RB Vision
Cutting lanes, hole recognition & running back excellence
Reading the Blocks
Before the snap, the RB identifies the blocking scheme — zone or gap. In zone, he looks for a natural crease. In gap, he hits the assigned hole full speed.
💡 Patient feet, patient eyes — wait for the block to develop before committing.
Finding the Hole
A 'hole' is a gap created by the offensive linemen. In zone blocking, the hole may not be where it was drawn up — the RB reads blocks and cuts to the open lane.
💡 North-south runners: hit the hole fast. Elusive runners: patient and cut.
The Cut
Once the RB identifies the hole, he makes his cut — planting one foot hard and exploding in the other direction. Great cuts take defenders out of their angles.
💡 The one-cut system: commit to ONE cut and accelerate through the hole.
Yards After Contact (YAC)
The ability to gain yards after getting hit. Power backs use their pads to fall forward. Speed backs break arm tackles and slip out of contact.
💡 Lower pad level = harder to bring down. Drive your legs through contact.
Cutback Lane
When the play goes one direction, a cutback lane often opens on the backside — especially in zone blocking. Elite RBs have patience to let the defense over-pursue, then cut back.
💡 Barry Sanders made a career of cutback lanes. Christian McCaffrey uses them masterfully.
Speed to Space
Once a RB gets to open space, it's about top-end speed and elusiveness. Breaking tackles in the open field requires balance, body control, and acceleration.
💡 Top RBs combine power at the point of attack with speed in space.