Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Inside Zone Split lines up out of Shotgun Wing Flex Offset with 12 personnel, showing the RB offset in the backfield with two inline tight ends and the offensive line flowing laterally on zone blocking tracks. The diagram confirms this is a pure zone run play with no route concept attached, as the outside receivers on the diagram are simply blocking assignments rather than pass routes. The primary read is the RB reading the double team at the point of attack and working laterally to find the first crease created by the zone blocking scheme, pressing the mesh point before deciding to bend backside or bounce to the play side gap.
Defensive Reads
This run beats base 4-3 and 3-4 fronts that stay in their gaps without extra run support from the secondary. Look for a walked up safety or extra defender in the box pre-snap, that indicates run blitz packages designed to blow up zone runs before they develop. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, linebackers sitting too deep will get gashed by the initial double team while shallow linebackers can fill fast and stop the play for minimal gain. User controlled defenders flowing hard to one side pre-snap should tip you to bend the run to the opposite gap since the zone blocking naturally creates cutback lanes. Stacked fronts and gap exchange blitzes with defensive tackles crashing inside can disrupt the zone track, so be ready to check to Power O or a pass play if you see this look.
Usage Tips
Use this against defenses that show light boxes with only six or fewer defenders inside the tackles since the zone blocking will win numbers battles easily.
Check the alignment of the Mike linebacker pre-snap, if he is stacked in the A gap or B gap you want to bend the run away from that side.
Pair this with Power O from the same set to keep defenders guessing between gap and zone schemes, forcing linebackers to hesitate on their run fits.
Run this on early downs like first and ten or second and short to stay ahead of the chains and set up play action shots later in the drive.
Use manual ball carrier vision or the L2/LT press to help the RB feel the cutback lane if the play side gets clogged by an overloaded front.
