Zone blocking scheme

Originally posted by thl408:
I can't help but think Baalke has planned for this already by his selections of MMartin and Brandon Thomas. Then he snags a RB that came from a ZBS in college (Hyde).

Excellent point as Baalke has said himself numerous times he's thinking 2-3 years down the road for us. It really does make sense and fits his M.O.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by 16for6:
We ran a zone blocking scheme under Norv Turner, then again when we introduced the Pistol offense under Harbaugh. Gore had a career year under Turner and surprised everyone running out of the pistol. It shouldn't be very hard at all.

Its hard to run it well. Lots of teams run it, not many do it really well. I think this is why it would be so huge to get Kubiak as a coach because he's got an absurd amount of experience in it, plus he's got a direct line to Alex Gibbs who has forgotten more about the particular scheme than most will ever know.

Its easier to find OL guys in later rounds because the typical traits that are looked at in top offensive lineman....aren't necessarily vital in a zone blocking scheme. The importance is placed higher on foot quickness and cerebral ability than height, weight, strength....etc. Tom Nalen was a 7th round pick, very ordinary looking prospect coming out of the draft and he ended up being an consistent All Pro playing in that scheme.

One of the articles I cited explains that teams really have to use zone blocking almost every play so the players can stay in sync. It's not something you can throw out for a few plays or series of plays and expect quality. One of my problems with the Harbaugh/Roman offense is that it tries to integrate too many different schemes without perfecting any. That doesn't mean you have to limit plays but it might mean you have to pick a blocking scheme and stick with it.

I'm also somewhat concerned that the OL seems to have adopted the attitude that they are a power blocking line and will balk at changing to a zone scheme. I hope Baalke and management will back the new coach and stay out of the locker room.

No problem, give the ball the the tank and get the f**k out of his way.

Sign him to a three year deal and let him retire and rush to the HOF as a niner!!!!

I would be happy to just see more traps/pulls one cut style running.

I think if more posters had watched this team last time Shanny was here they would realize JUST how simplistic the 49ers have become.

On a side note... Don't confuse pass protection with zone blocking...the 49ers have the tackles to run a zone blocking offense.

Originally posted by Dshearn:
I would be happy to just see more traps/pulls one cut style running.

I think if more posters had watched this team last time Shanny was here they would realize JUST how simplistic the 49ers have become.

On a side note... Don't confuse pass protection with zone blocking...the 49ers have the tackles to run a zone blocking offense.

In the Shanny/Kubiak/Alex Gibbs system, the zone run blocking is highly related to the pass protection.

Originally posted by All22:

Originally posted by Dshearn:
I would be happy to just see more traps/pulls one cut style running.

I think if more posters had watched this team last time Shanny was here they would realize JUST how simplistic the 49ers have become.

On a side note... Don't confuse pass protection with zone blocking...the 49ers have the tackles to run a zone blocking offense.

In the Shanny/Kubiak/Alex Gibbs system, the zone run blocking is highly related to the pass protection.

Not sure if a change in blocking schemes will prevent Boone from letting a guy run past him untouched as he looks the other way...mental letdown rather than system breakdown. I believe Zone Blocking requires intense and intelligent linemen. And I hate guys on the line standing up and pointing...are they trying to throw the defense off? Really have to reaffirm who is to block who? I don't get it...just seems to either waste time and energy or tip the D.

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

One of the articles I cited explains that teams really have to use zone blocking almost every play so the players can stay in sync. It's not something you can throw out for a few plays or series of plays and expect quality. One of my problems with the Harbaugh/Roman offense is that it tries to integrate too many different schemes without perfecting any. That doesn't mean you have to limit plays but it might mean you have to pick a blocking scheme and stick with it.

I'm also somewhat concerned that the OL seems to have adopted the attitude that they are a power blocking line and will balk at changing to a zone scheme. I hope Baalke and management will back the new coach and stay out of the locker room.

You know what's crazy? Drevno was the OL coach for SC last year and SC is primarily Zone. Every once and a great while you'll see your power trap. But not that often. Buck Allen took off with the one cut zone read system!

Originally posted by All22:

In the Shanny/Kubiak/Alex Gibbs system, the zone run blocking is highly related to the pass protection.

That was kinda my point... The 49ers under shanny did not always pass block "inside-out" they kept pointing out how that was screwing up Haley when Steve Young bootlegged. Haley would think he beat his man only to be chopped blocked by somebody else.

Originally posted by Geeked:
You know what's crazy? Drevno was the OL coach for SC last year and SC is primarily Zone. Every once and a great while you'll see your power trap. But not that often. Buck Allen took off with the one cut zone read system!

That demonstrates how much Harbaugh/Roman valued zone blocking...not!

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

Originally posted by Geeked:
You know what's crazy? Drevno was the OL coach for SC last year and SC is primarily Zone. Every once and a great while you'll see your power trap. But not that often. Buck Allen took off with the one cut zone read system!

That demonstrates how much Harbaugh/Roman valued zone blocking...not!

Wait, so let me get this straight. Harbaugh bolted back to college (Bo Schemblacher State) and he hired Drevno, ditched Roman and will now run a ZBS? What an A-HOLE!

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

Originally posted by thl408:
I can't help but think Baalke has planned for this already by his selections of MMartin and Brandon Thomas. Then he snags a RB that came from a ZBS in college (Hyde). Baalke knows he has an athletic C already on the roster in Kilgore. Since Kilgore showed he can hold his own, perhaps Kilgore plays C and MMartin slides to RG? The two Tackle spots are locked in long term. Boone, I am so turned off by his performance this season that it's affected how I view him going forward. I have to admit that. Hopefully BThomas and MMartin snag both the starting Guard positions.

Yes, but this is interesting fodder for the rumor mill! LOL..."See, he knew Harbaugh was gone a year ago!"

I like NC's line: Boone/Thomas/Kilgore/MMartin or Davis/Staley

If Boone continues to flounder then Staley stays where he is and they look for a RT in the draft or FAcy...or both.

It was so depressing to read the PFF rating where Iupati was among the best OGs, but way down the list of pass protectors...shows the bias toward power blocking.

We all did. I even remember hearing to start the year, this was a "prove it" year for Harbaugh. Looking back, that may have been just the case.

I'm very much to looking forward to some actual personnel battles and some accountability!

Originally posted by NCommand:
Wait, so let me get this straight. Harbaugh bolted back to college (Bo Schemblacher State) and he hired Drevno, ditched Roman and will now run a ZBS? What an A-HOLE!

Unbelieveable isn't it!?

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

Originally posted by NCommand:
Wait, so let me get this straight. Harbaugh bolted back to college (Bo Schemblacher State) and he hired Drevno, ditched Roman and will now run a ZBS? What an A-HOLE!

Unbelieveable isn't it!?

Well, that or Drevno wanted to run more of a power scheme and Sark told him it didn't fit the style of offense. That makes a bit more sense since he's leaving an established program to go to a reconstruction project.

Originally posted by Geeked:

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

Originally posted by NCommand:
Wait, so let me get this straight. Harbaugh bolted back to college (Bo Schemblacher State) and he hired Drevno, ditched Roman and will now run a ZBS? What an A-HOLE!

Unbelieveable isn't it!?

Well, that or Drevno wanted to run more of a power scheme and Sark told him it didn't fit the style of offense. That makes a bit more sense since he's leaving an established program to go to a reconstruction project.

Might be fun to keep an eye out on that one down the road.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by 16for6:
We ran a zone blocking scheme under Norv Turner, then again when we introduced the Pistol offense under Harbaugh. Gore had a career year under Turner and surprised everyone running out of the pistol. It shouldn't be very hard at all.

Its hard to run it well. Lots of teams run it, not many do it really well. I think this is why it would be so huge to get Kubiak as a coach because he's got an absurd amount of experience in it, plus he's got a direct line to Alex Gibbs who has forgotten more about the particular scheme than most will ever know.

Its easier to find OL guys in later rounds because the typical traits that are looked at in top offensive lineman....aren't necessarily vital in a zone blocking scheme. The importance is placed higher on foot quickness and cerebral ability than height, weight, strength....etc. Tom Nalen was a 7th round pick, very ordinary looking prospect coming out of the draft and he ended up being an consistent All Pro playing in that scheme.

People play that aspect of it up all day but I'm calling BS. You make it sound like any average joe prospect can simply be plugged into the system and it will work. I'm sorry, but you have to actually be able to stand up and confront/block the Ngata's and Suh's for it to work. It requires more athleticism, sure, but you still have to be able to block and do it well. Any average joe prospect isn't going to be able to just block at an NFL level. You site the 7th round pick example but I can assure there are lower round picks playing at all positions. Not because they were built up by a system but because they were incorrectly assessed by scouts to begin with.