Securing the Edge: TEs in the Blocking Scheme

Last month, I wrote a detailed film review about the inner workings of the o-line's zone blocking scheme. I detailed some of the critical fundamental techniques required for success, including a flat first step towards the sideline, doubling the down defender, and the "four-four technique" that allows a blocker to slide off a double team and get to the next defender. I also attempted to demonstrate how the zone blocking scheme requires critical contributions from the tight ends, H-Backs, and fullbacks in order to account for backside pursuit. Success comes from every player blocking their assigned gap, and maintaining that block to keep the defender moving east-west. Without the blocks from skill position players, it becomes impossible to handle extra defenders cheating up to play the run, as Mason Naumman discussed last week.

The tight end position featured an intense competition this spring. Scot Loeffler utilizes two and three tight end sets with regularity, and in his system, the tight ends must be able to execute three basic blocks:

• Standard Zone Block
• Double To Second Level
• Scoop Block

Zone Block

As I discussed last month, the standard zone blocking technique is for the blocker to step through the play side gap and engage the first defensive player that crosses his face, and take him to the sideline. On a stretch play, the aiming point is the outside shoulder of the defender, and on inside zone the aiming point is the middle of the chest then gravitating to the inside shoulder.

While some of the Hokie interior offensive linemen struggled somewhat with the basic inside zone block, Ryan Malleck had a very good day against the second string defenders during the spring game. Here, the Hokies run an inside zone left. As is the norm for a Hokie defense, the defensive end is lined up outside eye of the tackle to the strong side, leaving Malleck to block an outside linebacker/safety in open space.

1:15–1:21

At the snap, Malleck pulls his left arm back to open his feet up for a lateral step towards the sideline. This causes the defender (Desmond Frye) to widen out in order to prevent losing contain on a sweep, which creates additional space back to the inside. Malleck engages Frye at the line of scrimmage and uses his leg drive to turn upfield and drive Frye off the ball. Despite the play being stopped by an excellent one-on-one tackle by Brandon Faycson, Malleck has delivered an outstanding block. Review of the film demonstrates that Malleck is most comfortable with this block. Against Alabama's 3-4 look, an inside zone has much more promise for success. Because of his alignment in a 3-4, it is incredibly challenging to seal the outside linebacker inside. Malleck looks athletic enough in space to adjust to the movement of the wide defender, square up on him, and angle him to the sideline. The more difficult challenge is for Malleck (and the other tight ends) to have good enough leg drive and footwork to engage in the center of the chest, slide to the outside shoulder, and allow the Hokies to attack the edge without incorporating crack backs or down blocking. Adding those techniques can create success on specific plays, but as I've repeatedly pointed out, using very different sets of blocking fundamentals on different types of plays can cause long term problems with execution of basic steps.

Tight Ends and the Double Team

While Alabama runs a base 3-4 defense, film review of Alabama games last season demonstrate that the Tide will drop into a 4-3 alignment during the course of a game. Usually the alignment sees a 3-4 linebacker line up as a 5 technique in a four point stance on the weak side, with one defensive end dropping down to the three technique on the strong side, and the linebacker to the strong side standing up wide. The nose plays as either a one technique or eagled over the center.

In this alignment, the tight end will often have to utilize a double team on the down linebacker with the tackle. On this block, the tight end has the responsibility normally given to the "uncovered lineman" on the interior. The tight end takes a flat lateral step to the play side, and then he will double team the outside shoulder of the defensive end engaged with the tackle. This helps prevent the defender from crossing the face of the covered lineman.

Once the tackle has secured the end, the tight end must look to the next level. This is the critical moment in the double team that determines the success of the play. The tight end must feel the end, but focus downfield. If he releases the double team too early, the end crosses the face of the tackle and makes the play. If the tight end engages too long, the strong safety or corner comes up to fill the gap without being blocked.

Developing a sense of timing and instinct for releasing the double team takes numerous repetitions and the Hokies will struggle initially to develop that timing. Let's take a look at a terrific effort by Duan Perez-Means that ends up resulting in no gain on a zone stretch.

0:11–0:17

At the snap, Perez-Means takes his flat step to the right, then turns back inside to double team James Gayle with right tackle Augie Conte. Perez-Means delivers a terrific blow, and their block drives Gayle off the line of scrimmage. At the 14 second mark Perez-Means has turned Gayle inside and driven him back four yards. It looks like a nice hole is developing.

At the same time, Kyle Fuller is coming forward from his position as a cover 3 corner to fill the hole. Perez-Means should be looking at Fuller the entire time, but he gets overly engaged with Gayle. He attempts to slide off Gayle too late to get Fuller, who flies by and sticks Chris Mangus for a one yard gain.

When Virginia Tech adopted a zone blocking scheme in 2003, the timing of releasing double teams and getting to the second level was a huge problem. In big games, it always seemed like the back side linebacker would make a tackle for a short gain even though there was a huge hole at the point of attack. Short term success under Loeffler will hinge heavily on how quickly his linemen and tight ends adjust to this new technique.

Scooping the Backside

There are two fundamental areas of weakness on any zone play. First, the back side defensive tackle is incredibly difficult to block, especially if he is playing a one technique. Second is the back side defensive end. If that end can successfully crash inside and maintain his gap fit in the cutback lane, the zone series will not work. Offenses can use different techniques to quell pursuit from the back side by utilizing the bootleg or showing a reverse through motion. Those plays can force the pursuit to hesitate, but athletes in the ACC are good enough that success requires blockers to scoop block those defenders.

The scoop block is the bane of the existence of the slow footed offensive lineman. It requires the lineman to secure the inside gap and get their body between the defender and the cutback lane. Often, the defender is faster, has a head start based on alignment, and in the case of a linebacker, is standing up and can see where the block is going. Even a successful scoop block can look bad if the running back does not read it and makes the wrong cut.

Ryan Malleck was excellent at the point of attack, but he, like most linemen, occasionally struggle with the scoop block back side. Here, the Hokies run a zone to the weak side with a fullback lead.

4:49–4:55

Malleck lines up to the right, and his assignment is to scoop Ken Ekanem, who is lined up on the outside eye of right tackle Laurence Gibson. Malleck makes terrific contact, and maintains terrific leg drive. He drives Ekanem across the hole, yet Ekanem makes the tackle? What went wrong here?

1. Head position: Malleck makes contact with Ekanem high, and in the center part of the body. The aiming point should be Ekanem's right shin pad. Malleck has terrific leg drive on this play, but if he continues to make that kind of contact point, he must drive that defensive end all the way across the hole.
2. Failure to chop block: Techniques may be taught differently now, but I was taught that if you don't get inside position on the defender, cut block him. Dive at the ankles and swing your inside arm in an effort to "legally trip" the defender in case you don't chop him down with initial contact.
3. Trey Edmunds: Edmunds was probably over aggressive in attacking the hole in an effort to stay away from the defensive tackle, who gets penetration against Laurence Gibson. Still, the correct cut would have been a short jump cut right off Malleck's butt.

Even with that, the ninth man in the box (#17 in white) is in position to make the play. This is great work by Bud Foster's reserves.

Against a 3-4 defense, the tight ends will find themselves blocking Alabama's very large defensive ends. Alabama's Jeoffrey Pagan and Ed Stinson are both 6-4 290+ and athletic (both have added 50-60 pounds from their high school careers as four-star defensive ends). It is clear that Malleck will be the primary blocking tight end, and he must master this scoop technique or it will be very difficult to pop inside zones against the Tide. I can envision Loeffler using his other tight ends from a flexed H-Back position or using motion to develop angles that make the block easier.

The 3-4 defense presents challenges for all Hokie blockers. The nose and defensive tackles work to tie up blockers and allow the linebackers to move around unblocked and make plays. The outside linebackers are quick, athletic, and long at the point of attack. It's critical for the tight end's not to be a liability when they engage, and they must at least get in the way enough to prevent those defensive ends from making plays from the back side. The Tech tight ends are smaller and athletic. Can that athleticism be used to beat size with quickness and smarts? The answer to that question will weigh heavily in the quest to beat Alabama.