O n behalf of Wittenberg University, we
would like to thank the AFCA for the
chance to present our outside zone play.
We are truly honored by this opportunity
and hope some of our experiences can be
of help to your program.
Wittenberg University has a long and sto-
ried tradition. Hall of Fame coaches Bill
Edwards and Dave Maurer won five national
championships. Today, we are challenged not
only by those high standards but also by the
evolution of our game. No backs, no huddle,
and fast break offenses have made for an
ever changing landscape in college football.
While we have worked hard at changing
with the times by adding formations, per-
sonnel groups and passing schemes, we
have also tried to remember you win
games by being able to run the football
when it matters most. The play we turn to
most in these situations is our outside zone
play. During the 2000 season, we ran this
play on average more than times a game
and for six yards a carry. Our starting tail-
back, Casey Donaldson, had a spectacular
career due in large part to this play. He set
school and conference career rushing
marks with 5,112 yards. He was a three-
time conference MVPand ranks among the
NCAADivision III Top 25 all-time in rushing
yards, touchdowns, and scoring.
Theory Behind Outside Zone
1. Can be run versus any defensive
alignment.
2. Can be used in a variety of formations
and personnel groups.
• Tight end play/split end play.
• Two back – two receiver play/two back
– three receiver play.
• One back play.
3. Allows for personnel match-ups in
game plan.
4. Simple scheme – Allows players to be
aggressive.
5. Many different looks using same
scheme allows many repetitions for line-
man and backs.
6. Get ball to best player on perimeter
quickly.
7. Do not have to be overpowering to
have success.
8. Limits blitz.
9. Wears down opponent.
10. Run game allows toughness to per-
meate the team in camp.
Teaching Style
All of our plays are taught in a whole-
• Proceedings • 78th AFCA Convention • 2001 •
part-whole method. The base scheme is
learned, then followed by individual and
group drills. Lastly, the play is run as an
The Wittenberg
Outside Zone Play
offensive unit. This style of teaching allows
for total understanding. Not only will play-
ers know their own assignments, they will
also know the assignments of their team-
mates. This in turn will give your offense a
better chance for success.
Offensive Line Principles Joe Fincham
The outside zone is a frontside gap
scheme. Each lineman is responsible from Head Coach
his nose to the nose of the adjacent play-
side lineman. This definition will give your Wittenberg
lineman a simple rule to help them under- University
stand the play.
Next, we ask our linemen to adjust their Springfield, Ohio
alignment. We will tighten our splits to one
and a half feet and back them off the ball as
far as possible. This does two things. It pre-
vents defenders from splitting our combina-
tion schemes, as well as giving our lineman
more time to adjust to stunting defensive
fronts.
Scott Isphording
Two Man Schemes
If at all possible, we would like to work in
Offensive
pairs. This will allow our lineman to run off
Coordinator
the ball in an aggressive manner and with-
out the worry of adjusting to slanting
defenses. While working in these pairs, the
lineman must only know if they are 1. cov-
ered or uncovered, and 2. frontside or
backside. These two rules will simplify
things enough to allow your linemen to play
aggressive football. The more players have
to think about, the more passive they
become.
The basic assignment of the pairs will
be to gain outside leverage on the down
defenders while getting second level
defenders on the ground. The concept of
this will change if the pairs are frontside or
backside.
Frontside Pairs
We ask our frontside pairs to work with
power in mind. In a perfect world, we will
double-team the down defenders off the
ball into the lap of the linebackers. We want
to create movement at the point of attack.
The covered down lineman’s first step is
a drop step. It will be rapid in nature and his
weight will be placed on his instep. With
this step, he will work for outside leverage
on the down defender. Outside leverage is
defined as playside hand in defender’s
playside armpit with backside hand on
defender’s sternum. The wider the defend-
er, the deeper the drop step. His second
step is a power step through the crotch of
the defender. It must also get up and down.
This will maximize the movement of the
defender. If the second step crosses over,
the defender will flatten out the block. On
the third step, he will work to square the
defender and drive off the ball.
• Versus a wide defender or outside
movement, the lineman may have to drive
the defender outside.
Diagram 1A
• Versus a squat defender, let the uncov-
ered lineman push you off to the linebacker.
Let the linebacker come to you and chop
him.
Diagram 1B
• Versus a slant defender, hand the
defender off to the uncovered lineman.
Diagram 1C
The uncovered lineman’s first step is
also a drop step. It should be a quick up
and down step with weight on his instep.
The depth of this step is adjusted to gain
outside leverage on the down defender.
Again, the wider the defender, the deeper
the step. The next two steps will be on rail-
road tracks. He will eyeball the down
defender while feeling the linebacker.
When the third step hits the ground, he will
work to overtake the down defender or
• Proceedings • 78th AFCA Convention • 2001 •
push up to the linebacker.
• Versus a wide defender, adjust to the
linebacker. CHOP! (See Diagram 1a).
• Versus a squat defender, push off cov-
ered lineman (See Diagram 1b).
• Versus inside slant, overtake the down
defender (See Diagram 1c). Uncovered
lineman is responsible for all gray areas.
Backside Pairs
We ask our backside pairs to work with
speed in mind. We want to be able to seal
off the backside pursuit and get the second
level defenders on the ground.
Our covered lineman wants to escape
from the down defender and chop the line-
backer. He will do so by taking a drop step
and ripping his backside shoulder and fore-
arm through the defenders playside armpit.
His second and third step will be quick and
upfield.
• Versus a playside slant, he will lock on.
Diagram 2A
• Versus a squat or backside slant, he will
rip and chop the linebacker.
Diagram 2B
Our uncovered lineman will take a deep
drop step and chop any defender in his
zone. He is responsible for anything that
runs between the covered down lineman
and himself. Nothing can split them.
Perimeter Blocking
We try to give our perimeter blockers the
best matchups we can so they can make a
block that will help the play succeed.
Usually, this means we will have our full-
back block primary force and the frontside
receiver block secondary force. It is impor-
tant that the fullback and receivers notice
the coverage scheme presnap.
At the snap, because we are an I forma-
tion team, it is important for the fullback to
take a crossover step initially so he can
clear the pitch to the tailback. His aim point
is one yard outside the butt of the tight end
(or end man on the line of scrimmage). He
will read the block of the tight end to deter-
mine how he will attack the primary force
player. If the tight end reaches the end and
does not allow penetration, he should con-
tinue outside and cut the outside leg of the
primary force player. If the tight end does
not reach the end or gives up penetration,
he should take it up inside and cut the out-
side leg of the primary force player or kick
him out. If the primary force player is
across the line of scrimmage, he should
kick him out.
We try to put the receiver on secondary
support. His rule is “Bail — Block; Sit —
Safety.” Versus a two deep coverage, the
receiver pushes off the line of scrimmage
at the corner’s outside number while look-
ing at the corner’s feet. If the corner does
not bail or stops bailing after three steps
(Sits), the receiver plants off his outside
foot and cracks on the safety. If the corner
bails, the receiver should continue to
accelerate at the corner’s outside number.
The receiver should break down when the
corner’s feet stop or when he has broken
the cushion. Attack the outside number
and fight to get hands inside while keeping
hips and shoulders parallel to the end
zone. Versus a three deep coverage, block
the deep third. It is important for the receiv-
er to stay up. Do not chop. The play takes
too long to develop.
Tailback
It is important for the tailback to have
two gears. He must be patient initially, and
then be able to turn it on when he gets to
the line of scrimmage. His aiming point is
the outside foot of the tight end. This forces
him to start out downhill in case the play
goes inside. After looking the pitch all the
way in to his hands, he should put the ball
in his outside arm. This frees up his inside
arm for a stiff arm move and helps protect
the ball. The tailback, similar to the fullback,
should read the block of the tight end. A
good general rule for the tailback is to fol-
low your fullback. Once he gets to the line
of scrimmage, he needs to be able to dip
inside to set up his perimeter blocks and
then accelerate back outside. He can only
bounce the play in this fashion one time or
he will get caught by backside pursuit.
 Quarterback
The quarterback has two very important
roles on this play. After reverse pivoting and
tossing the ball to the tailback, he needs to
see the tailback catch the ball and tuck it
away. If the tailback mishandles the pitch,
the quarterback should be there to recover
the fumble. Once he sees the ball secured
by the tailback, he needs to boot away hard
to control backside pursuit and set up boot
plays off the toss.
Diagram 3: Outside Zone vs. 4-3

Diagram 4: Outside Zone vs. 4-4 Diagram 5: Outside Zone vs. 50

Wittenberg’s use of the outside zone
play resulted in runningback Casey
Donaldson finishing his career with
5,112 yards and won three North
Coast Athletic Conference titles for the
Tigers. He ranks among the Top 25 in
Division III history in career rushing
yards, touchdowns and scoring.

Caution Your Team

About Player Agents
A problem for all coaches is the proliferation of agents and would-be agents who seek
to make agreements with players prior to the completion of their eligibility. The activ-
ity of these people has increased, and it is imperative that all of the consequences of
making an agreement with an agent are known by your players.

Contact with players by agents almost always is done without the knowledge of the
coach. Some agents openly admit they will continue to make contacts and agree-
ments with players before their final season has been completed.

This could lead to forfeiture of games. Some agents are advising players not to risk
injury by playing. Your players must be warned about this problem. Do it more than
once.

• Proceedings • 78th AFCA Convention • 2001 •