subject: Pee Wee Football Offensive Line Blocking Ideas [print this page] What is the best way of blocking to for midget football players? An larger number of coaches settle to teach a specific structure of blocking, like GOM, and are amazed when their offensive line struggles. Specific blocking rules like GOM (gap - on - man) appear perfect to teach kids, but what looks great on paper, or in theory just isn't so in the real world. Many coaches neglect to acknowledge that if your opposition has super strong players in different defensive line positions, your GOM blocking rules may be worthless. For instance, let us argue the defensive tackle on the left side of the defense is thrashing your offensive line left tackle and getting into in your backfield. Your scouting report will provide where the stud players on defense will be playing. A specific structure blocking scheme like GOM has no fill-in rules to offset for a macho defender. More than likely you will need to double team this player, and depending on which offensive player you use to double team, the balance of your offensive line will be chasing rules that might allow some defenders to remain unblocked.
A related coach from some other program asked us the following question, "We are toying with the idea of zone blocking our offensive line, and I understand a nice amount, enough to be threatening. I am the offensive line coach. I like the mentality of double-teaming on the strong side. What is the best way to have the players to realize who peels off to get the linebacker? You must be aware of what is happening away from the action? Are any offensive lineman required to block alone? When using the 5-3 defensive gameplan make sure all of the defensive lineman will be blocked? Should I bury this whole idea and just teach basic man on man blocking rules?"
Our response is 100% to utilize zone blocking. Man blocking is substantial and unavoidably needs to be taught the correct way to the kids, but zone blocking allows for more valuable designs and sets up double team blocks mechanically. The exchangeable reward to zone blocking is you can teach your lineman to start with a double team block and then inform one of the lineman to leave the double team block and go block the next defender.
If you are sold on using zone blocking, then you must get the rest of the staff on board. All assistant coaches need to agree to the blocking schemes decided by the head coach. The running backs coach must demand that the backs learn how to carry the ball when the offensive line is zone blocking. The running backs need to be aware there will be many more chances for cut back runs, so if you teach the backs the right running fashion, you can predict some large runs.
