Linebackers vs. Outside Zone

Linebackers must be prepared to react to any type of Run Scheme the Offence presents to us.

Outside Zone is no different.

Let’s get right into it.

Outside Zone

An Outside Zone is a horizontal, fast flowing run play.

It involves Offensive Linemen executing Reach Blocks across the board, and then climbing to the second level to hunt for Linebackers. (I’ll let the Offensive coaches talk about “counts” and “covered vs. uncovered”, etc.)

The Running Back’s aiming point is to the outside, but they are often quick to cut back on this play.

Reading the Play

An Outside Zone can be diagnosed clearly through a Triangle Read.

As mentioned above, you’re getting Reach Blocks all along the Offensive Line.

Often, the Running Back will be in Pistol to get that deep Mesh in the backfield.

The Offence might also run this play out of Shotgun with a cross face, or the RB could be offset to the play side to receive a Toss.

It’s all the same Read for the Linebacker. It all means Outside Zone.

Initial Reaction to Outside Zone

Those Offensive coaches love to Play Action out of this look.

They especially love to get the Linebackers moving horizontally in one direction only to throw a Receiver Screen back the other way.

It’s up to you to decide how fast you want your Linebackers to be when they Read Outside Zone.

If you’re dedicated to stopping the run, the Linebackers should immediately get into their Shuffle/Scrape movement in the direction of the play.

Defeating Blocks

Since this is a horizontal play, Linebackers will often use SPEED to defeat blocks versus Outside Zone.

We don’t want to get stuck on an Offensive Lineman and lose our leverage on the Running Back.

If we get a fast Read, we can often win over top of any attempted block. If the Running Back starts to cut back, however, we might want to work back underneath the blocker.

Leverage

This, to me, is the key.

If I can offer one thing when it comes to the topic of LBs vs. Outside Zone, it’s this:

As soon as you Read Outside Zone, it’s less about GAPS, and more about LEVERAGE on the Running Back.

The Front Side Linebacker becomes a Front Hip Player, the Back Side Linebacker becomes a Back Hip Player.

If both Linebackers can “move through the mess” and keep their leverages, they’ll be in good shape.

Obviously, stopping the run is a team effort. We’ll need great play from the Defensive Line and the Force DBs to ensure we stop this play consistently.

But Linebackers with proper LEVERAGE are a big piece of the puzzle.

All the best,

Jon Svec
Defensive Coordinator
St. Francis Xavier University
X-Men Football
IG: @jonsvecx
Twitter: @jonsvecx