O-Line Blocking Scheme Change

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 In short, it’s like a screen but with a run.

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“The ball carrier’s decision making is more straightforward on gap scheme runs. He isn’t asked to to make multiple reads to find the crease, but rather display patience to set up and maximize the blockers in front of him. Ideally the back stays close behind his puller in order to force a defender to pick a side, which the back can cut up off of.

Where zone blocking concepts were designed to avoid losses behind the line of scrimmage, gap blocking is geared around creating a numbers advantage at the point of attack. If everything goes as planned and the players execute, the offense gains a numbers advantage towards the playside and the ball carrier finds himself running free into the second or even third level.

Gap blocking is also especially useful in situations where there are extra defenders along the line of scrimmage, as this creates easy down blocks. This is why you’ll so often see it utilized around the endzone. One reason I believe gap concepts are going to be on the rise around the NFL is it’s a natural counter to the Tite front defenses are incorporating more and more to combat the spread passing games.


Beyond the actual coaching points for each individual concept, there’s a couple of fundamental differences between gap and zone blocking that are worth closing with.

First and foremost is how the concepts work philosophically. Zone runs work around the idea that the back will be like water, finding a hole where the defense isn’t. Gap runs have a hole in mind before the ball is snapped and depends on the offense imposing their design upon the defense.

The second difference is how each scheme creates leverage on a defender. Zone asks the blockers to step in unison and work in tandem to overtake and wall off defenders while each lineman runs along their track. Gap asks lineman to block down the line of scrimmage from their initial starting spot and away from the hole, as this creates an advantage from the jump.”

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