Spring Outlook: Running Backs in Search of Big Gains
- Thread starter RobHowe
- Start date
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
Looking at those rushing stats for the Outback it's hard to believe we won!
It goes to show how unimportant the running game can be a times to today's football. Its about what team can throw the ball and get to the QB better.
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
For sure. I just thought...looking at those rushing stats for the RBs you'd never think that team won the game.
Great point on the detail on knowledge required of the backs in a zone blocking scheme.
I really enjoyed this post (shared by @hawkeyegamefilm following the super bowl) that gets into some of those intricasies:
Going back to the scheme, it’s not just about knowing where the X’s and O’s are supposed to go. The techniques for each can be so different. Adjustments are so different.
You know this but the example of zone versus gap have WAY different micro-adjustments just in the angles you take to reach the second level. Let’s look at stretch versus one-back power.
What blow ups both of these plays? A strongside, tilted nose tackle and weakside linebacker gap exchange.
These are WAY different rules to simply run the ball to the strong side and this is just for the offensive line, not the backs. Now imagine every team using vastly different terminology for this shit!
Waldman: Good point.
Stoner: Then you have to teach the technique. A scoop and a double-two LB has way different footwork and second-level aiming points. Then only after considering the scheme and technique, consideration of the opponent’s personnel creates even more changes.
Does your opponent have a stud nose tackle? If so, you need to cut him down because he’s going to hold up the double team and well never reach the linebacker.
Is the nose tackle soft? Then we can ride him the direction he wants to go.
Are the linebackers slow? If so, we can double the nose and put him in the lap of the linebacker.
Guess what? All of this goes out the window if the defense decides not to really run this NT-WLB gap exchange.
All of these considerations are all focused on just one offensive adjustment to the most common defensive adjustment used against the two most heavily used run plays.
That’s a lot of shit to know and that’s high school football 101 knowledge versus an extremely basic even front.
Waldman: Football is an elegant game. There are so many elements at play but fans are continually trying to simplify and second-guess what’s happening. When I listen to a lot of analysts these days, their analysis often sounds like:
“We understand that there are a lot of variables to take into account…yadda, yadda, yadda…but seriously, my emotional reaction to one play outweighs all of those variables and I have stats to back it up!”
You’ve taken us in the weeds with one in-game adjustment that’s fundamental to almost all levels of football but there are folks out there who don’t understand this when they criticize a team for not altering its zone blocking scheme to account for a back that it had little intention of using this year who is better at gap.
They aren’t seeing that it’s a consideration of the demands on 5-7 players versus 1.
Stoner: I get why so many teams run zone instead of Gap. The rules for Zone are more consistent play-to-play for the offensive line. Gap schemes require a lot of memorization simply from the volume of options. Every run play is trying to accomplish something a little different.
Waldman: Right. And for the backs, Gap is diagnostically easier on the back because the line is handling the diagnostic burden while Zone is more conceptually demanding for the runner because the scheme is designed to be easier for the line.
You know this but the example of zone versus gap have WAY different micro-adjustments just in the angles you take to reach the second level. Let’s look at stretch versus one-back power.
What blow ups both of these plays? A strongside, tilted nose tackle and weakside linebacker gap exchange.
These are WAY different rules to simply run the ball to the strong side and this is just for the offensive line, not the backs. Now imagine every team using vastly different terminology for this shit!
Waldman: Good point.
Stoner: Then you have to teach the technique. A scoop and a double-two LB has way different footwork and second-level aiming points. Then only after considering the scheme and technique, consideration of the opponent’s personnel creates even more changes.
Does your opponent have a stud nose tackle? If so, you need to cut him down because he’s going to hold up the double team and well never reach the linebacker.
Is the nose tackle soft? Then we can ride him the direction he wants to go.
Are the linebackers slow? If so, we can double the nose and put him in the lap of the linebacker.
Guess what? All of this goes out the window if the defense decides not to really run this NT-WLB gap exchange.
All of these considerations are all focused on just one offensive adjustment to the most common defensive adjustment used against the two most heavily used run plays.
That’s a lot of shit to know and that’s high school football 101 knowledge versus an extremely basic even front.
Waldman: Football is an elegant game. There are so many elements at play but fans are continually trying to simplify and second-guess what’s happening. When I listen to a lot of analysts these days, their analysis often sounds like:
“We understand that there are a lot of variables to take into account…yadda, yadda, yadda…but seriously, my emotional reaction to one play outweighs all of those variables and I have stats to back it up!”
You’ve taken us in the weeds with one in-game adjustment that’s fundamental to almost all levels of football but there are folks out there who don’t understand this when they criticize a team for not altering its zone blocking scheme to account for a back that it had little intention of using this year who is better at gap.
They aren’t seeing that it’s a consideration of the demands on 5-7 players versus 1.
Stoner: I get why so many teams run zone instead of Gap. The rules for Zone are more consistent play-to-play for the offensive line. Gap schemes require a lot of memorization simply from the volume of options. Every run play is trying to accomplish something a little different.
Waldman: Right. And for the backs, Gap is diagnostically easier on the back because the line is handling the diagnostic burden while Zone is more conceptually demanding for the runner because the scheme is designed to be easier for the line.
