As I did in covering the inside zone against the even stack front, in this article I will cover the inside zone against the even front.
Ace Normal Inside Zone
Play 1:
The play side safety does not get blocked as both the tight end and play side tackle combo block on a defensive end that is dropping into coverage at the snap. The play side guard carries out the correct assignment in blocking the defensive tackle. The center makes the correct block as at the snap the play side linebacker comes forward to plug the A-gap. The backside guard makes the correct block in blocking the back side defensive tackle; the back side tackle however pulls around the guards block into the back side A-gap to block the backside linebacker. Now if he would have worked a zone combo block with the back side guard on the defensive tackle he would have taken control of the tackle as the back side guard slides off on the back side linebacker due to the A-gap plug. The back side tight end blocks the back side defensive end as he is supposed to. Despite what was two missed assignments the play still had a chance to be successful if the play side tight end would have blocked the correct defender. Clean this up along with the back side guard and tackle combo block and this would be a clean play.
Play 2:
Here again the play side tight end works a zone combo with the play side tackle, the strong safety jumped inside abandoning his force responsibility so it doesn't hurt the play like in play one. What I do like to see is that the center recognizes the linebacker hanging and works a zone combo with the play side guard, they get vertical movement and as soon as the linebacker takes a step forward the correct blocker comes off the combo. I was forced to cut back due to the strong safety being unblocked. The back side guard picked up the correct block, however the back side tackle blocked away from the play on the back side defensive end instead of working a zone combo with the backside guard, other than the strong safety being unblocked this caused the biggest problem on the play because the backside linebacker was unaccounted for in the blocking scheme. The back side tight end ends up blocking no one due to the tackle picking up his man.
Play 3:
This play suffers the same fate as play two, the tight end looks to attempt a zone combo with the play side tackle however it looks as though the animation keeps the play side tackle from engaging the block. The play side guard and center zone combo on the play side defensive tackle and the correct blocker comes off to the second level. Again on the back side is where things started to go wrong. The back side guard picked up his block as he should, but the tackle blocked back on the defensive end which meant there was no zone combo to the back side linebacker leaving him unblocked. The back side tight end blocked the weak safety that needs to be left for the quarterback to control. Due to a poor pursuit angle by the back side linebacker I was able to cut back and gain good yardage.
Play 4:
To the play side this play starts out much the same...the play side tight end and tackle zone combo to the defensive end leaving the strong safety free. The interesting thing is what happens inside, the play side guard works a slip block to the blitzing linebacker and the center picks up the defensive tackle. The same happens with the back side guard and tackle, the back side guard works a slip block to the back side linebacker and the back side tackle picks up the defensive tackle. With blitzing linebackers this is exactly how this would play out in real life...as soon as the play side blockers see the threat to their gap they would come off on the linebacker, granted they could have gotten more vertical movement on the down linemen before doing so. The backside tight end blocked the defensive end. So aside from the play side zone combo on the defensive end by the tight end and tackle this play was blocked just as it should be. However based upon what we've seen previously I have to wonder is the physic offensive line kicked in due to the blitzing linebackers.
Play 5:
In this play you have both safeties blitzing with both defensive ends bailing much like in play one. The biggest difference is that the play side linebacker had come up into the A-gap then immediately moved to the B-gap post snap causing both the play side guard and center to block the defensive tackle, the concerning thing is that the guard never came off on the linebacker as he should. The play side tight end and tackle both chase the bailing defensive end letting the safety come in unblocked (I'd be fine if it was just the tackle chasing the end with the tight end blocking the safety). Back side it looks as though it was blocked correctly as the backside linebacker looks to be pressuring the B-gap. The back side safety was able to make the tackle however because there was nothing holding him (ie quarterback roll-out).
Ace Slot Inside Zone
Play 1:
The blocking scheme remains largely the same other than now with the weak safety removed the back side tackle releases for the linebacker. The tight end combos with the tackle on the play side defensive end instead of blocking man on against the strong safety. The play side guard and center zone combo and the back side guard blocks man on against the back side defensive tackle. Initial movement by the line looks to be good other than the tight end working a combo block and the back side tackle not working a zone combo with the back side guard. It looks as though the backside defensive end was released to be controlled by the quarterback as he should be, however the quarterback does not roll out so nothing holds him back side. The problem begins with the blockers releasing to the second level. Even if you were to block the Even front with a tight end and tackle zone combo you would need to have one come off and pick up the safety, here the safety plugged the C-gap and the tackle should have been the one to come off and pick him up, the tight end was the one to come off and was completely out of position. The same can be said about the play side guard and center zone combo, the play side linebacker plugged the B/C-gap and the center came off the double completely out of position. The back side linebacker wasn't picked up in the blocking scheme as he plugged the back side A-gap with the backside tackle releasing for him, again completely out of position. The play ended with both linebacker and the strong side safety hitting the running back in the backfield.
Play 2:
Initially play two starts off exactly as play one, only difference is the back side tackle blocked down on the defensive end. The wrong blocker came off the play side guard/center zone combo allowing the play side linebacker to plug the B-gap with zero resistance making a play in the backfield.
Play 3:
The initial blocking in play three is exactly as it was in play two, this time however the correct blocker came off the guard/center zone combo allowing for a large cut back by picking up the play side linebacker and the back side linebacker over running the play.
Play 4:
Play four plays out exactly as play three.
Play 5:
Play five plays out exactly as play one.
I-Formation Normal Inside Zone
Play 1:
Here the tight end fires out and engages the play side defensive end and the play side tackle is unable to attach to the defender as a result, in the end he ends up blocking no one and ends up falling down in a pile after barely touching the defensive end late in the play. The play side guard blocks man on against the play side defensive tackle and the center who is supposed to be working a zone combo releases directly to the second level. This allows the play side linebacker a free run right through the B-gap and the full back must then choose between him and the untouched strong safety. On the back side the center blocks the back side linebacker, the back side guard is able to get vertical movement on the down lineman and the back side tackle who is supposed to be working a zone combo with the guard blocks down on the defensive end. The quarterback doesn't roll out meaning the weak safety is able to run through the back side B-gap with no consequences. The play results in a 3-4 yard game despite the running back getting initial contact in the backfield.
Play 2:
Play two basically plays out much as play one, only difference is the play side guard and center worked a zone combo but both went down due to the create a pile animation.
Play 3:
This play was so close to being blocked correctly, the tight end blocks man on against the strong safety, the play side tackle blocks man on against the play side defensive end and the guard and center work a zone combo. Unfortunately, this is where the good ends, the play side linebacker is plugging the A-gap but the center never picks this up allowing an uncontested run through. On the back side the guard and tackle do not work a zone combo leaving the back side linebacker unblocked in this scheme.
Play 4:
This play is a copy of play two, I made a wrong read with the running back, there was a possible opening in the C-gap for a good gain but the blocking over all still isn't good.
Play 5:
This play is a copy of the last. I was able to find a crease big enough to slip through however and gained some good yardage.
Inside Read
Play 1:
The blocking here is actually pretty good, I would have liked to see the backside tackle attach to the back side defensive tackle with the guard to get vertical push before releasing to the second level. On the play side guard and center block the wrong blocker released to the second level as the biggest threat was from the inside. Granted I could have cut to the outside and ran through the B-gap, however that doesn't excuse the wrong read by the blockers.
Play 2:
I wanted to show this QB keep to point out the back side guard and tackle. The blocking scheme initially was solid, however the back side tackle never attached to the defender allowing him to break the block and make a tackle for loss. With both linebackers hanging/dropping back into pass coverage those two blockers must both get on their man and drive him down field until another defender forces one to come off. You'd also like to see the slot receiver get inside leverage on the weak safety but other than those two things this play was blocked correctly.
Play 3:
This play was blocked well; the problem again was the back side tackle not attaching to his man. I am okay with the play side defensive tackle breaking the double team. Some will say I wasn't supposed to hand the ball off here with the defensive end crashing, the rule is with two outside rushers (here it was the defensive end and weak safety) the quarterback hands the ball off. You'd rather take a 2-3 yard gain when the end tackles the back than a loss when the quarterback is trapped in the backfield.
Play 4:
Here again the blocking was good other than the back side tackle. The read was good however the slot receiver made no attempt to block the weak safety, and he ended up making the tackle in the backfield.
Play 5:
This is a repeat of play three, however the back side rush was unable to get there in time, this time the strong safety was so far inside the slot receiver had no shot at blocking him so I am fine with the result. I'd like to have an option of throwing a front side screen here though.
Inside Read Option
Play 1:
Just as with the inside read play previously the blocking looks good, however again the back side tackle is unable to attach to the defender. I was able to get to the front side B-gap despite the "make a pile" animation on the play side guard and center due to a horrible read by the play side linebacker which I will cover more at a later time.
Play 2:
The blocking scheme is good other than the back side tackle and here is where that problem rears its ugly head, with the man on block by the back side guard the line is ill equipped to pick up the A-gap plug by the back side linebacker and the back side tackle who releases to the second level has no one to block.
Play 3:
The blocking in this play suffers the same problems as the previous two, however because the linebackers instantly drop back into pass coverage there is an easy 10 yards.
Play 4:
This play is a repeat of play two.
Play 5:
This play is a repeat of play one, however the play side linebacker now stays play side and I am able to gain decent yardage.
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