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2025 tOSU Offense Discussion

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@Jaxbuck was wondering what changed with the running game and it's ENTIRELY scheme based. A complete concept change was put in during the break from the TCUN game to the Tennecheat game, and it's a very fundamental mindset change (really two of them) that brought about significant success on the ground for the duration of the playoff run.

The first change, which really wasn't a change as much as it was a commitment was using the pass to open up the run and being SUPER efficient with it. That mattered quite a bit.

But the second concept change is the Gap running scheme instead of the Zone running scheme. One relies upon blocking to open a hole up in a certain gap while the other relies upon the offensive line working in unison and the back finding the hole, which is why zone can be a little hit or miss.

This is about the best breakdown I've ever found for the differences and because I'm not a huge fan of typing stuff out at the moment. For whatever its worth, I hope they maintain both schemes to keep defenses on their toes.

www.milehighreport.com

What is the difference between Zone and Gap scheme runs?

Will the Broncos run more power in 2021? We break down the differences between the zone and gap schemes in this offense here.
www.milehighreport.com www.milehighreport.com
 
Upvote 1
iBucki said:
They were having some success with gap schemes in The Game but still kept going back to outside zone. Almost threw the remote at the TV. Glad I didn’t because we won it all. The counters and power (incl QB power) in the playoffs definitely resulted in some hard-ons lasting longer than 4 hours.
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I moved this over here to get out of the Knowles thread.

Totally laughed out loud with the 4 hours comment :lol:

But yes. They went to the gap scheme as the base running scheme instead of the changeup. And honestly, given what they were missing, I don't know if what they were rolling out there in November was really suited to the zone scheme - that final drive against Ped State was mostly gap scheme IIRC.

Gap scheme is far simpler to block in terms of assignments. Sometimes simplicity is its own genius.
 
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Mike80 said:
@Jaxbuck was wondering what changed with the running game and it's ENTIRELY scheme based. A complete concept change was put in during the break from the TCUN game to the Tennecheat game, and it's a very fundamental mindset change (really two of them) that brought about significant success on the ground for the duration of the playoff run.

The first change, which really wasn't a change as much as it was a commitment was using the pass to open up the run and being SUPER efficient with it. That mattered quite a bit.

But the second concept change is the Gap running scheme instead of the Zone running scheme. One relies upon blocking to open a hole up in a certain gap while the other relies upon the offensive line working in unison and the back finding the hole, which is why zone can be a little hit or miss.

This is about the best breakdown I've ever found for the differences and because I'm not a huge fan of typing stuff out at the moment. For whatever its worth, I hope they maintain both schemes to keep defenses on their toes.

www.milehighreport.com

What is the difference between Zone and Gap scheme runs?

Will the Broncos run more power in 2021? We break down the differences between the zone and gap schemes in this offense here.
www.milehighreport.com www.milehighreport.com
Click to expand...

I believe the Gap blocking was primarily successful because Ohio State decided to open most games with the pass to open the run. And it was usually very efficient passes (things around the LOS that could bust for huge plays).

Once defenses were put on their heels, the gap runs become more explosive....especially in a current football environment where teams are built to stop the spread and usually have 5 DB's. Once you get the numbers advantage in a gap scheme, it's almost like throwing the perfect screen pass. The whole idea is too out-leverage the defense with more bodies to give your ball carrier max opportunity for success. But it's riskier because if you call a gap scheme into a run blitz (or even pass rush blitz) where the numbers get thrown off, it can result in significant negative yardage. Zone run schemes are safer, but not as explosive. Gap schemes are riskier, but result in more home-runs.

IMO, OSU got defenses on their heels with early passing attack, and once the defense showed a base look they were comfortable with, the gap scheme opened up and Trey and Judkins feasted.

Really, everything just kind of came together at the perfect time. Crazy season.
 
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billmac91 said:
I believe the Gap blocking was primarily successful because Ohio State decided to open most games with the pass to open the run. And it was usually very efficient passes (things around the LOS that could bust for huge plays).

Once defenses were put on their heels, the gap runs become more explosive....especially in a current football environment where teams are built to stop the spread and usually have 5 DB's. Once you get the numbers advantage in a gap screen, it's almost like throwing the perfect screen pass. The whole idea is too out-leverage the defense with more bodies to give your ball carrier max opportunity for success. But it's riskier because if you call a gap scheme into a run blitz (or even pass rush blitz) where the numbers get thrown off, it can result in significant negative yardage. Zone run schemes are safer, but not as explosive. Gap schemes are riskier, but result in more home-runs.

IMO, OSU got defenses on their heels with early passing attack, and once the defense showed a base look they were comfortable with, the gap scheme opened up and Trey and Judkins feasted.

Really, everything just kind of came together at the perfect time. Crazy season.
Click to expand...
I do think the extended layoff allowed them to implement things in their schemes that weren't there previously too.

I like gap scheme blocking more than zone when you don't have personnel continuity.
 
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I think switching to gap scheme made life simpler for the offensive line and for the backs.

As I understand it in gap - the linemen essentially know who they are blocking, and the backs know what hole they are expected to hit. So it just comes down to execution. And in zone you have to read and react more, both the linemen on who to take and the backs on what hole to hit.

It was a great decision to get back to fundamentals and basics. Just beat your man. Especially Quinshon. He will run through whatever hole you tell him to with extreme violence.
 
Upvote 0
billmac91 said:
I believe the Gap blocking was primarily successful because Ohio State decided to open most games with the pass to open the run. And it was usually very efficient passes (things around the LOS that could bust for huge plays).

Once defenses were put on their heels, the gap runs become more explosive....especially in a current football environment where teams are built to stop the spread and usually have 5 DB's. Once you get the numbers advantage in a gap screen, it's almost like throwing the perfect screen pass. The whole idea is too out-leverage the defense with more bodies to give your ball carrier max opportunity for success. But it's riskier because if you call a gap scheme into a run blitz (or even pass rush blitz) where the numbers get thrown off, it can result in significant negative yardage. Zone run schemes are safer, but not as explosive. Gap schemes are riskier, but result in more home-runs.

IMO, OSU got defenses on their heels with early passing attack, and once the defense showed a base look they were comfortable with, the gap scheme opened up and Trey and Judkins feasted.

Really, everything just kind of came together at the perfect time. Crazy season.
Click to expand...
so part of this (the pivot) was day coming off his stubbornness to run the ball first to establish the pass.

iirc, he got nitpicked on that after the ttun game - ie being adamant that they were trying to establish the run - and getting called out even on the number of running plays when they weren’t working rather than passing more.

so that loss really forced them to hit rock bottom (as it should well have) and to rethink their old assumptions about needing to run first.

blessing in really really shitty and gut-wrenching disguise?
 
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Mike80 said:
I do think the extended layoff allowed them to implement things in their schemes that weren't there previously too.

I like gap scheme blocking more than zone when you don't have personnel continuity.
Click to expand...
There was definitely a lot at play, and lot's of tinkering. It may be that Hinzman is more effective in gap than McLaughlin as well. Gap schemes are tough enough on pulling centers, that when you add in the issues he had at Center at Bama, it makes sense we ran zone primarily with him. It's those little things that underly the reasons why things are done a certain way that most fans don't see or understand.

Day said they avoided no-huddle majority of season so Seth and Will would be on same page at all times in the huddle.....they were protecting Seth who had massive communication issues with Jalen Milroe. If I have a center I'm trying to "protect" one easy solution is to run zone. Asking them to snap while simultaneously being asked to pull can be a recipe for disaster.

Donovan Jackson being kicked out to Tackle also makes more sense to pull him rather than hand-fight with athletic DE's. Let him use his ability to pull in the run game from an OT position....where Jackson may have lacked in pass protection, he adds a dimension when run blocking. There aren't many tackles that have the same natural ability to get gritty on a pull-block like an interior offensive lineman who, by nature, are more like bowling balls than the taller, more athletic OT's, that need to be like dancing bears.

Again, everything just kind of came together at the perfect time.
 
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A couple of additional thoughts on the run game:

- We lost Seth at one of the worst possible times in the season. It took a couple of games for execution to catch up to the scheme

- Gap schemes can work really, really well when there are built constraints (ahem, Jim Bollman) i.e. motion and RPO concepts to stretch the defense horizontally and vertically causing misalignment in their run fits. So a lot of times it wasn’t necessarily pass to set up the run or vice versa, but forcing the defense to show their hand and pick their poison. One of my favorites was JJ’s touchdown vs ND and his long touchdown run vs Oregon.
 
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Since this is the 2025 discussion, I would be curious to see:

- Will Ryan Day trust his QB1 with check calls at the LOS, which opens up the possibilities playbook wise and keeps defenses honest with RPO concepts.

- We will have a much more experienced OL, but without a QB run threat and the question above, how will they ensure that the run game doesn’t become predictable and cause defenses to just load the box vs these staple runs

2025 could see a pivot to a west coast style set up the run game with the pass game approach, quick (3-step) game to get us into 2nd and short and then take your chances on running the ball mixed in with some playaction.

I’m sure Day and Chip (or his replacement) will figure out a way. Meanwhile, I’ll be on my PS5 running this make believe offense in the offseason.

Go Bucks!
 
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Upvote 0
Mike80 said:
@Jaxbuck was wondering what changed with the running game and it's ENTIRELY scheme based. A complete concept change was put in during the break from the TCUN game to the Tennecheat game, and it's a very fundamental mindset change (really two of them) that brought about significant success on the ground for the duration of the playoff run.

The first change, which really wasn't a change as much as it was a commitment was using the pass to open up the run and being SUPER efficient with it. That mattered quite a bit.

But the second concept change is the Gap running scheme instead of the Zone running scheme. One relies upon blocking to open a hole up in a certain gap while the other relies upon the offensive line working in unison and the back finding the hole, which is why zone can be a little hit or miss.

This is about the best breakdown I've ever found for the differences and because I'm not a huge fan of typing stuff out at the moment. For whatever its worth, I hope they maintain both schemes to keep defenses on their toes.

www.milehighreport.com

What is the difference between Zone and Gap scheme runs?

Will the Broncos run more power in 2021? We break down the differences between the zone and gap schemes in this offense here.
www.milehighreport.com www.milehighreport.com
Click to expand...

Funny thing is, nearly the same thing happened in 2014. VA Tech used a bear/double eagle front against us to shut down our inside zone, which nearly every other play was built around. Damn near every team after that rolled out the same scheme, and we spent the entire season retooling the playbook to be able to run the football. Big part of that was more gap plays. And then in the NC, Oregon's base defense that year was a bear front. Rather poetic.
 
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