AJ Blazek Offensive Line 3-Pack

with A.J. Blazek,
University of Wyoming Offensive Line Coach;
former North Dakota State University Offensive Line Coach;
helped NDSU rush for a school-record 4,601 yards in 2019 en route to a perfect 16-0 record;
led NDSU to the 4th-ranked FCS rushing offense (287.6 yards per game) in 2019; NDSU also led the FCS in tackles for loss allowed (3.56 per game);
former Rutgers University Assistant Coach/Offensive Line;
former Western Illinois Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator;
as a player, was a 2x All-Big Ten Lineman at the University of Iowa

Coach A.J. Blazek joined North Dakota State football, a powerhouse dynasty in the heartland of the country, in 2019 and proceeded to help the Bison to a perfect 16-0 record in his first season as offensive line coach. Coach Blazek has fully immersed himself in the championship culture at NDSU and is now ready to share how "the NDSU way" churns out championship seasons year after year.

This video is about building a championship run game. You'll see how to piece together a superior ground attack that you can create and recreate every year!

Building the Foundation

Blazek's first point is to build your foundation on your people. He helps define the qualities that would lead you to success when choosing gap or zone blocking for your O-line. His explanations are detailed enough to give you a direction, while avoiding taking things too far to disallow your own interpretation as a coach.

Adjustments and Drills

Coach Blazek's second focus, for once your base offense has been established, is the week-to-week adjustments you'll need to make to find success on the field. You'll discover the "where, why, how, and what" you'll need to fine-tune your offense to keep your opponent's defense on its heels. Blazek details how NDSU studies what their opponents will do so they can put their athletes and coaching staff in a position to succeed.

Finally, in his final focus within this video, Coach Blazek gives you off-season drills that NDSU uses for the development of their offensive linemen. These drills address the core components of elite linemen, including stance, posture and movement techniques.

Regardless of the style of blocking your offensive line uses, this video from Coach Blazek is a gold mine as it gives you a step-by-step breakdown of what a winning strategy looks like for one of the highest-achieving programs in college football.

64 minutes. 2020.

with A.J. Blazek,
University of Wyoming Offensive Line Coach;
former North Dakota State University Offensive Line Coach;
helped NDSU rush for a school-record 4,601 yards in 2019 en route to a perfect 16-0 record;
led NDSU to the 4th-ranked FCS rushing offense (287.6 yards per game) in 2019; NDSU also led the FCS in tackles for loss allowed (3.56 per game);
former Rutgers University Assistant Coach/Offensive Line;
former Western Illinois Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator;
as a player, was a 2x All-Big Ten Lineman at the University of Iowa

A-Gap Power is the base play for the seemingly unbeatable NDSU Bison. Coach A.J. Blazek, a "self-professed zone guy", has embraced the NDSU gap scheme culture and is now an enthusiastic gap convert ready to share his system. Highlighting the similarities and differences between the zone blocking scheme and the gap blocking scheme, Blazek provides a thorough breakdown of responsibilities and execution of the A-Gap Power play.

A-Gap Principles and Rules

Defining four A-gap principles, Blazek puts in place the template for every player in the NDSU offense. Reviewing game film, he shows you how to apply these principles to any defense, formation, or scheme your opponent might run against you.

Next, Blazek outlines three gap scheme rules for the offensive line and defines a simple template that can be applied to every situation. His philosophy is to "rep it, rep it, rep it" so that his offensive linemen are used to seeing the chaos of game day and can respond appropriately within his gap scheme rules.

Power Read

In the final 10 minutes of this video, Coach Blazek touches on the Power Read play and demonstrates how effective the one/two punch of A-Gap Power and Power Read can be. These plays have two different points of attack, yet the blocking is the same for the offensive line, making it a scheme your athletes can pick up quickly. Coach Blazek says, "If you do the same play all the time, as a staff you learn to know all the answers."

Upon watching this video from Coach Blazek, A-Gap Power will be your 'bread and butter' play that you run "anytime, anywhere, any field, any alley" as your team makes its way to a championship.

70 minutes. 2020.

with A.J. Blazek,
University of Wyoming Offensive Line Coach;
former North Dakota State University Offensive Line Coach;
helped NDSU rush for a school-record 4,601 yards in 2019 en route to a perfect 16-0 record;
led NDSU to the 4th-ranked FCS rushing offense (287.6 yards per game) in 2019; NDSU also led the FCS in tackles for loss allowed (3.56 per game);
former Rutgers University Assistant Coach/Offensive Line;
former Western Illinois Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator;
as a player, was a 2x All-Big Ten Lineman at the University of Iowa

Going 16-0 in 2019 and winning eight national titles in nine years doesn't happen unless you're doing something right as a program. Ask A.J. Blazek, the offensive line coach at North Dakota State University, and he'll tell you it starts on the line and running the football. A-Gap Power is the staple at NDSU, but to keep the ball moving against good defenses, the Bison also need some effective, complementary plays.

Going through almost an hour of film footage, Coach Blazek explains the unique principles, rules, and techniques of the C-Gap Power play and counter. The off-tackle power play is one of the most popular plays in football, and Blazek will teach it to you like it's brand new by introducing the effective coaching points that make it work at NDSU.

Hit Them Where They Ain't!

The plays in this video are designed to complement A-Gap Power. When opposing defenses commit to stop the A-gap run game, the perimeter will be wide open. Similar to inside and outside zone schemes, defenders are put in conflict when they try to find the point of attack. They must make a split-second decision on if the ball going inside or outside. Coach Blazek explains:

• How to use your plays to set up the defense to play base.
• How to get your offensive line to lead.
• How to tighten up techniques for continued success, play after play.

Circuit Drills

To have a dominant running game requires attention to detail in the technique department. That is why this video includes key circuit work to develop powerful gap blocking. Gap blocking requires the right mindset. To get your team in that right mindset, you will want to rep the base drills until the technique is perfect.

Coach Blazek walks you through circuit drills such as:

Every successful team has to have a dependable run game. In this video and his A-Gap Power video, Coach Blazek provides all the material you'll need to acquire a dominant run game. Hit defenses with a one-two punch that they won't be able to stop!

58 minutes. 2020.