Playbooks
At a Glance
Overview
Far Pro is the offset backfield look inside the Far family, pairing 21 personnel with a strong side alignment that shifts both backs away from the tight end's traditional weak side balance. Unlike the Far sets that push a back wide as a pseudo slot, Pro keeps the fullback and halfback in the box while flexing the receivers into a standard split, which means the defense has to respect a genuine two back run game before it can widen out to cover the pass concepts. The tight end attached to the line gives you a seventh blocker on gap runs, and the offset back angle sells inside zone and dive action on every snap.
Strengths
- Y Fost and Y Post attack the seam between the safeties out of a run heavy shell, so single high looks get punished the moment the defense commits a safety to the box.
- Curls and Double Comeback give you two clean answers against soft zone and Cover 3 buzz, with the comeback route breaking back outside the corner's leverage on third and long.
- Inside Cross and Slants function as your man beaters, and hot routing the fullback on a flat or angle route out of the backfield creates a natural rub against man coverage linebackers.
- HB Dive, FB Dive Weak, and Omaha let you run the same personnel look with different aiming points, which stalls opponents who try to read your backfield alignment for run direction.
- HB Slip Screen off the dive action is one of the better blitz beaters in the formation since both backs are already threatening the interior and the linebackers flow downhill on the fake.
Weaknesses
- Only three eligible receivers release on most concepts, so field stretching against Cover 2 or quarters is limited and you will struggle to create true four verticals pressure.
- The tight backfield leaves you exposed to edge pressure and A gap nano blitz looks if you do not slide protection or manually block a back, since the fullback's default assignment often leaks him out too early.
- User controlled defenders in the middle of the field can sit on Inside Cross and Y Post because the reads are compressed and the crossers develop slowly out of 21 personnel.
- Heavy personnel telegraphs run tendency, so opponents will drop a safety into the box and squeeze your inside runs, especially on second and short.
- Double Comeback takes too long to develop against man press with a blitz, leaving the quarterback holding the ball with no quick outlet unless you hot route a back.
Usage Tips
Read the safety depth before the snap: if you see a single high shell with the free safety inside the numbers, go to Y Post or Y Fost and target the seam behind the linebacker level.
Against two high looks, stay on the ground with HB Dive and Omaha to force the defense to shrink the box, then hit Double Comeback once the corners start squatting.
Use HB Slip Screen after two or three straight interior runs, since the linebackers will be reading the back's first step and vacating the throwing lane.
Hot route the fullback to a flat or angle route on Curls and Slants to create a free release outlet that beats blitz and man coverage in the same call.
Motion an outside receiver inward pre snap to identify man versus zone, then check to Inside Cross if the defender travels or stay with Curls if the defense passes off the motion.
