The Wittenberg Outside Zone Play

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n behalf of Wittenberg University, we would like to thank the AFCA for the chance to present our outside zone play. We are truly honored by this opportunity and hope some of our experiences can be of help to your program. Wittenberg University has a long and storied tradition. Hall of Fame coaches Bill Edwards and Dave Maurer won five national championships. Today, we are challenged not only by those high standards but also by the evolution of our game. No backs, no huddle, and fast break offenses have made for an ever changing landscape in college football. While we have worked hard at changing with the times by adding formations, personnel groups and passing schemes, we have also tried to remember you win games by being able to run the football when it matters most. The play we turn to most in these situations is our outside zone play. During the 2000 season, we ran this play on average more than times a game and for six yards a carry. Our starting tailback, Casey Donaldson, had a spectacular career due in large part to this play. He set school and conference career rushing marks with 5,112 yards. He was a threetime conference MVPand ranks among the NCAADivision III Top 25 all-time in rushing yards, touchdowns, and scoring. Theory Behind Outside Zone 1. Can be run versus any defensive alignment. 2. Can be used in a variety of formations and personnel groups. • Tight end play/split end play. • Two back – two receiver play/two back – three receiver play. • One back play. 3. Allows for personnel match-ups in game plan. 4. Simple scheme – Allows players to be aggressive. 5. Many different looks using same scheme allows many repetitions for lineman and backs. 6. Get ball to best player on perimeter quickly. 7. Do not have to be overpowering to have success. 8. Limits blitz. 9. Wears down opponent. 10. Run game allows toughness to permeate the team in camp. Teaching Style All of our plays are taught in a whole-

part-whole method. The base scheme is learned, then followed by individual and group drills. Lastly, the play is run as an offensive unit. This style of teaching allows for total understanding. Not only will players know their own assignments, they will also know the assignments of their teammates. This in turn will give your offense a better chance for success. Offensive Line Principles The outside zone is a frontside gap scheme. Each lineman is responsible from his nose to the nose of the adjacent playside lineman. This definition will give your lineman a simple rule to help them understand the play. Next, we ask our linemen to adjust their alignment. We will tighten our splits to one and a half feet and back them off the ball as far as possible. This does two things. It prevents defenders from splitting our combination schemes, as well as giving our lineman more time to adjust to stunting defensive fronts. Two Man Schemes If at all possible, we would like to work in pairs. This will allow our lineman to run off the ball in an aggressive manner and without the worry of adjusting to slanting defenses. While working in these pairs, the lineman must only know if they are 1. covered or uncovered, and 2. frontside or backside. These two rules will simplify things enough to allow your linemen to play aggressive football. The more players have to think about, the more passive they become. The basic assignment of the pairs will be to gain outside leverage on the down defenders while getting second level defenders on the ground. The concept of this will change if the pairs are frontside or backside. Frontside Pairs We ask our frontside pairs to work with power in mind. In a perfect world, we will double-team the down defenders off the ball into the lap of the linebackers. We want to create movement at the point of attack. The covered down lineman’s first step is a drop step. It will be rapid in nature and his weight will be placed on his instep. With this step, he will work for outside leverage on the down defender. Outside leverage is defined as playside hand in defender’s playside armpit with backside hand on

• Proceedings • 78th AFCA Convention • 2001 •

The Wittenberg Outside Zone Play

Joe Fincham Head Coach Wittenberg University Springfield, Ohio

Scott Isphording Offensive Coordinator

defender’s sternum. The wider the defender, the deeper the drop step. His second step is a power step through the crotch of the defender. It must also get up and down. This will maximize the movement of the defender. If the second step crosses over, the defender will flatten out the block. On the third step, he will work to square the defender and drive off the ball. • Versus a wide defender or outside movement, the lineman may have to drive the defender outside.

Diagram 1A

• Versus a squat defender, let the uncovered lineman push you off to the linebacker. Let the linebacker come to you and chop him.

push up to the linebacker. • Versus a wide defender, adjust to the linebacker. CHOP! (See Diagram 1a). • Versus a squat defender, push off covered lineman (See Diagram 1b). • Versus inside slant, overtake the down defender (See Diagram 1c). Uncovered lineman is responsible for all gray areas. Backside Pairs We ask our backside pairs to work with speed in mind. We want to be able to seal off the backside pursuit and get the second level defenders on the ground. Our covered lineman wants to escape from the down defender and chop the linebacker. He will do so by taking a drop step and ripping his backside shoulder and forearm through the defenders playside armpit. His second and third step will be quick and upfield. • Versus a playside slant, he will lock on.

Diagram 2A

Diagram 1B

• Versus a squat or backside slant, he will rip and chop the linebacker.

Diagram 2B • Versus a slant defender, hand the defender off to the uncovered lineman.

Diagram 1C

The uncovered lineman’s first step is also a drop step. It should be a quick up and down step with weight on his instep. The depth of this step is adjusted to gain outside leverage on the down defender. Again, the wider the defender, the deeper the step. The next two steps will be on railroad tracks. He will eyeball the down defender while feeling the linebacker. When the third step hits the ground, he will work to overtake the down defender or

Our uncovered lineman will take a deep drop step and chop any defender in his zone. He is responsible for anything that runs between the covered down lineman and himself. Nothing can split them. Perimeter Blocking We try to give our perimeter blockers the best matchups we can so they can make a block that will help the play succeed. Usually, this means we will have our fullback block primary force and the frontside receiver block secondary force. It is important that the fullback and receivers notice the coverage scheme presnap.

At the snap, because we are an I formation team, it is important for the fullback to take a crossover step initially so he can clear the pitch to the tailback. His aim point is one yard outside the butt of the tight end (or end man on the line of scrimmage). He will read the block of the tight end to determine how he will attack the primary force player. If the tight end reaches the end and does not allow penetration, he should continue outside and cut the outside leg of the primary force player. If the tight end does not reach the end or gives up penetration, he should take it up inside and cut the outside leg of the primary force player or kick him out. If the primary force player is across the line of scrimmage, he should kick him out. We try to put the receiver on secondary support. His rule is “Bail — Block; Sit — Safety.” Versus a two deep coverage, the receiver pushes off the line of scrimmage at the corner’s outside number while looking at the corner’s feet. If the corner does not bail or stops bailing after three steps (Sits), the receiver plants off his outside foot and cracks on the safety. If the corner bails, the receiver should continue to accelerate at the corner’s outside number. The receiver should break down when the corner’s feet stop or when he has broken the cushion. Attack the outside number and fight to get hands inside while keeping hips and shoulders parallel to the end zone. Versus a three deep coverage, block the deep third. It is important for the receiver to stay up. Do not chop. The play takes too long to develop. Tailback It is important for the tailback to have two gears. He must be patient initially, and then be able to turn it on when he gets to the line of scrimmage. His aiming point is the outside foot of the tight end. This forces him to start out downhill in case the play goes inside. After looking the pitch all the way in to his hands, he should put the ball in his outside arm. This frees up his inside arm for a stiff arm move and helps protect the ball. The tailback, similar to the fullback, should read the block of the tight end. A good general rule for the tailback is to follow your fullback. Once he gets to the line of scrimmage, he needs to be able to dip inside to set up his perimeter blocks and then accelerate back outside. He can only bounce the play in this fashion one time or he will get caught by backside pursuit.

• Proceedings • 78th AFCA Convention • 2001 •

Quarterback The quarterback has two very important roles on this play. After reverse pivoting and tossing the ball to the tailback, he needs to see the tailback catch the ball and tuck it away. If the tailback mishandles the pitch, the quarterback should be there to recover the fumble. Once he sees the ball secured by the tailback, he needs to boot away hard to control backside pursuit and set up boot plays off the toss.

Diagram 3: Outside Zone vs. 4-3

Diagram 4: Outside Zone vs. 4-4

Diagram 5: Outside Zone vs. 50

Wittenberg’s use of the outside zone play resulted in runningback Casey Donaldson finishing his career with 5,112 yards and won three North Coast Athletic Conference titles for the Tigers. He ranks among the Top 25 in Division III history in career rushing yards, touchdowns and scoring.

Caution Your Team About Player Agents A problem for all coaches is the proliferation of agents and would-be agents who seek to make agreements with players prior to the completion of their eligibility. The activity of these people has increased, and it is imperative that all of the consequences of making an agreement with an agent are known by your players. Contact with players by agents almost always is done without the knowledge of the coach. Some agents openly admit they will continue to make contacts and agreements with players before their final season has been completed. This could lead to forfeiture of games. Some agents are advising players not to risk injury by playing. Your players must be warned about this problem. Do it more than once. • Proceedings • 78th AFCA Convention • 2001 •