John Hannah:Offensive Line Run Blocking Woes

[rockydoc]

I just read Ray Melick's piece in today's Birmingham News. He interviewed the great All-pro offensive lineman, John Hannah, on the OL misery at Bama this year (worse than ours). He said he can read from from the stands whether Bama will run, pass or sweep.

Furthermore, Hannah feels that the line blocking scheme at Bama is outdated and traced it back to long-time NFL OL coach, Jim McNally of the Cicinnati Bengals who came up with the "zone blocking" scheme using strong athlethic lineman like Anthony Munoz and Dave Rimington to latch on to a defensive lineman and move them laterally, allowing RB Ickey Woods to do a slow lateral sweep and hit the first hole that opens.

Gradually this blocking theory spread across the country. Now defenses have caught up by employing fast light linebackers and safties that get lateral pursuit. Sucessful teams like the Patroits have abandoned zone blocking lateral football.

What has this got to do with Tennessee? It may be that our run blocking approach is wrong. I camnot buy that since we are very good on pass blocking we cannot be equally good on on run blocking. If our lineman were weaklings the pass rushere would simply bullrush over them and get to the QB.

(PS if anyone else knows how to download this newspaper column, itr's easier to read than my paraphrase.)

 

[GAVol]

I think you make a good point. We wandered in the wilderness for a few years with Jimmy Ray Stephens' finesse blocking schemes. Unfortunately we are finding out that those same linemen aren't going to just turn into great straight ahead drive blockers overnight.

 

[rockydoc]

I look forward to the day again when, with ball inside the five or six yard line, we line up in the Power T formation and score a TD every time with smashmouth power straight ahead blocking.

 

[vader]

I look forward to the day again when, with ball inside the five or six yard line, we line up in the Power T formation and score a TD every time with smashmouth power straight ahead blocking.

Testify!:rock:

 

[GAVol]

I look forward to the day again when, with ball inside the five or six yard line, we line up in the Power T formation and score a TD every time with smashmouth power straight ahead blocking.

...and the day when our Offensive Coordinator doesn't have to think real hard on 3rd and 2.

 

[Liper]

That's a great article.

FWIW, Stephens and Sanders were the big guns on the zone blocking scheme. We were almost purely a man scheme under CPF and CDC. I know Cutty has said a couple of times he prefers man blocking (over simplified of course).

 

[WA_Vol]

I just read Ray Melick's piece in today's Birmingham News. He interviewed the great All-pro offensive lineman, John Hannah, on the OL misery at Bama this year (worse than ours). He said he can read from from the stands whether Bama will run, pass or sweep.

Furthermore, Hannah feels that the line blocking scheme at Bama is outdated and traced it back to long-time NFL OL coach, Jim McNally of the Cicinnati Bengals who came up with the "zone blocking" scheme using strong athlethic lineman like Anthony Munoz and Dave Rimington to latch on to a defensive lineman and move them laterally, allowing RB Ickey Woods to do a slow lateral sweep and hit the first hole that opens.

Gradually this blocking theory spread across the country. Now defenses have caught up by employing fast light linebackers and safties that get lateral pursuit. Sucessful teams like the Patroits have abandoned zone blocking lateral football.

What has this got to do with Tennessee? It may be that our run blocking approach is wrong. I camnot buy that since we are very good on pass blocking we cannot be equally good on on run blocking. If our lineman were weaklings the pass rushere would simply bullrush over them and get to the QB.

(PS if anyone else knows how to download this newspaper column, itr's easier to read than my paraphrase.)

Great observation, Rockydoc. OLine play has been disappointing for several years now. From what I call so far with UT's new Oline coach, its more of the same.

 

[Ohio Vol]

I too can tell what a play is by the way that it's blocked, but that's nothing uncommon. A sweep is obviously going to be blocked differently than a pass is. In fact, it doesn't even matter. It also shouldn't matter if a lineman gets set, then tells the DT "Hey, we're going to run an iso this way".

What it comes down to is technique more than scheme. Granted, a poor scheme will negatively impact what can be accomplished, but poor technique will negate even the greatest schemes (unless you're talking about an option-based attack, where a defensive player's own moves are used against him). The technique is what's lacking at the major college level.

I had a lineman I coached this year go to a major D-1 linemen's camp during the summer, and he came back trying to explain the run blocking technique taught and the soft-set pass blocking stuff (which is vastly inferior, in my mind...that's why I refuse to teach it and never will). It blows my mind to see how poor offensive line play has become over the last 5-10 years in particular, but technique is the reason why. I can't even watch the NFL because I'm tired of watching 3-4 linemen on every play not even get down in a 3-point stance.

 

[Liper]

What it comes down to is technique more than scheme. Granted, a poor scheme will negatively impact what can be accomplished, but poor technique will negate even the greatest schemes (unless you're talking about an option-based attack, where a defensive player's own moves are used against him). The technique is what's lacking at the major college level.

What's your take on the TN OL?

 

[WA_Vol]

I had a lineman I coached this year go to a major D-1 linemen's camp during the summer, and he came back trying to explain the run blocking technique taught and the soft-set pass blocking stuff (which is vastly inferior, in my mind...that's why I refuse to teach it and never will). It blows my mind to see how poor offensive line play has become over the last 5-10 years in particular, but technique is the reason why. I can't even watch the NFL because I'm tired of watching 3-4 linemen on every play not even get down in a 3-point stance.

Fulmer had a great opportunity to go out and hire a stong, fundamentals oriented Oline coach last season. The jury is still out, but its not a good first year for the Oline coach.

 

[Ohio Vol]

Fulmer had a great opportunity to go out and hire a stong, fundamentals oriented Oline coach last season. The jury is still out, but its not a good first year for the Oline coach.

He sure did, but somehow my phone never rang. I bet I'd have been a cheaper hire too.

 

[rockydoc]

I too can tell what a play is by the way that it's blocked, but that's nothing uncommon. A sweep is obviously going to be blocked differently than a pass is. In fact, it doesn't even matter. It also shouldn't matter if a lineman gets set, then tells the DT "Hey, we're going to run an iso this way".

What it comes down to is technique more than scheme. Granted, a poor scheme will negatively impact what can be accomplished, but poor technique will negate even the greatest schemes (unless you're talking about an option-based attack, where a defensive player's own moves are used against him). The technique is what's lacking at the major college level.

I had a lineman I coached this year go to a major D-1 linemen's camp during the summer, and he came back trying to explain the run blocking technique taught and the soft-set pass blocking stuff (which is vastly inferior, in my mind...that's why I refuse to teach it and never will). It blows my mind to see how poor offensive line play has become over the last 5-10 years in particular, but technique is the reason why. I can't even watch the NFL because I'm tired of watching 3-4 linemen on every play not even get down in a 3-point stance.

:thumbsup:
Thanks for the insight, OV. I've always thought that the offensive lineman has the advantage in a running play since he knows when the snap will occur and can get a early push. However, the defense usually has an extra man over the offense, except when the offense has a running QB.

Keep us posted on how the OL is doing the rest of the year. This is usually where the game hinges, IMO.

 

[jason]

I watched the "97 Ark. game yesterday afternoon and there's no comparisonto the run blocking then and now. We blew them off the line on every run play and the holes that Jamal had to run through were huge. The pass blocking was not as good as today but with Paytons lake of mobility he was able to step up and throw. I noticed when Clifton and Co. would fire off the ball they would explode and stay low and their legs would never stop churning until the play was over. o and by the way, damn Jamal was good.:rock:

 

[cd12]

Didn't Hannah get fired as the O line coach at Baylor High School in Chattanooga? O+W=H?

If so I don't think he should be too critical!

 

[Ohio Vol]

rockydoc,

It's a common misconception. The advantage with knowing the snap count is that offensive linemen MIGHT get an extra .05-.10 seconds to fire off the line, but the main disadvantage is that a defensive lineman need only achieve a stalemate at the point of attack to win that play. If a double-team is unable to move the D-lineman (who usually is in a gap), then an extra blocker is being tied up AND the running back will hesitate rather than lower his head and run over his own guys.

The other thing that good defenses have done is adopt a read-and-react scheme for their D-line rather than simply charging through gaps or stunting. This means that the defensive lineman actually reads what block is coming at him and encounters it a certain way. For example, a reach block (where an offensive lineman will try to step to the outside and reach the far shoulder of the defensive lineman, thus turning and sealing him inside of the running lane) is taken on by a defensive lineman fighting his way down the line of scrimmage in order to keep himself outside of the O-lineman. A double-team is met by a D-lineman fighting to not lose ground; if he starts to lose ground, he tries to create a pile at that spot. A down block in front (away from the DL) is met by squeezing the OL down and getting set for the oncoming trap block. An offensive lineman pulling from where is would be where a DL follows the OL and usually gets a tackle for loss out of it.

Ohio State's defense has been exceptional the last 5 years based on this scheme, and I was part of a staff that saw an exceptional performance at the high school level after incorporating this scheme. It is EXTREMELY difficult for an offense to to operate against this kind of defense, and only superior technique and willpower will overcome it. When the technique is lacking....well....we know the end result.