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The Blocking System


There is nothing more pivotal to an offense than a consistent blocking system.
This system contains four core types of blocking: Conservative blocking, Liberal
blocking, Counter blocking, Zone blocking. In one way or another, all of these kinds
of blocking are related to each other. Each play revolves around a hole, and the type
of blocking used centers around that hole. For instance, we can attack the 6/7 hole in
a variety of ways. We can conservative block and run a power off-tackle (46/47
Power), we can base block and have a guard pull underneath (46/47 Blast), we can
conservative block an option (16/17 G Option), we can liberal block and run several
dives (26/27 Dive) and options (16/17 Veer), we can counter block (46/47, 26/27
Counter) and we can zone block and run a (46/47 Zone) and (16/17 Sprint), etc.
Now, the words after numbers represent certain codes that tell the offense
what kind of blocking will be used. The following is a brief list of the different
meanings of words in regards to the linemen and backfield:

Blast – Linemen execute conservative blocking with backside guard running an inside
Seal. Designated lineman will Release defender on LOS; fullback kicks out.

Buck – Linemen execute liberal blocking. As fullback dives the opposite direction
lead running back will utilize the fullback’s liberal responsibilities.

Counter – Linemen will utilize counter blocking. Backfield will use counter
responsibilities AWAY from the hole.

Dive – Linemen will utilize quick liberal blocking. Called player will dive into the
hole; rest of backfield will flow to the side of the hole called.

G – Linemen will utilize conservative blocking with PS guard kicking out the
FMOTE. Backfield will either run a fullback dive option or the fullback will
get the ball.

Lead – Linemen and backfield will utilize liberal responsibilities.

Power – Linemen and backfield will utilize conservative responsibilities.

Sweep – Linemen and backfield will utilize their respected blocking: responsibilities
depend on type of sweep.

Trap – Linemen will utilize counter responsibilities. Backfield will mirror this TO the
hole.

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Veer – Linemen will utilize liberal blocking with the hole man (lineman who’s
number is called) releasing their lineman. Backfield will run Veer
responsibilities.

Zone – Linemen and backfield will utilize zone responsibilities.

Coaching Point: The words “Conservative” and “Liberal” aren’t used in play
calling, but “Zone” and “Counter” are.

Relations to Backfield
It is essential that the players in the backfield and linemen are on the same
page. The word Power calls for all players to utilize Conservative schemes. ‘Bone
Left 45 Power’ would not work if the backfield utilized Liberal responsibilities for a
play that they should be using Conservative responsibilities.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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Conservative responsibilities for the backfield are:


Fullback – block first second level defender inside the gap
Lead back – block first second level defender over to outside gap
Liberal responsibilities for the backfield are:
Fullback – block first unblocked second level defender in hole
Lead back – (3 backs) block outside to inside invert, (2 backs) play as fullback
If the fullback is not involved in the blocking (as in Buck plays) the lead back will
assume the fullback’s Liberal responsibilities. If the lead back is not involved in the
blocking, the fullback will assume Liberal responsibilities. The following diagram
shows how this plays into effect:

The backfield will read the lineman whose hole is the last number in the play. Sense
this is a 42 they will read the right guard. Sense the guard is blocking down they will
run in B gap. If the guard blocked out it would be considered A gap, although
nothing in this case would change.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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Here is another look at the backfield’s blocking responsibilities. They block


according to their responsibilities. In the first diagram, ’44 Lead’, the fullback blocks
the first man over C gap (the one the tackle doesn’t block), the lead back blocks the
invert (whether it be the second or first level). In the second diagram, ’44 Power’, the
fullback takes first inside the C gap, and the lead back the first defender over to
outside the C gap on the second level. If there isn’t a defender over or outside the C
gap on the second level there is most likely a Strong Invert (an 8 tech) on the LOS.
He should be blocked.

Coaching Point: Don’t spend too much time going over who blocks who
against what defenses, etc. Linebackers shift too much for the backfield to keep track,
and keeping track may indeed give the play away. For them to know the basic “first
man inside the gap” and “first man over the gap” is raw, but highly effective.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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Types of Blocks
Starting with the linemen, we have a simple down block. This is utilized in
just about every kind of blocking scheme, but it is more prominent in the
Conservative scheme. If blocking down on a head up defender, one should be aware
if the player the defender is on is blocking as well.

The combo block is a big part of the Liberal blocking scheme. The covered
player should take a 45 power step followed by a contact step downfield. His third
step should hook the defender. The uncovered player, if he is combo blocking in,
should aid the covered player and move to the second level backside defender.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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The reach block is a lot like the Combo block in that we are trying to hook a
covered player. The difference is that the covered player will take a lateral step play
side and hook his defender. Penetration is unacceptable. ‘Zone Reaching’ is staying
along the LOS, double teaming a lineman with both hands and with both eyes on the
linebacker. The lineman should only block the linebacker when he attacks the LOS.

The stretch block is used primarily with Zone schemes. It is a tough, but not
impossible block to make. Uncovered players take a quick bucket step (4 or 8 o’clock)
and proceed to the covered man’s defender. If he is unsuccessful he should reach
downfield inside or, if possible, outside the covered man – who we want to go second
level.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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Here are examples of blocking in two Counter plays:

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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There are words that describe blocks that the tight end and lead back carry
out. Most of these blocks are used in option plays. Whereas all can be called in the
huddle, some are automatic depending on the defense. Those exceptions will be
demonstrated with the play. The following is a diagram of the blocks specified for the
lead back and tight end/tight slot. When sky blocking, make sure second level is
secure first before going to the safety.

Stack and Fix Calls


Stack is called when both of the PS designated hole lineman’s gaps (or those PS
linemen inside him) are covered. Fix is called when a lineman has two people to
block. When he calls “stack” or “fix” it instructs the lineman outside him to block
down while he blocks his regular assignments. The man who called stack will do his
regular assignment. A Center is considered PS, he won’t block down for a BS Guard.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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Rows 1, 3, and 5 are play side right. Rows 2 and 4 are play side left.

2/3 Conservative Assignments


BS End – Down block
BS Tackle – Down block
BS Guard – Down block
Center – Base man in
PS Guard – Base man
PS Tackle – Base man out
PS End – Base man out

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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4/5 Conservative Assignments


BS End – Down block
BS Tackle – Down block
BS Guard – Down block
Center – Down block
PS Guard – Base man in
PS Tackle – Base man
PS End – Base man out

Notes: 4A is a ‘Cross’ block by the PS Tackle and Guard. On the split-end side
the tackle has two people to block and he is the hole man so he calls ‘Out’.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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6/7 Conservative Assignments


BS End – Down block
BS Tackle – Down block
BS Guard – Down block
Center – Down block
PS Guard – Down block
PS Tackle – Base man in
PS End – Base man

Note: Because of its uniqueness, the 6/7 Hole can differ very much in the
kinds of things that the tight end does. On ‘46/47 Power’ he will base his man, on
‘46/47 Off-tackle’ and ‘46/47 Blast’ he will Release if no 4 or 5, and on ‘36/37 G’ he
will block down, releasing the man on him.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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2/3 Blast Assignments


BS End – Scoop
BS Tackle – Base Scoop
BS Guard – Inside Seal
Center – Max
PS Guard – Block down on 0, 1, or 2i. Release a 2, 3, or 4i.
PS Tackle – Base man out. Release if PS Guard calls B gap.
PS End – Base man out

Note: If the hole man (in this case the Guard) letting go of the down lineman
has a man head up and outside shade he should block the head up player.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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4/5 Blast Assignments


BS End – Scoop
BS Tackle – Base Scoop
BS Guard – Inside Seal
Center – Max
PS Guard – Block down
PS Tackle – Block down on 2, 3 or 4i. Release a 4, 5, or 7.
PS End – Base man out. Release to invert if PS Tackle calls C gap.

Note: If the hole man (in this case the Tackle) letting go of the down lineman
has a man head up and outside shade he should block the head up player.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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6/7 Blast Assignments


BS End – Scoop
BS Tackle – Base Scoop
BS Guard – Inside Seal
Center – Max
PS Guard – Block down
PS Tackle – Block down
PS End – Block down on 4, 5 or 7. Release a 6 or 9

Notes: In diagram 3A the tight end makes an outside release to the invert.
This is not a standard release, but it can be done against a basic 44 defense. If the hole
man (in this case the tight end) letting go of the down lineman has a man head up and
outside shade he should block the head up player.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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8/9 Blast Sweep Assignments


BS End – Scoop
BS Tackle – Base Scoop
BS Guard – Inside Seal
Center – Max
PS Guard – Block down on 0, 1 or 2i. If none then pull, block first inside
PS Tackle – Block down on 2, 3 or 4i. If none then pull, block first inside
PS End – Block down
PS Wing - Block down on 6 or 9. Release head up or outside shade.

Note: If the hole man (in this case the wing) letting go of the down lineman
has a man head up and outside shade he should block the head up player.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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6/7 G Assignments
BS End – Reach
BS Tackle – Reach
BS Guard – Reach
Center – Reach
PS Guard – Pull, kick out man on TE
PS Tackle – Block down
PS End – Block down, let man on go

Note: The tight end does not have to block down on a 7. Essentially he will
be making a Sax block to the middle linebacker.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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2/3 Liberal Assignments


BS End – Reach
BS Tackle – Reach
BS Guard – Reach
Center – Combo in
PS Guard – Combo man
PS Tackle – Combo out
PS End – Base man out

Note: The lineman with Combo man responsibilities will essentially base a
man on him.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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4/5 Liberal Assignments


BS End – Reach
BS Tackle – Reach
BS Guard – Reach
Center – Reach
PS Guard – Combo in
PS Tackle – Combo man
PS End – Combo out

Notes: Remember, if the man inside you calls stack, block down. The
exception is the center, who won’t block down.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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8/9 Lead Sweep Assignments


BS End – Reach
BS Tackle – Reach
BS Guard – Pull to 2nd level PS, block inside. Reach on Center’s ‘Stack'.
Center – Reach on LOS, block down BS.
PS Guard – Reach if covered; if uncovered pull and block first inside
PS Tackle – Reach if covered; if uncovered pull and block first inside
PS End – Reach
(PS Wing) – Combo man

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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8/9 Buck Sweep Assignments


BS End – Reach
BS Tackle – Reach
BS Guard – Pull to 2nd level PS, block inside. Reach on Center’s ‘Stack'.
Center – Reach on LOS, block down BS.
PS Guard – Reach if covered; if uncovered pull and block first outside
PS Tackle – Reach if covered; if uncovered pull and block first outside
PS End – Reach
(PS Wing) – Combo man

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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2/3 Dive Assignments


BS End – Cut off
BS Tackle – Cut off
BS Guard – Cut off
Center – Quick Combo in
PS Guard – Quick Combo man
PS Tackle – Quick Combo out, if 2 or 3 Release for inside backer.
PS End – Release

Notes: There is a ‘Stack’ call, but instead of the outside man blocking down he
will combo with the man who called ‘Stack’. This means the BS man must effectively
reach his man without combo help from the man who called ‘Stack’. The designated
hole man will not call ‘Stack’, only those linemen inside him will.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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4/5 Dive Assignments


BS End – Cut off
BS Tackle – Cut off
BS Guard – Cut off
Center – Cut off
PS Guard – Quick Combo in
PS Tackle – Quick Combo man
PS End – Quick Combo out and Release for inside backer if a 4 or 5.

Notes: Remember, the Dive scheme is very much like the Liberal scheme,
except that everyone backside of the hole is more aggressive in their cut off blocking.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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6/7 Dive Assignments


BS End – Cut off
BS Tackle – Cut off
BS Guard – Cut off
Center – Cut off
PS Guard – Cut off
PS Tackle – Quick Combo in
PS End – Quick Combo man

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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0/1 Counter Assignments


BS End – Scoop
BS Tackle – Trap
BS Guard – Max
Center – Block down, let 0 and PS 1 tech go.
PS Guard – Sax
PS Tackle – Release
PS End – Release

Note: If the hole man (in this case the Center) letting go of the down lineman
has a man head up and outside shade he should block the head up player.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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2/3 Counter Assignments


BS End – Scoop
BS Tackle – Scoop
BS Guard – Trap
Center – Max
PS Guard – Down block, let 2 and 3 techs go.
PS Tackle – Sax
PS End – Release

Note: If the hole man (in this case the Guard) letting go of the down lineman
has a man head up and outside shade he should block the head up player.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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4/5 Counter Assignments


BS End – Scoop
BS Tackle – Scoop
BS Guard – Trap
Center – Max
PS Guard – Down block
PS Tackle – Down block, let 4 and 5 techs go.
PS End – Sax. Toad block if there is a 4 or 5.

Note: If the hole man (in this case the tackle) letting go of the down lineman
has a man head up and outside shade he should block the head up player.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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6/7 Counter Assignments


BS End – Cut off
BS Tackle – Seal
BS Guard – Trap
Center – Max
PS Guard – Down block
PS Tackle – Down block
PS End – Down block, let 6 and 9 techs go.

Note: If the hole man (in this case the tight end) letting go of the down
lineman has a man head up and outside shade he should block the head up player.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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8/9 Counter Assignments


BS End – Cut off
BS Tackle – Cut off
BS Guard – Stretch
Center – Stretch Cut off on LOS
PS Guard – Pull, block first inside
PS Tackle – Pull, block first outside
PS End – Reach

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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0/1 Zone Assignments


BS End – Cut off
BS Tackle – Cut off
BS Guard – Stretch
Center – Zone Reach, Stretch a 0 Tech
PS Guard – Zone Reach
PS Tackle – Zone Reach
PS End – Sky

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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2/3 Zone Assignments


BS End – Reach
BS Tackle – Reach
BS Guard – Reach
Center – Zone Combo in
PS Guard – Zone Combo man
PS Tackle – Zone Combo out, shed to backer
PS End – Sky

Notes: Zone Combo is blocked the same as a Combo block, only in that the
uncovered lineman works back to his zone instead of backside. The only ‘Stack’ call
that matters is the one from the hole man.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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4/5 Zone Assignments


BS End – Zone Reach
BS Tackle – Zone Reach
BS Guard – Zone Reach
Center – Zone Reach
PS Guard – Zone Reach
PS Tackle – Zone Reach
PS End – Zone Reach

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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6/7 Zone Assignments


BS End – Stretch
BS Tackle – Stretch
BS Guard – Stretch
Center – Stretch
PS Guard – Stretch
PS Tackle – Zone Reach
PS End – Zone Reach

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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8/9 Zone Assignments


BS End – Stretch
BS Tackle – Stretch
BS Guard – Stretch
Center – Stretch
PS Guard – Stretch
PS Tackle – Stretch
PS End – Zone Reach

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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2/3 Veer
BS End – Base Reach
BS Tackle – Base Reach
BS Guard – Reach
Center – Combo in
PS Guard – Combo 0 and 1, Down on 2i, Release 2 and 3.
PS Tackle – Combo out, Release inside if no 2 or 3.
PS End – Base man out; Fold on 7 and 6 if Tackle is uncovered.

Note: Sense the Guard and Tackle share B gap, the person releasing depends
on the defense. If A gap is filled then the Tackle will release. If the B gap is filled
then the Guard will release.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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4/5 Veer
BS End – Reach
BS Tackle – Reach
BS Guard – Reach
Center – Reach
PS Guard – Combo in
PS Tackle – Combo 2 and 3, Down on 4i, Release 4 and 5
PS End – Corner: Stalk. Tight end: If no 4 or 5: Release. If there is a 4 or 5,
block inside invert to safety.

Notes: Stack is called during the Veer series. The Center and BS Guard will
Combo backside. Tight end will Release when ‘Goal Line’ is called. He will also arc
to weak invert to inside invert if there are 3 LOS defenders from the tackle outward.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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6/7 Veer
BS End – Reach
BS Tackle – Reach
BS Guard – Reach
Center – Reach
PS Guard – Reach
PS Tackle – Combo in
PS End – Combo 4 and 5, Down on 7, Release 6 and 9.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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4/5 Triple Assignments


BS End – Reach
BS Tackle – Reach
BS Guard – Even: Reach. Odd: defense Stretch.
Center – Even: Reach. Odd: defense Stretch.
PS Guard – Even: Combo in. Odd: Loop to PS Backer
PS Tackle – Even: Combo 2 and 3, Down on 4i, Release 4 and 5. Odd: Loop
PS End – Same rules as 4/5 Veer. If Loop is called, Loop to inside invert to
safety.

Notes: In all of column B we have the Loop scheme in progress against the
Odd fronts. The Loop vs. the 1 Tech Odd defense is hard to do but it can work. The
best way to do it is to have the Center take the 1 tech and the BS Guard pull
underneath. The Quarterback will call “Odd” or “Even”.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com


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8/9 Sooner Assignments


BS End – Reach
BS Tackle – Reach
BS Guard – Stretch
Center – Zone Reach
PS Guard – Even: Reach man on. Odd: Stretch to 4 or 5 tech.
PS Tackle – Even: Reach man on or downfield. Odd: Zone reach. Split end
side and Even: Cautious Sky block.
PS End – Even: Cautious sky, help 4 or 5. Odd: Cautious sky.

Notes: The offensive line must know if the defense is in an Odd or Even front.
It is Even when the play side guard is covered. Split end side tackle will make a
cautious sky block if it is an Even front.

Andrew Ward, WCSpartan53@hotmail.com

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