Unless so stated, what follows is not opinion, but comes directly from the Ohio State defensive assistants. Ohio State's base zone blitz is a Middle Linebacker B-gap blitz to the strength of formation, usually tight end side. All of the rest of the blitzes come off this look. For the sake of this post, I will put the offense in a straight Pro set with Tight End to the defense's left side and with the Flanker and Split End to the right side. It can be a two- or one-back set, it really does not matter.
The Strong side Defensive End will line up either head up or ont the outside shoulder of Tight End. Usually, he will line head up, but they will change the look from time to time. His job is to attack the C-gap and drive hard between the Offensive Tackle and Tight End. He must make the Offensive Tackle block him. One technique they use to achieve this is to attack the Offensive Tackle's outside shoulder. The Defensive End will actually hook the Offensive Tackle at times. This requires the Offensive Tackle to step to his right which opens up the B-gap wider. The Defensive Tackle to the Strong side will line up in either 2-technique (head up on Offensive Guard) or 3-technique (outside shade). At the snap of the ball, he will attack the outside shoulder of the Offensive Guard.
After attacking the outside shoulder, he will angle hard into the A-gap (area between Offensive Guard and the Center). His job is to make the Offensive Guard block him and tie up the Center if the offense slides protection to the strength of formation. By attacking the outside shoulder first, he makes the Offensive Guard engage which makes it difficult for the Offensive Guard to come off the Defensive Tackle and pick up the blitzing Middle Linebacker. The Nose Tackle, or 1-technique Defensive Tackle, attacks the backside of the A-gap and makes the Center and Backside Offensive Guard block him if the offense slides the protection to Weak side. The Nose Tackle is responsible for any draws or quick traps so that the Outside Linebacker does not have to rotate into the wide open middle.
The Rush Defensive End plays the same as regular/base defense. The Middle Linebacker now has clear path through the B-gap. The Defensive line has tied up all of the Offensive linemen and it is up to the Running Back to handle the blitzing Linebacker. It is a match-up that most defenses die for. The bigger, stronger Linebacker up against a smaller, stationary Running Back.
The rotation of the secondary is critical. If the secondary rolls the wrong way, the chance for a big play increases greatly. No defense cares to give up big plays.
In the base package:
• Weak side Linebacker simply rotates into the short middle zone to fill the area vacated by the Middle Linebacker.
• Boundary Corner Back plays Short outside as does LEO.
• Free Safety rotates to deep outside 1/3 vacated by Short Corner filling for Weak side Linebacker.
• Wide Corner rotates into deep middle, and
• Strong Safety fills for the Wide Corner.
Key to the secondary is the short middle defender. He has to defend the deep middle player. If the Wide Receiver or Tight Ends can attack the Free Safety immediately, unimpeded, it is difficult for the Free Safety to maintain the proper leverage on the Wide Receiver.
It is now easy to adjust the zone blitz package to send in any defender you like. Let's say you want to bring the Weak side Linebacker off the edge. All that changes is the Rush Defensive End now attacks the Offensive Tackle's inside shoulder or inside gap. He needs to make the Offensive Tackle engage and account for B-gap. The Weak side Linebacker now comes hard off the ass-end of either the Offensive Tackle or the Rush Defensive End. The Middle Linebacker now stays in the short middle and nothing else changes. It is very simple.
Let's say you want to combine blitz packages and run the Middle Linebacker and the Weak side Linebacker. No problem, the only thing that changes is the Nose Tackle now gives ground and plays short middle zone. Nothing else is different.
As always, if you have questions, or if my explanation is unclear -- very likely -- just drop an e-mail to erocwolverine@gmail.com and we will try to answer it the best we can.
written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine
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