When we have stud linemen I use them like studs.  We can go GOL. Some of the best impacts I've ever seen in youth football is when one of our stud O-linemen crushes a so-called stud linebacker. It changes that linebacker's attitude completely. Sometimes the hit is even on a safety. Even pretty good linemen can get a block on a linebacker or, at least, get in his way and make the linebacker have to run a bubble to get to our RB. And, the RB has a lead blocker.  It's just a matter of teaching an OL how to track and hit a moving LB- a pursuit drill.  Also, when we ran Cisar's SW, I used a RB as the pulling guard because he could make hits on LB's & Safeties.  If we expect DL's to be able to track and hit RB's, I don't see why a physically capable OL can't track down and cut off/hit a LB.

Now, to be honest, we don't always have stud linemen capable of making a block on a LB. When we don't have any, we're SAB/TKO or GOD blocking.

When we have stud linemen I use them like studs.  We can go GOL. Some of the best impacts I've ever seen in youth football is when one of our stud O-linemen crushes a so-called stud linebacker. It changes that linebacker's attitude completely. Sometimes the hit is even on a safety. Even pretty good linemen can get a block on a linebacker or, at least, get in his way and make the linebacker have to run a bubble to get to our RB. And, the RB has a lead blocker.  It's just a matter of teaching an OL how to track and hit a moving LB- a pursuit drill.  Also, when we ran Cisar's SW, I used a RB as the pulling guard because he could make hits on LB's & Safeties.  If we expect DL's to be able to track and hit RB's, I don't see why a physically capable OL can't track down and cut off/hit a LB.

Now, to be honest, we don't always have stud linemen capable of making a block on a LB. When we don't have any, we're SAB/TKO or GOD blocking.

Thanks Coach...Sounds good!

I don't see why a physically capable OL can't track down and cut off/hit a LB.

They can.  I just don't like a matchup where I'm putting my players at the disadvantage, athletically.

--Dave

We use gap scheme, so we teach the concept. Rules are great until you need to adjust bc your rule doesnt apply to a situation.

So when we teach it we teach a combo of sab and calendes good/god.  Thats a lot for kids, so when i explain the concept i use rule language but never drill the kids to memorize.

Things i say when going through blocking progression.
-Check your gap
-Wheres the backer?
- are you covered? Check your "area"
- "me me, us us, you you"

-Gapped defender - me call
-no gapped defender, is the backer inside or above you? - listen for us call combo climb to backer
- no lb, are you covered- us call combo stay first level

We teach it very similar to this. 

We basically teach TKO as our gap scheme using the next shoulder inside of you as a target but we use rules to describe it.  We call the base gap rule DOWN (Everyone blocks down to the puller).  IF we run in to some monster D-linemen and cannot consistently build our playside wall (rarely), we have them start blocking ON/Down inside of the edge blocker and get double teams. 

We primarily use DOWN and FBI for traps, counters and powers, ON/Down and ON/Out for ISO plays, Reach for sweeps and Wedge for wedges.  On power pass, everyone blocks down to the puller without going up field and on sweep pass everyone reaches toward the playside without going up field.  Add in 4 or 5 adjustment calls and that's pretty much everything we do up front.

Double teams are death for wide splits, so we have been GOL for about 5 seasons now. Even before we were GOL, the "count" system that Mahonz used is more or less GOL.

This has been beat to death, but I send my uncovered linemen after linebackers. There are 2 or 3 "special" linebackers that give us problems, but they give problems to the backs anyway.

I agree that a typical o-lineman vs a typical linebacker is a mismatch if you're trying to pancake him or engage, then move him. We are essentially stalk blocking. Get in their way, then stay in their way. We also rep it a ton, so our guys get lots of practice. On film, I always have a guy, maybe two who can't climb to a LB. They just never make contact. However, I do see LBs all the time who adjust their pursuit path because there are so many bodies between them and the ball.

Certain coaches had me questioning that we simply had a super stacked OL, or were a select team in a rec league. Then, due to word of mouth, we ended up with a TRULY stacked OL. The new kids on that line struggled for about 3 games before figuring it out. Better linemen, better athletes not doing as well as "average Joes" who were very experienced in what we do.

One off season, I revisited a "Pin and Pull" scheme that Mahonz tried one season. I came to the conclusion that pulling is simply having a lineman block a 2nd level defender in space. I decided to simply shorten the path. So instead of having the covered Guard pull behind the uncovered Tackle (who now blocks the guy covering the Guard) and climb to a backer, I let the Guard block his guy and send the Tackle straight at the LB.  KISS.

I also gave up telling a climber which LB to block. If the LB's any good, he won't be there by the time the lineman gets there. We just call it "going hunting". We generally always have a back who can block just about anyone, so if a LB is giving us problems, we send that back at him. Or not. I have lots of film of LBs getting 5 yards in the backfield, missing the tackle by inches, then watching helplessly as we gain 12 yards.

What I will never understand is guys who block GOD or TKO, but don't pull. Just who is supposed to block all those LBs, Safeties and CBs?

Double teams are death for wide splits, so we have been GOL for about 5 seasons now. Even before we were GOL, the "count" system that Mahonz used is more or less GOL.

This has been beat to death, but I send my uncovered linemen after linebackers. There are 2 or 3 "special" linebackers that give us problems, but they give problems to the backs anyway.

I agree that a typical o-lineman vs a typical linebacker is a mismatch if you're trying to pancake him or engage, then move him. We are essentially stalk blocking. Get in their way, then stay in their way. We also rep it a ton, so our guys get lots of practice. On film, I always have a guy, maybe two who can't climb to a LB. They just never make contact. However, I do see LBs all the time who adjust their pursuit path because there are so many bodies between them and the ball.

Certain coaches had me questioning that we simply had a super stacked OL, or were a select team in a rec league. Then, due to word of mouth, we ended up with a TRULY stacked OL. The new kids on that line struggled for about 3 games before figuring it out. Better linemen, better athletes not doing as well as "average Joes" who were very experienced in what we do.

One off season, I revisited a "Pin and Pull" scheme that Mahonz tried one season. I came to the conclusion that pulling is simply having a lineman block a 2nd level defender in space. I decided to simply shorten the path. So instead of having the covered Guard pull behind the uncovered Tackle (who now blocks the guy covering the Guard) and climb to a backer, I let the Guard block his guy and send the Tackle straight at the LB.  KISS.

I also gave up telling a climber which LB to block. If the LB's any good, he won't be there by the time the lineman gets there. We just call it "going hunting". We generally always have a back who can block just about anyone, so if a LB is giving us problems, we send that back at him. Or not. I have lots of film of LBs getting 5 yards in the backfield, missing the tackle by inches, then watching helplessly as we gain 12 yards.

What I will never understand is guys who block GOD or TKO, but don't pull. Just who is supposed to block all those LBs, Safeties and CBs?

Well said!

Maybe not a "huge mismatch" but a mismatch nonetheless.  Which is why I stay away from GOL/GOB and stick with GOD. 

--Dave

I think the key Dave was that it was part of our everyday group time.

I think the key Dave was that it was part of our everyday group time.

I understand that, Rob.  I'm not saying it can't be done, or done well.  What I'm saying is that I don't like the athletic matchup, so that's not a part of our scheme.  I want to put us in advantageous positions, especially athletically.  GOL/GOB doesn't satisfy that for me. 

--Dave

I understand that, Rob.  I'm not saying it can't be done, or done well.  What I'm saying is that I don't like the athletic matchup, so that's not a part of our scheme.  I want to put us in advantageous positions, especially athletically.  GOL/GOB doesn't satisfy that for me. 

--Dave

I get it Dave. With sw, we basically ran it per your blocking schemes. Your approach works and I don't want to imply it isn't effective or that what we did was better. I don't even disagree with your thinking. Sometimes we had some darn good athletes at tackle and for those guys it made sense for us. But not always. We used it with dw and some of the wing t type stuff we ran. Since we only pulled the guard in dw using GOL helped get another body into the second levels.  We ran this commonly against a 40 front or 60 front at a 1 or 2 tech and usually just as a call. A 2 tech usually got a chip from the tackle as well.

If the tackle is able to just get in the backers way he had done his job really.

#55 is a Stud Strong Tackle.

We Flop.

On these two plays-they are the same two plays one series apart in the Second Quarter of our Playoff Game-we are showing unbalanced Left and running Counter Right.

55 actually comes off his block a little early on first play to get to linebacker as DT goes to outside Gap. Second Play DT goes inside Gap like we expect and its easy down block to LB.

He was super smart kid and one of the most aggressive kids I've ever had-he averaged 1 1/2 Blocks per play. 

Dollar...I like the way you guys are running your counter with H as the wrapper. Man... that play was 2 missed blocks away from being perfect.

55 did leave early...the tackle being doubled was the first defender to make contact with the ball carrier. If your BSG would have made his block, your wrapper wouldn't have been knocked off his path. If the double would have washed their defender to the backside LB...your ball carrier wouldn't have been touched.

My Fullback on that team was not a stud.  That was my team that finished with 14 players so we had to make do.

One of our Keys this year is to find a Stud FB for each team-we also use him in the passing game a bunch-including Boot.

I never Wrap-I call it Tunnel-with a lineman, only with a running back.

I believe it is way easier for the RB or FB because of their path.

I only use my pulling Guard to kick.

They can get a ton of the same type reps.

They also can and will attack the edge defender we are kicking much faster and with more aggression by doing the same job every play that we pull on.

We are GOLD - Gap - On - LineBacker - Double Team.

It the linebackers are stacked tightly behind a DL, then we tell our kids go to DOUBLE and try to push the DL into the LB, rather than try to squeeze by to pick up the LB.... but if the LB is "clean" behind defensive line, and the blocker can clearly see his thigh pads, we want him to go get him.

The only thing that MAY confuse young players is when the DL is in the Gap AND the LB is stacked tight, as shown below.  Normal Rules say the G takes ng who is in the Gap.  If we are running towards SB side however, then C will never get MB... so instead, we call for DOUBLE and try to use C and G to blow the ng into MB.

                                                                     Q

                                     TE           T        G     C     G      T                             X

                                 de               dt           ng         dt       de

                                        SB                     MB                          WB    \

Does this make sense?  Using GOLD is the best of GOD and GOL, and easy to teach!

We're doing reach and GOOD blocking... it's honestly too much. 

I've gone away from acronym blocking on the basis of "what if" ... "What if he's here or there "  our progression is similar as far as what makes me covered vs uncovered.  I also reiterate I'll take your best your judgement over a missed block at Los.   

Side note I helped a friend and his oline out for there pre season game last weekend, they were running power/counter/ sweep as there base run attack, had issues with acronym blocking and installed SAB in there gap scheme.  They rolled the defense all game bringing the wall almost past center.  Prior they had issues making clear running lanes/holes.