Offensive Linemen Blocking the Run_pdf

8/22/2019 Offensive Linemen Blocking the Run_pdf

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Offensive Linemen: Blocking the RunSt. Norbert College Staff

I. GENERAL BLOCKING PRINCIPLES.

A. Concept: Blocking is a matter of Position, Leverage, andForce. Any player can become a good blocker if he has:

1. Courage

2. Determination

3. Intelligence4. Willingness to give maximum effort for six seconds

The good blocker is an indispensable man to any goodfootball team.

If you will apply dogged determination, hustle, and drive

for six seconds, we will be an outstanding football team

B.

.

Pre-Snap Look: Always take a pre-snap look to locate your probably blocking assignment. Visualize the contact

point and your first step. Do not give away your intentions by staring or leaning to one direction. Scan the defense

from left to right to straight ahead.

C. At the Snap: Step with the proper foot, locate your target, maintain approach toward the proper contact point.

Keep your eyes open and LOOK YOUR EYES into the target.

D. Quickness: Always work for quickness. Everything we do will be based on our ability to beat our opponent to the

PUNCH. Never hesitate, read, or feel your way. Make your opponent react to you. We are on OFFENSE!

E. Body Position: Do not bend at the waist. Use the principle of leverage by lowering your center of gravity by

bending your knees and striking pad under pad.

F. Base: Maintain a wide base with the feet. Use the Waddle technique to maximize balance and power.G. Contact: Be a hitter. Block through the man, not to the man. Keep your head up and eyes on the target. Hit on the

rise. A good pop will momentarily stop or stun your opponent and enable you to control his charge. Hit in the coiledposition, avoid overextending. Keep your feet moving upon contact.

H. Finish: Finish your block by exploding through the man. Maintain the contact by keeping your knees bent, headup, back at the proper angle, and your feet digging for the full six seconds. Step on his toes and take the ground that

he stands on. Maintain maximum body contact. Do not allow the defender to disengage.

FEET - FEET - FEET, KEEP THEM MOVING!

II. PROGRESSION OF THE BLOCK.It is important that the following progression be used in exactly the order that is presented.

HIT - DRIVE - CLIMB SUSTAIN

A. Hit: Hit with a quick, controlled body extension at the moment of contact. Hit is a matter of quickness, timing,

and leverage.


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B. Drive: It is vital that you get movement and force your man away from the ball carrier. We want the ground that

he stands on.

C. Climb: Once movement has been started, climb up and through your man. Arch your back, extend your arms, andbring your feet under you to insure your ability to control your man and not allow him to disengage from your block.

D. Sustain: After the proper Hit-Drive-Climb has your opponent under control, you must stay on your man. Keepyour feet moving until the whistle blows. Always position yourself between your man and the ball carrier. Make

your opponent go the long way around you. Your opponent will turn himself as he tries to disengage - at that

moment . . . accelerate your feet and bury him!

III. LINE CALLS. Line calls are used on the LOS to confirm basic blocking assignments. Generally, line calls

involve two offensive linemen being responsible for two defensive players. Both offensive lineman must be aware

of:

A. The nature of the play versus the defensive alignment.

B. The ability level between the offensive and defensive players.

C. The techniques and assignments of the defensive scheme. How will they react?

D. The uncovered lineman will make most calls. It is more important to secure the line of scrimmage first.

Dummy (fake) calls should be used to disguise the intent of the play against defenses that are familiar with the

meaning of the basic line calls. All linemen can use dummy calls. The best strategy is to use meaningless terms. Stay

away from calls which cause confusion.

IV. SINGLE BLOCK FUNDAMENTALS.

There are two key elements necessary in develoing proper

run blocking fundamentals.

The starting point of any block is the First Step taken by the

offensive lineman. The proper first step puts the lineman on

course to attack the defender with quickness and proper

blocking angles.

The second element necessary for an effective block is the

Contact Point. The contact point involves the proper

placement of the shoulders, hands, and feet of the lineman,in relation to the ball location, upon the moment of contact

with the defender.

Good fundamentals allow the blocker to strike on the

Second Step. The first step aligns the blocker to his target,allowing for a weight transfer to occur on the second step,

the moment of contact.

Definitions of steps by offensive lineman:Settle : A pick it up, put it down step.

Upfield: A straight-ahead step.Lead: An angle step towards the defender.

Slide: A parallel step towards the defender.

Drop: A straight-back step.


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Bucket: A short angle step that loses ground.

Open: A deep angle step that loses ground.

Under: A 90-degree pull step.

A. Base Block: A basic run block used at the point of attack. The objective is to cover the defender up and movehim off the line of scrimmage.

STEPWORK: (Near Foot Stepping)1. First Step:

-Head-up Defender

- Settle Step with Inside Foot.

- Inside Shade

- Slide Step- Outside Shade

- Bucket Step (*Drive Technique)

* Drive Technique vs. Outside Shade: POA - Far number. This should widen defenders charge.

2. Second Step: Outside of defender's body to widen the base.

3. POA: Sternum (Between numbers)

4. Contact Point: Three-point fit. Hands lead to the chest.

Flat back through the hit. "Step on the defender's toes."

B. Reach Block: A run block used to seal the defender away from the point of attack. Used by the front-side

blocker. A heavy shoulder block.

STEPWORK: (Playside Foot Stepping)1. First Step:

- Backside Shade

- Upfield Step

- Head-up- Lead Step

- Front-side Shade

- Bucket Step

- Wide Alignment- Open Step (*Trail Technique)

*Trail Technique: A lose-ground-to-gain-position technique. Blocker must delay hit until he can successfully fit

into the contact point. Emphasis is on swinging the blockers hips until he regains front-side position. Used on

double-team lead zone blocks.

2. Second Step: Down the middle of defender's body.

3. Third Step: Outside of defender's body to widen the base.

4. POA: Front-side armpit.

5. Contact Point: Backside shoulder is square to defender's body. Backside hand punches the body and settles on the


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inside breast-plate. The front-side arm settles on the outside

breast plate.

C. Rip Block: A variation of the Reach Block. Used by the lead blocker in Zone Blocks. The basic fundamentals are

the same. The variation is the action of the backside arm.

Using a forearm rip, the blocker intent is to turn the

defender shoulders and lead through to the linebac

D.

ker level.

Opposite Rip Block: Same fundamentals as the RIP

Block. Is used by the inside blocker on Double-team gap

blocks. The blocker works the same techniques opposite ofthe hole called.

E. Read Block: A variation of the Reach Block. Pure zone blocking where the blockers first responsibility is the

onside gap. Use a reach block fit on assignments.

STEPWORK:

1. First Step - Open Step2. Second Step - To Onside Gap

3. Key - Next Playside Down Defender

- If he veers - reach block him

- If no veer - work the gap to the linebacker level

F. Cut-Off Block: A backside reach block where position is more important than fit. The blocker works to get his


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feet and body past the defender. Used on a Reach call on the LOS.

STEPWORK:

1. First Step - Open Step (Pull Technique)

2. POA - The Space Past the Defender3. Technique - Use a forearm rip to gain position. If over-reach use box-out technique. If cannot get position - use

cut block.

G. Gap Block: A variation of the Reach Block. Generally used versus an inside gap defender.

STEPWORK:

1. First Step - Slide Step with inside foot.2. Second Step - Keyed to defenders charge.

- Read Charge - Upfield Step

- Penetrates - Pivot and Push3. POA - Same as Reach Block

H. Down Block: A block used to seal an inside defender from penetrating into the backfield.

STEPWORK:

1. First Step - Bucket Step with inside foot.

2. POA - Near armpit. Be prepared to slide in front of a hard penetrator.3. Contact Point - Inside hand across chest outside hand on

hip. Keep wide base.

I. Chip Block: A "body presence" block used to help partner control his man. Primary objective is to zone the gapon the way to a linebacker assignment. Help on overhang defenders.

STEPWORK:

1. Outside Chip - Outside Slide Step

2. Inside Chip - Outside Settle Step


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3. Center - Near Foot Settle Step

J. Pulls: Blocks where a lineman leaves his position to

block a man in another area.

1. Pull-Trap: A kick-out block on the LOS.

- First Step - Open Step

- POA - Inside Armpit, make defender adjust to you.

2. Pull-Lead: Long pull to a linebacker assignment- First Step - Under Step. Clear LOS.

- Course - First open area at or past point of attack.

- POA - Base Block LB's inside-out.

3. If-Pull: Short Pull to a LB assignment. Responsible for

inside blitz.- First Step - Drop Step

- POA - Base Block LB

4. Pivot-Pull: Influence Pull

- First Step - Slide Step opposite intended direction.Gather and punch near defender. Reverse pivot to pull.

- POA - Outside Leg of EMLOS.

5. Set-Pull: Can be a Trap or Lead block.- First Two Steps - Drop steps with both feet.

- Pause and release to trap or lead fundamentals.

6. Me-You: Used by BST to determine who pulls (BST or BSG). "YOU" call indicates BSG pulls and center blocks

back.

K. Blocking Linebackers: The key to blocking LB's is balance and timing. The blocker waddles through the line ofscrimmage with enough force to clear the down linemen. Anticipating flow, he approaches his target under control.

The hit occurs only when the blocker is close enough to "Step on his toes."

1. At the Point of Attack: Execute a Base block.

2. Away from the Point of Attack: Execute a Reach Block. Emphasize playside position.

3. Cut Technique: Used as a change-up or as a last resort. Is best away from the point of attack and on fast flow

defenders. The same fundamental of the reach block apply. The POA is the hip/thigh area. The blocker must explode

through the man, often finishing the block with a Bear Crawl.

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Offensive Linemen Blocking the Run_pdf