Top NFL Run Schemes to Install: A Complete Guide to Wide Zone

In the NFL you see the wide zone as a major component in most teams run games.They use it along with different plays off it that makes it tough to defend.

Some of the best teams that run wide zone are the 49ers and the Browns. It is a popular scheme at the college level as well. The great thing about the play is you will often see average running backs run for 1,000 yards with the play. It started with Mike Shanahan and Alex Gibbs and is run by so many today. Kyle Shanahan, McVay, and Bill Callahan are just a few having great success.

Some of the best line coaches believe in the wide zone and often would never run a pulling play with it. They dedicated their offense to it and only ran zone schemes.

The best part of the play is that wide zone is a team scheme.  It relies on a horizontal stretch which in turn creates cut back lanes. It forces safeties into the run fits which will in turn open up the play action, boot and rpo game. Everyone needs to do their job properly because the ball could actually hit behind any of their blocks.  This is certainly true with the backside. This is evident with the 49ers below as they play hits backside.

It all starts with the rules. Either you are covered or uncovered.

Some of the key coaching points is as follows:

• The goal is to stretch defenders than find a seam. Most times it will cutback

• Watch the shoulder levels of the RB and the line as they are on the same angle. This is important for the effectiveness of the play. Good teams are on the same angle

• Uncovered lineman read the near hip of the closest defender. If it goes away he must climb to the next level to define it for the RB. If the hip comes to him, he must work to reach or rip through the defender

• The OL should define the read within 3 steps. Not always possible.

• OL Covered is trying to rip through to get to the playside 2nd level defender. H should try to get a hand on an defdner that spikes inside to help his uncovered lineman out. The goal is for the uncovered lineman to take over the block so the covered lineman can get to the next level. If the lineman on you expands you will most likely take him and the uncovered lineman will work to the next level.

Running Back

• As far as the running back is concerned, his aiming point is the backside of the tight end, or the ghost tight end if there is none. His first read is the playside defensive end. Should the defender crash hard to the inside, the RB can run to the outside.

• The second read is the next inside DL; this is how the RB will choose his inside gap. Overall, the back’s job is to stretch the defense, by pressing the edge, and then puncturing the inside. This allows the RB to use the pursuit of the defense against them.

Here is covered vs uncovered below!

You see all the combos as they start to develop.

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The 49ers are one of the best at running wide zone. Below they run I with slice blocking action. The play’s

Look at the great cutback lane and angles created by the offensive line.

film!