Plays to know in 2024: Can Texas stop split zone?
The Texas Longhorns are going to experience a new world in the trenches this coming season. A year after holding Big 12 opponents to 2.8 ypc and six total rushing touchdowns, they’re now headed to a very different environment in the SEC where downhill rushing attacks operate differently.
Georgia’s program is built on both sides of the ball around being able to own the box when either running the ball with straight ahead inside zone/Duo run schemes or defending attempts by opponents to do likewise. You’re probably aware Alabama has historically been tough and physical in the box as well. Under Mike Elko, rival Texas A&M is going to major in physicality as will Oklahoma under Brent Venables. Realistically anyone that wants to emerge from the SEC and compete in the playoffs is going to aim for fielding real size and brute force in the box.
For Texas to come out ahead in this environment is going to mean having great answers for plays where opponents run the ball downhill at them. Particularly split zone, a play which has given the Longhorns issues at times in the recent past.
Texas vs split zone
When teams run split inside zone with more of a Tom Herman “tight zone” style, the play really begins to blur the lines between zone and gap (power) run blocking. The design of the play is very simple, there’s an off-ball tight end/fullback type who’s on the opposite side of the formation of the running back. The offensive line blocks (slightly) toward the tight end side and leaves the backside Edge or defensive end unblocked. The tight end works back across the formation and crashes into that unblocked end almost like a kickout block for a counter or power run, leading to a potential downhill crease in between.
Texas has had a few issues in recent seasons defending split zone near the goal line against schools from the state of Oklahoma.
Against Oklahoma State in 2022…
pic.twitter.com/FeNrQOQ3zG— Captain Bruisin, cruise director (@Ian_A_Boyd) June 21, 2024
…or against Oklahoma in the 2023 Red River Shootout:
pic.twitter.com/D1rw0I0rr4— Captain Bruisin, cruise director (@Ian_A_Boyd) June 21, 2024
What both teams worked out was to play the slot receiver in the boundary in order to try and encourage the weakside linebacker to leave the box and create the chance to run downhill on a 5-man box that would be counting on late help from the “Star” (nickel) or a safety.
Time after time that defender would be late and/or coming with too little pop to stop the back from plunging ahead for a touchdown.
The Washington Huskies noticed this and tried a similar approach in the playoffs only to botch the execution:
pic.twitter.com/GdTaz3NR29— Captain Bruisin, cruise director (@Ian_A_Boyd) June 21, 2024
Texas also adjusted their approach here, playing a bigger goal line package and trusting man coverage outside. What went really wrong was the tight end’s kickout block on the defensive end, which in this package was Alfred Collins. He didn’t make good enough contact on Collins, who was able to hit the running back before he hit the line of scrimmage. Texas’ use of man coverage also eliminated any run/pass conflict and allowed the safety to sit in the hole rather than trying to close and fill it from a distance.
At any rate, it’s a deceptively difficult play to stop and yet Texas will need to have a good plan to do so in order to take on the various power and smashmouth spread offenses in their new league.
Keys to stopping split zone for Texas
The main issue Texas has had against this play is fitting it from their two-high Match Quarters defenses. The movement of the tight end and his block creates an extra gap inside and if executed ensures the Edge is in an outside gap. With six blockers that makes seven gaps and if the two outside gaps are occupied by Edge defenders, it leaves five gaps inside for the two tackles and two linebackers. You’re one man short on defense and need to bring in help from someone in the secondary, typically the Star or the boundary/strong safety.
If that’s 5-foot-11, 185 pound Jahdae Barron who’s also minding the perimeter for a screen…
…the B-gap between (in this case) the nose and Jack is going to be tough to fill adequately.
If it’s 6-foot-0, 188 pound Michael Taaffe trying to fill from depth…
…then you’re not exactly playing to your strengths fitting the (in this case) the C-gap between the tight end and left tackle. Taaffe is willing but that’s a tough assignment and he’s not a big, traditional box safety. All of this is especially true when you’re talking goal line, like in our examples above.
Parking defenders in the box can have the effect of discouraging the offense from testing the run game. Playing single-high helps those defensive backs get closer to the action, but the defense is still having to fit interior gaps with smaller defensive backs to get defenders in all of the gaps.
This is at least a less enticing set-up for the run game, even if there’s a chance to bull ahead for three yards and a cloud of dust.
How Texas answers for these issues, especially after losing their NFL D-tackle tandem, is likely to be a major component of the 2024 season. Lots of Big 12 teams would look to get physical and run the ball downhill with split zone from spread formations but the SEC will take those challenges to a different level.
The post Plays to know in 2024: Can Texas stop split zone? appeared first on On3.
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