https://www.ganggreennation.com/2021/10/6/22706331/wide-zone-inside-zone...
 

I know there is lots of discussion about our lack of productivity in the run game, but I’ve not seen any in-depth analysis like you’ll find in the link attached above. Often it seems that we want to have the finger of blame focused at either the players or coaches, when unfortunately it’s both, though I’m reminded of a quote I had framed in my office by Joe Paterno which said, “If you don’t like what you see on the field, remember it was you that coached them.”

I can speak with a little experience as a high school coach in Maryland in the early 2000’s about zone blocking. In the fall of 2000, I coached at a small school in Maryland who was “blessed” with relatively small, slow linemen. That season we ran the same power-I scheme that most teams ran, unless they utilized a wing-T scheme. We had a really talented tailback, who was a sophomore. Yet, as talented as he was, we had little success, because our line couldn’t move ants to a picnic. That off-season our head coach and I (offensive coordinator) went to a coaching clinic sponsored by Nike in Pittsburgh. The first day I attended as many sessions as I could related to this “new” zone-read scheme, which was not new at all, given it was based on the original offense: the single wing. Well, a light went off in my feeble mind that wondered what might happen if we put our stud running back(who could also throw the ball) at QB, and had a blocking scheme that depended more on leverage than size and strength. One of the presenters was Skip Holtz.  After his session I asked him if he would be willing to meet with my head coach and I after dinner to talk more about this scheme over a few beers. Many beers later, we were convinced that this was our best hope for success.  To his credit, he went on to send us manny cut-ups we could use as teaching tools, and served as a sounding board for questions that arose. Over the next two seasons, our QB was among the top rushers and scorers in the state, and we made the playoffs one year and barely missed the other. 
So, what do I think is wrong?  Hell if I know. From what I can tell our linemen don’t seem to have the athleticism necessary to run outside zone. Neither do they seem to have the strength or leverage necessary to run inside zone.  And, our tight ends can’t block at the point of attack - makes me yearn for Heureman or Vannett, who weren’t great pass catchers, but were great blockers - which rules out gap schemes. I’d love to see Caden Curry used more as a blocking back. Matter of fact, I’d love to see him more in general. That kid is a football player of the “old school “ variety. If we had a QB who was a running threat, then we wouldn’t need the linemen to be road graders. Likewise, if we ran RPO schemes more, then the linebackers couldn’t sit in the box like a fox walking up to an unguarded chicken coop.  I’d love to have Kyle go into a deep dive on the subject. 
Sorry to ramble, but I’m a prisoner in my own home (friggin Covid) so I’m trying to fill the time. 
Go Bucks!