Looking Back at the Backside Tackle: Multiple Adjustments to the Spread Zone Read

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The full text of “Looking Back at the Backside Tackle: Multiple Adjustments to the Spread Zone Read” by Karl Liedtka, from the Vol 2 — Spring 2019 issue.

By Karl D. Liedtka Assistant Coach, Lebanon High School (PA) The most popular adage spoken by every coach and commentator in defending the option is “assignment football”. Being disciplined on defense and knowing your option responsibility is critical, but giving the option quarterback different and confusing fronts and reads is also crucial.

Realizing that defenses will stunt, stem, and blitz defenders in an effort to confuse, offenses have to be prepared to make efficient adjustments that give the defense something to think about. The pinch and scrape scheme, whether it is run from an odd or even front, presents some potentially danger - ous reads.

Running the inside zone to the right and reading the opposite end man on the line of scrimmage (EMOL), if the quarterback pulls the ball in this situation and the unblocked linebacker fills, it is very likely that someone else may be calling the signals on the next play. The pinch and scrape scheme is commonly used by a variety of defensive fronts to combat the option but when employed by even fronts the solution to the problem involves the backside guard as well.

(Diagram 1) Looking Back at the Backside Tackle: Multiple Adjustments to the Spread Zone Read

In a traditional option scheme the way to fix this problem is to assign two players to the linebacker and have them work in conjunction to the next level. (Diagram 2) If the linebacker scrapes outside the slot will seal him inside. If the linebacker plugs inside the backside tackle will block him. In either case if the linebacker moves away the blocker will climb to the next level.

The problem with this scheme is that if the ball is pulled there is no one left to block the force defender and once again you are allowing a free shot on your quarterback. This scheme forces the offense to motion an extra blocker or move into a trips formation, which presents several challenges to a spread, no-huddle attack. (Diagram 3) First, it slows down the offense, which is trying to control the tempo of the game.

In order to play fast you have to be simple, which means few formations, no motions, and quick adjustments. It also forces the inside slot receiver to align tighter to the tackle, which can limit his role in the passing game and his position can alert the defense to the play. Lastly, there is often a physical mismatch between a linebacker and a spread team’s slot receiver; speed going to the receiver but strength to the linebacker.

Another basic problem this creates is that the safety will adjust to the motion or trips formation and if he is an aggressive player you are once again setting your quarterback up for a big hit. The key to making this play work is the adjustments made by the backside tackle. The first adjustment is to have the backside tackle “sift” through the defensive end by ripping vertically through his inside arm. (Diagram 4) If the defensive end crashes, the tackle will box out the end.

Allowing the backside tackle to box out enables him to use his entire body for leverage and get into the path of the defender. I used to coach this technique by telling the tackle to “seal and wheel” by stepping in, sealing the inside gap and wheeling back on whichever defender at - tacked the gap.

However, I found that asking him to step inside, keeping his hips square to be in position to block two possible defenders while simultaneously not getting washed down into the cutback lane was an unreasonable assignment. The tackle simply needs to position himself in the path of the defender and be big in the hole. If the end goes outside the tackle must keep himself square and be prepared to block the linebacker.

The play in this case is no longer a zone read because the tackle is blocking an area and picking up the attacking defender – giving the quarterback an automatic give read. Versus an even front the backside tackle will use the same technique if the linebacker is cheating his alignment but not clearly outside the read key. The tackle would drive vertically through the inside shoulder of the read key and be in position to block the linebacker or defensive end.

In this situation the tackle has to communicate to his guard that he is on his own to block the down defender because the tackle is unavailable to combo.

If the linebacker does cheat his alignment outside of the read key or moves up to the line of scrimmage making himself the EMOL, the tackle will make a “lock” call. (Diagram 5) Versus an even front the tackle must com - municate again to his guard that he is blocking the down defender solo. The quarterback will now read the linebacker who has walked up for his read key. The next adjustment is the “read step”.

(Diagram 6-7) The backside tackle will take a quick pass set and look to the linebacker through the EMOL. I say through so that the tackle does not shield the read key and put himself in a poor position to make a block on the linebacker. The pass set does two things. It sends a pass block message to the defender which typically gets him to charge up field quickly, making him an easier read for the quarterback and the depth allows the tackle to gain a sufficient angel to get to the linebacker inside or out.

After taking his quick drop the tackle will mirror the linebacker. If the LB plugs inside the tackle will pick him up and if he moves outside the tackle will arc outside to protect the quarterback in the case of a pull read.

Photo by John Chapman Another adjustment to this stunt is the “kick out”. (Diagram 8-9) The backside tackle will rip through the inside shoulder of the defensive end as he did with the sift scheme. But if the linebacker goes outside the tackle must keep him outside. The quarterback must be aware that a kick out block is being utilized because in the event of a pull the quarterback must keep his path tight to the give key, replacing him, in order to avoid the linebacker.

The kick out scheme is not as effective against an even front because the typically wider alignment of the defensive end keeps the tackle from getting out to the linebacker if he blitzes off the edge. Which adjustment is best? As usual with most things football, it depends on how you matchup with the defensive personnel. If you are facing a defense that is small but very quick, the sift adjustment might be a better call.

With the sift you can rip through the inside shoulder of the end and, due to your size advantage, the tackle does not have to be in a perfect run fit position to make a block on a linebacker nor does he have to be as athletic to chase the defender. When facing a defense that is bigger but not as agile, the read scheme might be better for the opposite rea - sons.

The tackle might not be as successful ripping through the bigger defensive end to a linebacker, but using his superior agility he could pass set, using the defender’s aggressiveness against him, and arc release out to a linebacker that does not move as well. If facing a defense that is bigger, stronger, and faster, then you better be smarter.

Use every scheme you can to slow down the defense by making them think about getting hit from various directions by different players and worrying about their option responsibilities on every play. You may find that your tackle is better at one technique than the other, but just like a boxer with a great right hook, you can’t throw the same punch the entire fight and expect it to be effective. It works best giving the tackle options to switch up his strategy to keep the defender guessing.

The glory and glamour typically goes to the offensive guys that catch and carry the ball but those who know the game best realize that the details and adjustments made up front are what keep the sticks moving. Kliedtka@lebanon.k12.pa.us