Film Study: When Zone Blocking Goes Badly

Well, that was, disappointing. It took me making chili and putting out my Christmas village to somewhat get over my sadness. This week will be a short breakdown as I’m getting ready to head out of town for Thanksgiving.

Full disclosure, if you are a current OSU offensive lineman, please click the back button. You aren’t going to want to read this. I appreciate all of the hard work you put in, really I do, but some days you just don’t have it and Saturday was one of those days.

Above, OSU is lined up with two receivers to the right, two TE, and single back in pistol formation. This is a play where I’d love to see Rudolph check into a play action pass up the middle to the TE. The linebacker’s first step is towards the run, middle of the field is wide open.

OSU zone blocks this play, which is something I’ve wanted them to do. Problem is, the blocking was not good, the center gets driven into the backfield as soon as the ball is snapped. I felt like this happened over and over again. I understand Billings is a NFL player, but to quote Necessary Roughness “Tell him a story, spit in his ear, entertain him.” Just do something to keep him out of the backfield.

Right here is where the hole is opened up. This is where Carson wants to go; only problem is that he would need Usain Bolt speed to get through there before it closed up. It is initially blocked correctly. This could have gone for a solid gain and set up second and short. At this point the game is close and OSU needs to go punch for punch to stay in.

Problem is, those two blockers get stood up, the hole immediately closed. This forced Carson to bounce it out and their linebacker never lost containment. The linebacker makes a heck of a play, he blasts the TE into the hole forcing the play outside, then gets off his block to make the tackle. This is what it looks like when one team is firing off the ball and flying to the football and the other team is worried about trying to not lose the game.

Like most running plays Saturday this was stopped for no gain. Now OSU has second and ten. To me this is effort, OSU played with intensity when TCU game into town. OSU is best when they are the hunters, not the hunted. Few teams play well as the hunted, OSU just hasn’t been in that situation long enough to get good at it.