(Photo via athlonsports.com)

The zone blocking scheme is a staple of offensive strategy. The scheme has become prominent in all levels of football, from youth all the way to the NFL. It is often referred to as one of the easiest schemes to implement into an offense because of the simplicity in its rules for the offensive linemen and how they determine who’s being blocked to the playside.

You can find information about zone blocking rules and schemes throughout the internet. Throughout the college football season, a number of teams utilized different wrinkles to their zone running game that made them successful, which you can add to your offense no matter what level you coach at.

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Gus Malzahn — inside zone with an H-Back

Gus Malzahn loves running Inside Zone with the use of an H Back. Here is a great view of how they block it.

Here we get the H Back with a slice block on the LB. Like using the H back to block back on inside zone to help create a cutback lane for the RB. #All22Daily pic.twitter.com/bGudvvuyam

— Brady Grayvold (@CoachGrayvold) March 13, 2018

Here is a design Gus Malzahn loves to use. In Malzahn’s offense, almost every play will have the H-Back incorporated into it. Auburn is running an inside zone run scheme where the running back is going to press the hole and then look for a cutback lane. The H-Back uses what we call a “slice block” to pick up the backside linebacker and give the running back a clear path on the cutback. This is a unique scheme in that the H-Back is working back across the formation and not double-teaming up on the playside with the offensive line. Teams can also use this type of action from the H to run an RPO or a play action against an aggressive defense.

Gus Malzahn — outside zone with the sugar huddle

Gus Malzahn loves the Sugar Huddle down inside the Red Zone.

Love the design here with the OL blocking like it's Outside Zone. The unbalanced formation creates a numbers advantage for the offense. Great job by the H and the WRs on landing some big time blocks.#All22Daily pic.twitter.com/zuX0VCsUuf

— Brady Grayvold (@CoachGrayvold) March 7, 2018

A few months back, I wrote a piece on how Auburn uses the sugar huddle and why every offense should incorporate it.  Here is another reason why the sugar huddle plus the zone run game can be combined for maximum results.

Auburn lines up in an unbalanced formation out of its huddle and into the boundary. Here you see the offensive line get lateral on the snap to run its outside zone. The key to this play is Auburn has its wide receivers crack down on the play and the H-Back arc block on the cornerback to spring the running back. The unbalanced formation allows Auburn to outnumber the defense at the point of attack.

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Lincoln Riley — outside zone in 11 personnel

Great look at Oklahoma running Outside Zone in the Rose Bowl.

RB does a great job of reading the blocks and setting his one cut to get north and south. Biggest block on the play is the WR on the edge!

If as a WR you don't block, don't call for the rock!#All22Daily pic.twitter.com/kw1aZU9HO6

— Brady Grayvold (@CoachGrayvold) January 24, 2018

Lincoln Riley is a magnificent play-caller, and here is one of those calls. Oklahoma runs its inside zone concept, but away from the tight end. Because of the zone blocking numbering system, you have the flexibility to run the plays to the strong and weak sides. The running back on this play does a great job of pressing the hole and getting north and south. The nice part from the tight view is you get the view of what the covered vs. uncovered linemen and how they end up blocking to the double teams on the second level.

Hopefully this has helped you pick up some ideas on schemes you can implement into your offense at any level of football. The zone offense is extremely easy to implement and teach, but requires a ton of reps to be great at it. There are resources all over the place if this type of offense interests you.

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For more football discussion & daily videos, follow Brady Grayvold on Twitter at @CoachGrayvold

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