Quick UF Zone Read Looks

Florida running a few variations of zone read vs FAU. Pulled these clips from extended highlights, so this may not be every zone read snap from this game. 

I enjoyed the multiple wrinkles Florida threw into their zone reads. Arcs, square pulls, chops, and hinging back on the read man to open a lane. 

See full cutup here :

1) Give read. BST chops the near backer. HB cuts backside B gap.

2) Give read. BSG square pull to frontside, wraps to C gap for overhang. HB follows and hits frontside C.

3) Give read. Y slice backside, slices past DE for possible arc block on 2nd level OR pass option. HB hits backside B gap.

4) Give read. HB cuts backside C gap. BSDE makes tackle on squeeze.

5) Keep read. Y slice backside, arcs DE and kicks safety from alley. TD.

6) Keep read. Y slice backside, arcs DE and leads to safety in alley. 

7) Give read. BST zone steps inside, then hinges back for BSDE. HB cuts into B gap. Overhang is quick to the run and unaccounted for on the read side.

Crack Bounce - Tampa Bay 2021 Superbowl

A quick look at some of Tampa's run calls, cracking the alley and bouncing the ball out to the CB. 

Key Points

• OL generally blocking head-up to inside gap
• OL working to second level slowly, letting LB come to them. Think DUO. 
• HB is getting downhill for the handoff and ~2 steps after handoff before bouncing outside.
• Think DUO. LB in the hole - HB bounce. LB scrape - HB hit an inside gap. (this is not a hard rule for Tampa)

• Cutup of TB WR cracks, as well as inserts from the Super Bowl: https://youtu.be/E4FxXXz5kYQ

Working to Deep Safety

• From a 4-3, 2-high look Tampa may have a WR slide motion towards the core and work inside towards the near safety.
• The ball carrier drives downhill on snap, banging to the outside late.
• OL are all zone-stepping to the field (away from the bounce), getting defense to flow with blocks.

Cracking Down Safety

• Against a 4-4, 1-high look, Tampa brings WR in motion to the core again and has him work to get square on the down-safety, who is flowing with the rest of the defense towards the counter footwork. 
• HB bounces outside hard and is put in a 1-on-1 in space with the CB who had bailed pre-snap on motion.

Inserting to Bring Safety Down

• On motion CB sinks to defend pass while SS comes down to replace in run fit. This makes is much easier to for TB get a blocker on SS, while making it convenient to leave CB unblocked. 
• The runner again departs downhill, bouncing to the outside quickly to exploit the mismatch on the perimeter vs a lone cornerback. 

Negative Run Plays in the NFL

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Negative Run Plays in the NFL

From offensive snaps in weeks 1–4 of the 2020 NFL season: New England, Tampa Bay, Miami. Cutups at the bottom.

Disclaimer: this is an experimental breakdown. The goal here is to attempt to divorce some very general causes of negative runs from the specific defensive fronts, blocking, and run schemes. At least divorce as far as possible without losing all meaning and context. Leave a comment here or on reddit with some feedback.

Here we will look at some of the most common causes of run plays in the NFL resulting in +1 yards or less. Causes being addressed are listed below.

1. Unblocked Backside Edge Defender

2. Defensive End/Edge + Linebacker Gap Exchange on a Down Block

3. Zone Runs Against Bear Fronts

4. Tight End Blocking a Defensive End at Point of Attack

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UNBLOCKED BACKSIDE DEFENDER