What Zone Blocking Can Do For You

May 13th, 2010

Warren Sapp and Jamie Dukes demonstrate in this NFL Network video how zone blocking can be effective.

Joe sure thought the Bucs offensive line was on the cusp of something big prior to last season.

Instead, the offensive line regressed. Part of that, some suggest, was the Bucs trying to implement zone blocking up front, a sometimes radical, sometimes difficult blocking system to learn.

In this tremendous NFL Network video, future Hall of Famer Warren Sapp and former NFL and Florida State offensive lineman Jamie Dukes demonstrate what zone blocking is and how it can be effective if run properly.

This video may be the best tutorial Joe has seen or read or heard of that explains zone blocking.

8 Responses to “What Zone Blocking Can Do For You”

  1. thomas Says:

    Joe,

    Did you see Bruce Allen’s comments re Doug Williams? If not here:

    “I talked to Doug today,” Allen said. “We shared some fun stories and he told me what transpired [in Tampa Bay], but I’ll leave that between us. We’ll see [about Williams joining the Redskins.] He’s got some plans.”

    You asked me once before about Jags leaving w/ a hush-agreement and I said my understanding was that there was one and that there was more to that story than was shared publicly. I believe the same holds tru with Williams and that Allen’s comments support that, i.e. “he told me what transpired in Tampa and I’ll leave that between us.” Leave what between us?

    Might be worth looking into!

  2. topdoggie Says:

    I was thinking of a couple years back when Craig Erickson gave us hope for a little while. He threw two bombs to Horace Copeland and burned Deion twice. I pulled up his stats and that was 16 friggin years ago. Dam I’m old what happened?

  3. Eric Says:

    @topdoggie

    hahahahaha

    I understand the feeling sir, seems like heated discussions concerning Sam Wyche and the boys was just yesterday. 5 dash 2, 5 dash 2.

    Craig threw the long ball very well.

  4. BamBamBuc Says:

    Thanks Joe,

    Great vid with Sapp. Have we gone completely back to power block scheme? or are they still trying to work some sort of “hybrid” we hear so much about on offense and defense?

  5. topdoggie Says:

    @Eric old Sam got tied to Dilfer. Hopefully this works out better. All his completions were to the other team. It was cool after we won our final game to go to the playoffs. thousands of fans lined up all night to buy tickets and Difler spent hours going around shakeing hands with everyone.

  6. Sly Says:

    Wow, great video. Bright House doesn’t have the NFL network, so I haven’t watched in a long time (I miss it). The first thing that I noticed was that Jamie Dukes has lost a lot of weight! Wow, good for him, he looks great. I think he probably “had to” lost some weight for future health concerns, because he is still a young guy.

  7. Hosstyle in Tampa Says:

    Great video, Joe. I love Sapp’s insights. But does that mean the passing game out of the zone scheme is STRICTLY Play-action? If so, that’s pretty gimmicky. I mean, who am I to argue with Shanahan and what he has accomplished? Is this what Freeman ran at Kansas State?

    Although I’m a supporter of the Morris/Dominik regime, I’m a little worried that there is no CLEAR offensive concept. (Queue the haters’ wave of sarcasm…)

  8. Joe Says:

    Hosstyle in Tampa:

    Part of the reason the Bucs don’t have a clear offensive concept — as you put it — is because the Bucs don’t have a dominant element to their offense.

    It’s nice to call yourself a running team but if you can’t run… and it’s nice to call yourself a passing team, but if the receivers can’t get open/catch the ball…

    You get Joe’s drift? 🙂