non-auburn AQ Shipley breaks down blocking schemes: Zone vs Gap Blocking

[Didba 5,256]

Auburn's Oline sucks. For a multitude of reasons the Oline is very bad but one of the main reasons is blocking scheme.  Olineman are comfortable in the blocking scheme there bodies are prepared for and what they have the most experience with. 

Harsin switched to a mostly gap scheme philosophy and the Oline has struggled to adapt to it.   There are advantages and drawbacks to both schemes but generally zone scheme is easier for bad olines to create holes for their backs.  Gap schemes are dominant with a strong oline but one drawback is the LBers can read the RB's hole easier in a gap scheme because it generally creates a "clean" line of scrimmage.  With a weak oline running gap scheme LBers run free to the hole they can easily see.   Which is why you see our RBs getting hit in the hole at the line or behind it.

Anyways, AQ Shipley former NFL great Olineman and Coach breaks down NFL film on Pat McAffee's show every week, he also has an all time great LBer in AJ Hawk that gives input on how these schemes affect LBers during AQ's breakdowns. 

This week he really explained the differences in the schemes while explaining different blocks utilized.  I thought I'd post it for anyone who was interested in learning more about these schemes.  Mind it is on Pat's show so there is certain level of humor added in but if you can get past that, the raw information being discussed is fairly informative.  Also, because Pat is a big dumb dumb, AQ explains it for laymen to understand.

Here it is:

Mods obviously feel free to move this as you see fit, I know its technically non-auburn media content but hey we are in the middle of a terrible season so maybe instead of 15 different threads on coaches lets talk big, ugly Xs and Os.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Didba

[1auburn1 1,110]

We employ the Turnstile Scheme.    

[Carnell 592]

11 hours ago, Didba said:

Auburn's Oline sucks. For a multitude of reasons the Oline is very bad but one of the main reasons is blocking scheme.  Olineman are comfortable in the blocking scheme there bodies are prepared for and what they have the most experience with. 

Harsin switched to a mostly gap scheme philosophy and the Oline has struggled to adapt to it.   There are advantages and drawbacks to both schemes but generally zone scheme is easier for bad olines to create holes for their backs.  Gap schemes are dominant with a strong oline but one drawback is the LBers can read the RB's hole easier in a gap scheme because it generally creates a "clean" line of scrimmage.  With a weak oline running gap scheme LBers run free to the hole they can easily see.   Which is why you see our RBs getting hit in the hole at the line or behind it.

Anyways, AQ Shipley former NFL great Olineman and Coach breaks down NFL film on Pat McAffee's show every week, he also has an all time great LBer in AJ Hawk that gives input on how these schemes affect LBers during AQ's breakdowns. 

This week he really explained the differences in the schemes while explaining different blocks utilized.  I thought I'd post it for anyone who was interested in learning more about these schemes.  Mind it is on Pat's show so there is certain level of humor added in but if you can get past that, the raw information being discussed is fairly informative.  Also, because Pat is a big dumb dumb, AQ explains it for laymen to understand.

Here it is:

Mods obviously feel free to move this as you see fit, I know its technically non-auburn media content but hey we are in the middle of a terrible season so maybe instead of 15 different threads on coaches lets talk big, ugly Xs and Os.

I don't know why the OL will struggle with Gap schemes because a vast # of these linemen were here under Gus and Gus ran a gap blocking scheme.  The only exception to this was whe Lindsey came in in 2017 and 2018 and implemented a zone scheme.

[AUDub 11,131]

Zone puts more onus on the RB to find the hole as it opens organically. 

That sounded dirty. 

[AUloggerhead 2,225]

12 hours ago, 1auburn1 said:

We employ the Turnstile Scheme.    

Maybe the 'Ole' technique?  Which, I'm not a fan of for obvious reasons:  

[bigbird 60,368]

1 hour ago, AUloggerhead said:

Maybe the 'Ole' technique?  Which, I'm not a fan of for obvious reasons:  

RIP, Tate Johnson 

[Didba 5,256]

14 hours ago, Carnell said:

I don't know why the OL will struggle with Gap schemes because a vast # of these linemen were here under Gus and Gus ran a gap blocking scheme.  The only exception to this was whe Lindsey came in in 2017 and 2018 and implemented a zone scheme.

Really? I was under the impression Gus ran zone scheme. TIL.

[AUDub 11,131]

1 hour ago, Didba said:

Really? I was under the impression Gus ran zone scheme. TIL.

He did run a lot of zone (zone read, anyone?), but his offense was more intricate than people give him credit for. What Gus did with his offense was basically take the old Wing-T offense and apply those principles to modern formations.

The Wing-T is run heavy, man/gap offense. We ran it under Hal Riddle at Trussville back when I played there.

[maryland tiger 611]

Gus ran a High School offense that was very predictable and basic. It was based on smoke and mirrors. Please let it go! 

[AUDub 11,131]

9 minutes ago, maryland tiger said:

Gus ran a High School offense that was very predictable and basic. It was based on smoke and mirrors. Please let it go! 

It was new and novel when it first came around. Eventually defenses, helped by the substitution rule change, caught up in the arms race. 

[Gowebb11 9,309]

29 minutes ago, AUDub said:

It was new and novel when it first came around. Eventually defenses, helped by the substitution rule change, caught up in the arms race. 

The substitution rule, plus a legion of analysts dedicated to studying game film and charting tendencies year round. Every offense and defense is subject to be figured out pretty quickly now. 

[Carnell 592]

10 hours ago, Didba said:

Really? I was under the impression Gus ran zone scheme. TIL.

Gap scheme.  NFL run zone blocking that is why the NFL coaches and execs stated Auburns offensive linemen did not transition well to the NFL.