Offensive Guards that fits the ZBS

[KevinFaulk-33]

I think that with Mankins as RFA, and Neal as UFA we need some new guards that can grow in our system.

Which prospect do you like?

 

[DaBruinz]

I think that with Mankins as RFA, and Neal as UFA we need some new guards that can grow in our system.

Which prospect do you like?

Check out the offensive line thread

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Slim pickings in this year's draft. However 1 stands head and shoulders above the rest and that is Mike Johnson of Alabama.

Another that I like is Zane Beadles of Utah. I see him as a Mankins type. Played OT in college, but projects really well in our zone blocking scheme.

If BB misses Johnson in the 2nd round, he could fall back on Beadles in the 4th.

A guy that has no zone blocking experience,but is a whale of a run blocker is Thomas Austin of Clemson. He is a former wrestler and is outstanding at leveraging opponents at the POA. Needs a lot of pass protection work, but he can open some nice holes for the running game.

Also Olsen from Notre Dame has experience in the ZBS.

 

[DaBruinz]

I wish the Pats would stop using the zone blocking schemes.. They weren't using them with Dillon and Maroney seemed to run best when they weren;'t using them. At the end of 2008, they were rarely using the ZBS scheme and they had great success with it..

 

[TheComeback]

I wish the Pats would stop using the zone blocking schemes.. They weren't using them with Dillon and Maroney seemed to run best when they weren;'t using them. At the end of 2008, they were rarely using the ZBS scheme and they had great success with it..

Yeah, it really doesn't seem to benefit the play on offense at all. I don't understand what the advantage is supposed to be. Actually, I don't understand a lot of things about the Patriots' offense. We transmit our running plays and run a blocking scheme that doesn't seem to block well.

 

[DaBruinz]

Yeah, it really doesn't seem to benefit the play on offense at all. I don't understand what the advantage is supposed to be. Actually, I don't understand a lot of things about the Patriots' offense. We transmit our running plays and run a blocking scheme that doesn't seem to block well.

I think that you mean the Pats TELEGRAPH their run plays... And they do because they typically only run with Maroney. Which is silly because he's shown that he can work wonders on screens and out in the flats.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Back to 33's question:

I second Johnson, Beadles, and Olsen. Add to it Tennant, Petrus, Saffold, Capers, Calloway, Haslam, Richardson, Hardman, Marinelli, Landolt, Linkenbach, Eastman, McDonald...

It's a good draft for NE OL purposes.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Wunsch Breaks Down Man And Zone Blocking Schemes | Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Pewter Report

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

A very good breakdown by a former player on man blocking vs zone blocking:

Breaking Down Man and Zone Blocking Schemes

Excerpts:

In the NFL teams have to use both the man blocking scheme and the zone blocking system. You can't just plan on blowing people off the ball one-on-one. You have to be able to down block and do different things to keep defensive linemen off balance. You're talking about targeting guys that can be as big as 350 pounds. If you go one-on-one with a defensive lineman and they know every play is a zone block and that they have to split the double team it makes it kind of easy for the defender.

In college, if you have a big enough, strong enough and swift enough offensive line you can just blow people off the ball. In the pros, that's probably not going to happen. So what you have to do is implement the zone blocking scheme so you have that movement and bring in some other man blocking where you can cut the edge. The key to offensive line play is how can I cut the defense? Where can I get flow out of the front side and find the place where my center, guards or maybe even my tackles can stop the flow where we as an offense can run the ball up in there?

Which is better - the man or zone blocking schemes? I can't really say one is better than the other. A combination of both is really the best recipe. Zone blocking is certain situations allows the offensive line to pick up anything, so if you're expecting a creative blitz you step into your gap and take whatever comes to you. It can be a very safe play. If you're doing man-on-man blocking and they run the right blitz with a run stunt it can really screw you up and actually lead to a loss.

So, it's third-and-2 - what do we want to do here? What are the defense's tendencies? There is a lot more that goes into that decision, not just, "Hey, let's zone block this." If you look at different tendencies of teams you pretty much know that, "Okay, in this particular situation this defense is going to pinch on third-and-2 inside the 30-yard line, so we might want to run a regular power play and pull the guard around. If we know they're going to play head up they might do the "G-play," which would allow the tight end to get a good block on the defensive end and either the guard or the offensive tackle pick up the end."

Is there a perfect one in the whole grand scheme of things? No, I'd say a culmination of both is the way to go and the best thing to do. If you can get your players to do that you've got so much in your arsenal that it will allow you to be successful at any point. The basic man-on-man blocking has its positives, but it can stall you at times if the defense is bringing very extensive and hard blitzes. The best way to answer it is zone blocking is kind of basic, but it can be kind of hard to learn if guys haven't done it before because if kind of breaks the rules of what you've been taught before. If someone knows you're a complete zone team they know they have to beat the double team, and if they beat the double team they win. In a man-on-man scheme it gets harder to pick up extensive blitzes or "bring it," which is basically taking the whole offensive line and bringing it to the right to pick up whatever comes to you. If you don't understand those concepts and are just man-on-man you won't be able to pick up those blitzes to help in a zone-type scheme.

Seems like BB prefers to use the ZBS b/c it is the best answer to the extensive blitzes we see. According to this former player, man blocking is more susceptible to the right type of blitz and stunts.