A Beginner's Guide to Zone: The Count System

Perhaps the most popular inside zone scheme is based off the use of a count system to get a hat on a hat.  This was the preferred method of Joe Gibbs in his heyday with the Redskins and is also how Chip Kelly prefers to begin teaching his zone schemes.

The idea of count systems to help the offense block the most dangerous defenders is nothing new or revolutionary--count systems were used by veer and pro-style teams at least as far back as the 1960s--but it's also a very sound starting point because it helps to clean up one of the most important questions for the offensive line: who to block.

No matter how big or strong your linemen are, and no matter how much you work on technique, the simple truth is that if your OL aren't all on the same page about who to block, you're going to be in trouble.  Even a poorly executed block on the right defender will be far more effective than a great block on the wrong guy while a defender runs free.  With defenses free to align in numerous confusing ways, the Count System clarifies all of this with an extremely simple set of rules that can be taught to all age levels.

The basis of the count system is that the Center will make a call on each play to declare the "Zero" man in the front (some teams may also label him "Mike").  The Zero man is the first defender (Defensive Lineman or Linebacker) who is head up or to the play side of the Center on the play.  The Center and Offensive Line will go to the line to see how the defense is aligning, then the Center will make his call ("#58 is Zero").

From there, the rest of the offensive linemen begin their count.  The play side Guard will count the next defender to the play side as #+1, the play side Tackle will declare the next one to the play side as #+2, and if there is a Tight End he'll declare the next defender to the play side as #+3.  The backside Guard would declare the first man backside of "Zero" as #-1, while the backside tackle will declare the next man backside of Zero as #-2.  If there is a stack (a Linebacker lined up directly behind a Defensive Lineman) the low man (Defensive Lineman) will get the low number.  On the snap, each offensive linemen will then block his number in the count.

The benefits of this system are readily apparent.  By giving the linemen a simple rule that starts in the middle of the play, we insure that the five most inside defenders (and therefore the five most dangerous defenders to the inside zone) are accounted for by the blocking.  If you add extra men to the line, like Tight Ends or Wingbacks, they simply pick up the next number in the count to their side.  That makes the system a good fit within a multiple formation offense that may utilize Tight Ends, Wing Backs, Unbalanced Lines, Empty formations, and shifts.

The count system is also extremely flexible as a basis for teaching other schemes.  You can base your pass protection scheme around it by having the offensive linemen all block their number in the count (or skip the linebackers in they count to create a BOB--Big On Big/Back On Backer--scheme).

You can take the count a step further and use it to adjusting the blocking to get other run schemes or read different defenders in the shotgun.  Want to install an Iso play?  Simply tell the offensive linemen to the play side to skip over the first linebacker to their side.  How about veer blocking scheme where the offensive line all block away from the play?  Simply declare Zero as the first man head up or *backside* of the Center to get the linemen moving in the proper direction.  Do you want to run Midline?  Tell the offensive linemen to skip over the first Defensive Lineman to the play side.

Chip Kelly, when he was at Oregon, probably did more adjusting of the count to read different defenders than anyone in football and had a great deal of success doing it.

However, a pure count system isn't without its downsides.  Without an additional set of rules and coaching points, this is a pure "Man" scheme, which is as old as football itself but provides absolutely no protection against stunts and post-snap movement by the defense.  If you only teach the count system, you could wind up with bizarre situations like the C trying to chase down the MLB as he loops through C gap and the Tackle trying to chase a DE as he long-sticks down to A gap.

So what are the additional sets of rules?  Check back tomorrow as we dive deeper into the other rules that make the Zone a Zone.