The Minnesota Vikings are gearing up for training camp, and their offensive coaching staff is locked in on getting this new offense dialed in. It’s a massive push, especially with the talk of a new starting quarterback in the mix for the passing game. But honestly, the real buzz right now is about the run game. It’s getting a serious makeover thanks to the addition of assistant head coach Frank Smith, who’s diving deep into the ground attack and promising some exciting shifts.
The Wide Zone You Thought You Knew Just Got an Upgrade
Head coach Kevin O’Connell comes from the McVay branch of the Shanahan coaching tree, a lineage that has shaped a ton of modern NFL offenses. Now, Frank Smith joins him, fresh from working under Mike McDaniel in Miami, another brilliant mind from the Kyle Shanahan branch who specialized in the run game. What does this mean? Expect a lot of overlap, but also some fresh evolution. A core feature of this whole Shanahan family of offenses is the wide zone run scheme.
Okay, so picture this: all those big dudes on the offensive line, they’re taking this specific “bucket step,” right? Then BAM, they’re all blocking sideways, going in the same direction. That’s zone blocking for ya. And in wide zone, our running back, he’s aiming for the tight end’s rear end, or if there’s no tight end on that side, then the outside leg of the tackle. He’s not just running blind, though. He’s got his eyes on the defensive end, making his move after just 3 to 5 steps. If that DE crashes inside, our guy bounces it outside. If the DE pursues outside, he bends it back inside. And if there’s a big ole’ hole, you know he’s just gonna bang right through it. This wide zone isn’t new to the Vikings or O’Connell’s scheme, it’s been a staple for years. It’s not all that different from the “super power left” power sweeps we ran in pee-wee football back in the 70s.
Dolphins’ Secret Weapon Is Now a Viking: What It Looks Like
We saw a classic outside zone play from the Vikings last season against the Bengals on 1st and 10. The Bengals’ defense read it pretty well, aligning towards the play side to counter a double tight-end set. Their linebackers flowed straight to the run, and they even had a backside defensive back blitzing to try and get to Mason behind the line of scrimmage. The play ended up being successful because it was incredibly well blocked and Mason didn’t hesitate, but the play design itself didn’t exactly trick the defense into giving up a huge gain.
That’s where the “Frank Smith Factor” comes in. The man’s bringing concepts that spiced things up in Miami. Think about this variation the Dolphins ran last season under Smith, now the Vikings’ de facto run game coordinator: On a crucial 3rd and 3, they initially showed a five-wide look with an empty backfield and a shotgun formation, stro.
This is just the start of training camp, but man, how Frank Smith integrates these run game concepts could be huge for the Vikings’ entire offense, especially with a new QB getting comfortable. Keep your eyes peeled, because this ground game is about to get a whole new look.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Daily Norseman.
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