The Pistol Offense

Coaches,
I'm not a big fan of zone schemes with the Pistol offense. I feel that zone schemes are a benefit only if you have the right personnel to block it. Is there anyone else using a Pistol system, but using an assignment or rule based blocking scheme? Any input would be apprecitated.

Shock

We use a asign block system. It is in our playbook for all fronts, so the Lineman have to learn some stuff too

I personally do not like the Zone Offense!

When using assignment blocking, do you find that you assign double-teams on a regular basis? I'm traditionally an assignment guy, but looking into zone because I like the idea of selling kids on double-teaming the playside DLs on nearly every snap.

We are actually kind of a hybrid. We will be mostly zone, but we have a rule for our zone block. If you are covered, block his playside #. If you are uncovered, protect your inside gap up to the next level.

Here's a good link to an article that discusses zone blocking. The parts that discuss its weaknesses are my concerns, too. Just food for thought.


http://tidefans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46410

We started running the pistol because it made our zone blocking easier as well as we could keep our blocking rules the same as from when we run the I. We run our pistol out of a two back twins open set.

A lot of the blocking scheme talk, I think, depends on if you are primarily an option team from the pistol set or a downhill team or an outside running team. For instance, if you run veer, you will essentially zone block away from the play and double team with G and C to the second level. PST will release to LB too.

We run a zone scheme on the playside, but do not even bother blocking backside when we run option away (speed or veer, those are our only options). We do not block backside 5 tech or wider in our other base frontside down hill running plays from two back queen or king sets: power, iso, or belly. In our scheme, no need. If we can simply chip that backside DE and climb to second or third level and that kid on the BSDE can still make a play on a downhill scheme, we are not in good shape.

We zone everything. Don't run that much so i find that this system allows me to Teach it in presason and during the season I don't need to spend as much time on it...I use IZ Stretch Toss Jet Sweep I also Use a Lead play with zone as well as Power "O" with zone rules. and thats it.

Cheer's
Coach Baril