Offensive coaches around the country are always trying to find an edge in their scheme. Some try installing complex plays that defenses have to react to, others try to add as many different plays into the play book to become versatile. To me the key to finding an edge is keeping everything as simple for your players as possible.
Personally, I have fallen into the trap of living in the same box for years with offensive line play. I wanted to have calls made at the line, and each of those calls were based on who was taking their combo where and what kind of run scheme we were running on that play. While there is nothing wrong with that, I believe that to get the most out of your offensive line unit, you have to keep it simple.
Why to implement Spot Blocking
For starters, offensive linemen all understand the game differently. Depending on the level you are coaching at, there is a chance that your starting offensive line’s idea of the game came from five different coaches. That means that all developed in different systems with different terminology and techniques.
Another reason that spot blocking should be a part of your offensive teaching is that it cuts out the “what if” aspect of your run game. Having the offensive line protect gaps and areas rather than defensive linemen and linebackers allows for a more fluid way to attack post-snap movement.
Spot blocking is also going to decrease the amount of time it takes to break down and install each run play in your play book. Because everything is gap based, you are not going to need to draw each run scheme against every possible defensive front you are going to see throughout a season. You simply apply your rules to each front and go.
The most important reason is that the offensive line room is going to change throughout the season. There are going to be injuries that force you to change your starting five. Which means that you are going to shuffle people around to make sure you always have the best five out there on any given play. This is where spot blocking is the most beneficial, the terminology between positions should not change dramatically. Because of this, you will have the capability to plug and play without a change in mentals.
Where to Start?
Simply put, you have to think like a defensive coordinator. Think about how a defense needs to defend the run game with gap assignments. If you line up in a 10 personnel set, the defense has to fit the six gaps surrounding the offensive line. And for every tight end you bring into the box, they have to add a gap. How they choose to defend those gaps is completely up to them, and it is up to you on how you are going to win those gaps in the run game.
Once you have built that understanding, then you can move on to what run game you want to have on your call sheet. Personally, four to six run plays is the perfect range. Anything more and you will never truly master any of the plays you want to run. Anything less and you handcuffed yourself to an overly simple and tendency based run attack.
Finally, when you have your run plays hammered out, you can turn to how you are going to exploit the extra gap in your run scheme. The most common ways to do this are through QB Reads, RPOs, Swipes, and Cracks. Whichever way fits best into your mold is completely up to you.
Micro Level Teaching
When we look at the individual offensive line, there are two gaps that they could be responsible for on a given play.
The first is the Zone Gap. When teaching your zone schemes, think “gap to.” Meaning that if inside zone is called, you are working to the called run side. Simply put, if you are running inside zone to the right, you are working through the gap to your right. How you do that is going to be based on alignment and threat to that side.
The other gap is the Down Gap. When you are teaching your gap schemes, think “gap away.” This means that when power or counter is called, you are going to be working away from the called run side. Again, how you work through that gap is based on defensive alignment and nearest threat.
Having this verbiage is going to cut down on teaching time and understanding by itself.
Macro Level Teaching
As we look at piecing it all together, we must come back to the idea that the offensive line must win five of the six gaps that surround them. Some offensive linemen are going to try to block more than one gap, which leads to them losing their assignment completely.
After you have developed that understanding within the offensive line. The next piece is embracing the idea that the gaps are more like tunnels that gaps on the line of scrimmage. This means that the gaps go beyond the line of scrimmage to the second level, and they have to win there too.
Once you establish gap understanding, it is up to you on how you want to teach the technique. However, technique and understanding do not matter unless you practice and preach good eye discipline on each of the run plays. If the offensive line does not play with their eyes, simplicity in your teaching will not matter.
Covered v. Uncovered
Another important aspect of spot blocking is determining whether an offensive linemen is covered or uncovered.
To be covered on any given run play is to have any defensive linemen covering you on any part of your cylinder. So if you can reach out and touch a defender with either hand, consider them covered.
To be uncovered on any run play is to have no defensive linemen touching you on any part of your cylinder. So if you reach out and cannot touch a defensive linemen, consider them uncovered.
With this concept in mind, it is important to teach that gap responsibility takes precedence. When teaching this, think “gap over everything.” So if there’s an offensive lineman covered on both sides, he must take care of his gap before he worries about anything else. If there is post-snap movement, he has to adjust on the run.
There are some examples on how to depict spot blocking on both zone schemes and gaps schemes in my video on spot blocking below. If you have any questions or want to clinic on spot blocking, please reach out to me on twitter @OLCoachBoyer.
