step, run them as far as you can

NOTE:

The Outside Zone is not a CUTBACK play, it's a CUT-UP play!!

Just Getting Started

I have been a football coach for about 14 years now.  I started coaching when I was still in High School, assisting my Dad with a pee-wee football and felt it made me a better player if I was able to coach my position.

I played High School Football in Bremerton, Washington from 1991-1994.  We had a pretty damn good team back then and I was fortunate enough to win 3 league titles and into the playoffs.  I had a few friends of mine get recruited and they went off to play football at the College Level.  Due to me being a teenager and not studying when I should have, I lost an offer from University of Idaho (Vandals), so I decided to go off and join the military.

I served my country in the United States Army 82nd Airborne Division, and jumped out of planes for a living.  I never had the opportunity to coach football while in the service, but once I got out, one of my Uncle's friends invited me out to help coach his offensive line.  I LOVED IT!!

I grew up running the Wishbone and knew about Zone blocking schemes, so I did my best to coach it.  One day after practice, an old team mate of mine told me about one of our other team mates getting the Head Football Coach's position at our old High School.  He said, "I don't know if he will pay you, but he's looking for an O-line/D-Line guy."  My first thought was, "I'm not sure if I can coach at the High School level," but applied for the position and interviewed.

Coach Nate Gillam of the Bremerton High Knights brought me on board as the offensive line coordinator and that's where I've been for the last 10 years now.  Coach Gillam played college ball for Boise State and had a lot of knowledge.  I learned a lot from that man and I consider him to be one of the best around.  After my 3rd year of coaching the O-line, he asked me if I was interested in running the offense.  I thought long and hard about that, since I have been on the sideline and heard the fans comments during a Friday night game, that wasn't going in our favor.  I spoke with my wife about the offer and she told me to go for it!  She is my rock, my best friend, and keeps me motivated and grounded.

Throughout the next 7 years or so, we ran everything from Wing-T, Shot-T, Double Wing, I, and lastly our Spread Option Offense.  The reason why we ran the Wing-T was because after Coach Gillam took over the program, that's what these young men knew...  At least we thought they did.  I studied my ass off and watched hours and hours of film, and attended every Glazier or Pemco clinic I could.  I asked a lot of questions and got feedback from some of the best like Tom Herman and Wes Elrod.

When we first started out, we were lucky to score 40 points the entire season.  We were a small school that was put in the Narrows League which consisted of power houses like South Kitsap, Bellermine, and Capital.  We would show up to a game with 30 kids suited up and ready to play, and when looking across the field at the other team, I thought, "Damn, are we playing against a junior college team?"  We were losing games 50-something to not enough, and kids would quit, get injured, or start having eligibility  problems.  We finished one season with 25 kids, when these other teams have nearly 80 man rosters.

Coach Gillam pulled me a side one day after practice and said we needed a 2-minute offense, mostly pass heavy (since we had a QB with a hell of an arm).  So I was back in the books studying, trying to find a way to get points on the board.  We came out one game against another power house team, and I thought lets open up with a Spread type look and throw the ball around.  That game we threw for almost 400 yards and rushed for another 200.  We scored more points that night then we did in the last two seasons combined.

From that point on, we became a Spread Option team!!

The High School sent the coaching staff to the University of Oregon in order to get a better understanding of the Spread Offense.  Our staff came back from a little 3 day stay, and we took home a League Title.  It was our first league title in 19 years (I was the last class to win a league title).

I never stop learning and love to talk football.  I am new to this blogging stuff, but have learned a lot from other coach's blog sites.  I hope that this blog site can help educate others.

Go Knights!