As we all prepare for training camp and put together our technique boards and drill menus, we must stay conscious of the different types of blocking patterns that our front people will see given our schemes. This is the next step above working on the individual details of basic block destruction for any defensive player: “Stuff, Separate, and Shed with Same Leg and Same Shoulder” and the specifics for defensive line block destruction: “Target-Cloth-Separate-Escape”. We will of drill this within defensive line individual time but as we have evolved we continue to more frequently categorize this kind of work as “schematic teaching”.
As such, we hope to do work on blocking patterns as much as possible in a “good on good” format going against our own offensive people so that they are also getting the corresponding work they need in a more full speed environment. Quite simply, we have found we get MUCH better work done in recognizing and destroying specific types of blocks while going against someone (the OL) who is actually trained in blocking technique as opposed to a self-service environment. Below are all the scenarios we will get checked off before we play our first game. Because we are a 3-4 system we will see some of these much more often than others but due to our multiplicity we must expose the players to all that are listed before we put them up against an opponent.
RUN BLOCKS
1 – Drive – what some coaches call a base block; when the OL is trying to nose up the DL and move him straight off the ball and LOS.
2 – Double Team – the cousin of the drive block. We call the ‘target’ OL the ‘post’ man and the second OL in the double team the ‘drive’ man. Beat up the target (post man) and get the two OL on different levels.
2a – Ace – a double team to a (usually backside) second level defender between the center and guard. Includes power and counter plays.
2b – Deuce – a double team to a (usually backside) second level defender between the guard and tackle. Includes power and counter plays.
2c – Trey – a double team to a (usually backside) second level defender between the tackle and tight end. Includes power and counter plays.
3 – Down – when the OL turns his angle toward the DL and tries to move him toward the ball.
4 – Fan – when the OL turns his angle toward the DL and tries to move him away from the ball.
5 – Back Block – when the OL (center) turns his angle away from the flow of the ball toward the DL to eliminate pursuit.
6 – Kick Out – when a second level offensive player or puller moves toward the DL and tries to move him out away from the midline.
7 – Gap-Seal-Hinge – when the OT steps down to the B gap to cover the space left by a pulling guard to eliminate the penetration of the DL and then works back toward the C gap defender.
8 – Skip Pull – when the puller comes out of his stance with hips and shoulders square usually working toward a second level defender.
9 – Flat Pull – when the puller comes of his stance with his hips and shoulders perpendicular to the LOS usually working toward a first level defender.
10 – Reach – when the OL, with hips and shoulders close to parallel to the LOS, attempts to capture the outside leverage of the DL.
11 – Cut Off – when the OL, with hips and shoulders close to parallel to the LOS, attempts to capture the inside leverage of the DL.
12 – Gus – a frontside zone combination block between the center and guard.
13 – Tus – a frontside zone combination block between the guard and tackle.
14 – Yogi – a frontside zone combination block between the tackle and tight end.
15 – Scoop – a backside zone combination block between the center and guard.
16 – Slip – a backside zone combination block between the guard and tackle.
17 – Stick – a backside zone combination block between the tackle and tight end.
18 – Down Down – a frontside combination block between any two offensive players where they are turning their angles toward the football and attempting to move the DL in and back.
19 – Truck – a multiple player frontside offensive combination block where any covered offensive player will pull toward the flow of the ball and uncovered offensive player will execute a down block.
OL PASS SET (BLOCK) TYPES
1 – Normal
-When the OL is departing and kicking on a 45-degree angle toward the average intersect point (roughly 2 yards wide and 3 yards deep) down the hypotenuse of his right triangle.
2 – Over
-When the OL takes TOO FLAT of an angle of departure toward the average intersect point. Coaching Points:
1 – “His cage outside my cage”
2 – Immediate transition to Power (Bull), Inside Edge, or Hump PASS RUSH.
3 – Short
-When the OL departs on the same angle toward the intersect point as a NORMAL SET just MORE SLOWLY and with MORE TEMPO.
Coaching Points:
1 – Most common in Quick or PAP pass game.
4 – Jump
-When the OL “jumps” out of his stance and over to the DL to try and get immediate “hands on” while trying to instantly stymie and cut off the angle of the pass rusher.
1 – Most common by the OG’s against a wide 3 technique rusher.
5 – Waddle
-When the OL immediately sinks back for depth and “dual reads” (inside and outside) for most immediate threats and/or the OL is incorrect in technique/confused in scheme.
Coaching Points:
1 – Most common versus odd fronts when the OG’s are “mollying”.
2 – DL should immediately transition into a middle 1/3 + Power/Bull pass rush.