A look at Kyle Shanahan’s Zone Run Game, Part I: Cleveland Browns Film Room

Another year in Cleveland, another coaching change for the Browns. And yet, like clockwork, training camp rolls around and fans become cautiously optimistic about their team. It is no different this year.

“THIS Year. This is it, man! Last year, everyone thought that would be the year, but c’mon, now: You know THIS is the one. This Pettine dude is the real deal. I mean, look at what he’s already done this offseason with the draft and free agency. He has that feel about him that you just don’t get with everyone else. A true leader.”

Whether you have had preemptively positive thoughts about about Bill Belichick, Butch Davis, in the past few weeks with Pettine, or at any point in the past couple decades in the seemingly unending search for a head coach, the idea that the Browns finally made the correct hire has certainly crossed your mind. This optimism evolves after every coaching search and before any meaningful games are ever played for a few reasons.

First, no other city in the United States follows the off-seasons of sports teams quite as fanatically as Cleveland. Year in and out, Cleveland is one of the top markets in viewership of the NFL Draft and every single pick counts. I have literally never seen a sixth round pick who never stepped foot on the field in a meaningful game get the out-pouring of annual support that 2010 rookie Carlton Mitchell received.

Despite devotion to the NFL off-season, the primary reason Browns fans become increasingly confident in the new hire is their crave to form a team identity. Romeo Crennel was the defensive-minded players-coach, a stem off the Belichick coaching tree. Then came Eric Mangini, another Belichick protégé. But Mangini, unlike Crennel, would reign in the players and run a hard-nosed defense-first approach full of discipline. Following Mangini was Pat Shurmur, hand-picked by the quarterback guru and Brandon Weeden-drafting himself, Mike Holmgren. Shurmur intended to play a West Coast offense using a run-first approach and physically demoralize teams (HA!). And most recently, last season, Rob Chudzinski brought his aggressive downfield pass-heavy offense along with an aggressive defense to town.

Each and every coach brought something a little bit different from his predecessor to his new job. And now, Mike Pettine has stepped up to the plate and absolutely dominated his first few months as head coach. In the draft, he brought in a multitude of immediate impact players including Justin Gilbert, Johnny Manziel, and even managed to acquire a 2015 first round pick from the Bills. This heap of young talent followed up signings of linebacker Karlos Dansby and running back Ben Tate to help shore up the 2013 Browns’ weakest positions on both sides of the ball.

When faced with Cleveland’s football identity crisis, Pettine has a clear philosophy: Play Like a Brown. The adage calls for a physical, disciplined team whose defense plays extremely aggressive, flying around making plays. On offense, Pettine wants to establish a running game to rely on as often as possible in order to wear down the opposing defense, runs clock, and open up holes to take advantage of in the passing game.

In order to implement this strategy, the Mike Pettine and the Browns hired Kyle Shanahan, the former offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and Washington Redskins. Like his father Mike before him, Kyle runs a zone run scheme which he has used effectively in Houston and Washington. In the 1980’s, Mike Shanahan and offensive line coach and zone run guru Alex Gibbs rose to prominence behind a unique style opposite the classic power run offense.

The zone run offense has changed often over the past few decades, but it stays true to its core principles. In order for this offense to work, the offensive linemen must be quicker and more agile than those in power run offenses. Linemen must be able to reach-block on the front-side, scoop-block on the back-side, and get to the second level of the defense, the linebackers. Running backs must be adept at getting upfield with a single cut, not trying to do too much on a play, and make a quick read. The execution of each type of zone run differs, but the goal of the offense remains the same: create running lanes based on what the defense gives you. If the defense pursues hard to the play-side, a cut-back lane should be open. And, if the defense protects against the cut-back, a lane should be open on the front of the defense.

There are two base plays that the zone run game is based off: the inside zone and the outside zone. Every coordinator and zone aficionado differs, but Kyle Shanahan prefers to run the outside zone, switching to an inside zone if the defense is more spread out or the defense is pursuing the ball in a manner that running an inside play would counter their efforts.

In order to help Browns fans better understand the basics of the Kyle Shanahan’s inside and outside zone runs, I used NFL Game Rewind’s All-22 cameras to help give a visual of the zone run offense. What follows is the first of what will be at least two parts. Get your notebooks out and let’s dig in. (Click all images to enlarge.)

Inside Zone

• Offensive Line Feet: Every single offensive lineman steps with his left foot first to the play-side. This will signal to the defense a run to the left and linebackers will step that direction.
• Offensive Line Assignment: The basic idea of the inside zone for linemen is known as covered vs. uncovered. If a lineman has a man in his play-side gap or head-up on him, he will fire out and block that man. If left uncovered and a defensive lineman does not stunt into their gap on the snap, they will hit the lineman on their backside and help double-team them back into the linebacker. Whichever side the linebacker goes, the offensive lineman on that side will slide off the defensive lineman and block the linebacker.
• Running Back: The inside zone is not the sexiest of play for running backs. Their initial read is the first defensive lineman play-side who happens to be the nose tackle between the center and left guard. If the nose gets pushed play-side, the likely scenario, the running back cuts the ball back. If he stunts across the center’s face, the running back runs to the play-side.
• Tight End: The backside tight end is responsible for a hinge block on the defensive end. This means that he must prevent the defender to penetrate, funneling him up-field and outside.
• No. 15: The man between the right tackle and tight end is wide receiver Josh Morgan who motioned to that position before the snap. He must make a crucial block on the back-side linebacker. Although physically a mis-match, if Morgan loses the battle, the cut-back lane will be much less promising.

• Offensive Linemen: Both combination double-teams are perfect. The linebackers that they have an eye on are both flowing to the play-side and the double-team is pushing the defensive tackle backwards. This is the perfect picture for what the ideal inside zone double-teams look like.
• Running Back: Although he does not even have the ball yet, the running back should already know where he is going with the ball. The nose tackle was pushed to the play-side, so he must cut the ball back. He moves on to the second read: the next man on the line of scrimmage. This happens to be the defensive tackle in the double team.

• Linebackers: The first thing you should notice is how much the linebackers have over-pursued. Because of their aggression, Washington is able to seal them off and have a clear cut-back lane.
• Offensive Linemen: Anyone who says strength is overrated for zone run offensive lineman should watch successful inside zone plays. Rather than immediately running to the linebackers, the left guard through right tackle executed beautiful double team heading towards the linebackers. The left guard and center have literally pushed their lineman into the linebacker the right guard just slid off the other defensive tackle to pick up a linebacker. If they hold their blocks, they have created a huge running lane.
• Running back: On his second read of the play, the running back should notice that the back-side defensive tackle has been pushed down the line of scrimmage, opening a hole on the far back-side of the defense. A good running back will not dance in the backfield, instead cutting and hitting the open hole as quickly as possible.

• Quarterback: On zone runs, the quarterback must carry out a play-action fake every time. The runs are used to set up passes and if safeties are biting on the run, the offense can use a play-action pass to spring a leak in the defense.
• Running Back: The linemen have done their job to give an open lane, so it’s the running back’s time to shine. He is able to read the safety who is closing in on the run and either cut up inside the block or run outside.

• Running Back: The safety filled the inside gap leaving what was meant to be an inside zone play to the left heading to the right sideline. Now, he must escape the incoming safety and defensive end who is still locked up on the tight end.
• Offensive Line: Check out the box around the linemen. The offensive line did a great job preventing any penetration by defensive linemen or linebackers. Now the running back only has to worry about the safety and back-side defensive end.

• Running Back: The safety filled the inside gap, but the defensive end was not quick enough to hold contain. And now, the running back has the edge, enabling a thirty-yard touchdown.

Outside Zone

• Offensive Line: Similarly to the inside zone, the outside zone utilizes the covered vs. uncovered philosophy. However, instead of double-teaming and keeping a head up for a linebackers, all linemen are running and reach blocking to the play-side. If covered, their job is to reach block that player or, if unable to get outside the defender, push him further down the line. If uncovered, they take a step and run towards the sidelines while heading towards the linebacker in their gap. They must reach him or push him farther outside.
• Running Back: On an outside zone, the running back must not be over-eager to get up-field. His read is the player lined up farthest outside on the line. In this case, he is reading the defensive end lined up over the left tackle. If the end goes inside, the back runs outside and vice versa.

• Offensive Line: Each lineman is running to the left to cut off and reach their assignment. Those already keying on linebackers, the left tight end, left guard, and right guard all should have hands on the defensive linemen as they pass, knocking them even more off course.
• Running Back: Unlike the inside zone in which a read was already made, the running back must be more patient on the outside. The linemen are stretching the play out. If it gets too stretched out, he will focus his eyes on his second read, the second man furthest down the line of scrimmage. The back will never read the linebackers because they will take too long to read and mess with the reads he will get from the linemen.

• Running Back: As I specified above, the running back is ready only the defensive linemen. Had he read linebackers, a bounce to the outside may still be in play. However, the left tackle has done a great job pushing the defensive end outside, opening a cut-back lane. The running back moves onto his second read, the defensive tackle who number 63 is blocking.
• Offensive Linemen: The front-side did a good job getting outside the defense and using their speed to get in position. The linemen who located the linebackers have locked on. On the back-side, the right tackle and tight end did a great job utilizing a scoop block and blocking off any back-side pressure. This allows for more room for the cut-back, if necessary.
• You: Imagine Ben Tate or Terrance West getting to tear through these holes over the coming season.

• Running back: The back does a great job waiting until the last possible second to make a cut to the open hole. This allows a greater running area to form and the play to develop further. Now, he must get up-field and grab all the yardage he is allowed.
• Offensive Line: Once again, the focus must be put on the front-side washing the linemen down and the back-side holding off linemen from a cut-back. If anyone misses their assignment, the play could be blown.

• Running Back: This final picture shows off the massive hole that was created when both the front-side and back-side of the line did their jobs, allowing the running back time and room to maneuver. With this kind of space, the most important traits for backs include the ability to cut upfield on a dime and accelerate explosively.
• Offensive Linemen: Check out where the linebackers and linemen on each side are. Not a single Giant is able to stop the running back from heading through the hole to the next level of the defense. The offense will bet on a one-on-one situation between a running back and a safety every chance it gets.

Stay tuned for Part II later this week. Until then, let’s chat in the comments.

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(Photo: Scott Sargent/WFNY)