Inside Zone
Every lineman steps the same way and blocks whoever comes into his area, and the back presses the line and cuts off the first defender who commits. The run is designed to go wherever the defense is not.
- The offense1 / 3
The look
At the snap the whole line steps playside together, with uncovered linemen helping on the man next to them, then climbing to a linebacker. The back aims at the guard's outside hip and does not decide anything until he gets there.
- vs Flow2 / 3
The conflict
The linebackers run playside with the line to beat the blocks to the spot. The backside gap they left is empty, and the back cuts into it. The defense's own speed made the hole.
- vs Flow3 / 3
The cutback
Inside zone gets its big runs on the cutback, behind a defense that flowed too fast. Most snaps it is four yards straight ahead, which is exactly why defenses flow, and why the cutback opens.
Why it works
It adapts to any front
Linemen block areas rather than names, so the same rules work against any defensive alignment. That is why it is the most common run in football.
The back picks the hole after the snap
The defense cannot know where it is going, because until the back reaches the line the play does not know either.
Double teams move people
Two linemen on one defender at the point of attack, with one of them climbing when a linebacker shows, is how a line creates movement without pulling anybody.
How it gets run badly
The back decides too early
Picking a hole before he reaches the line turns a read into a guess. Press the aiming point, then cut.
Linemen chasing names
Zone blocking fails when a lineman leaves his area to block a particular man. Step first, then block whoever arrives.
No backside cut-off
If the backside tackle does not cut off the backside defender, the cutback, the best part of the play, is gone.
Who can run it
Tackle only: 11v11 as drawn, and 9v9 with its three linemen at a stretch, losing the backside cut. Inside zone is a blocking scheme rather than a play: take away the linemen stepping together and there is nothing left of it. A flag coach after the same effect should look at the dive and the counter.
- 9v9Its offense
- 11v11The 11v11 page
Take it to your team
Draw your plays in the free flag football play designer, collect them in the free playbook maker, and print play cards so every player knows them come Saturday.
Put Inside Zone in your playbook
Draw it in the designer, change the assignments, and save it to your playbook.
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