Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Counter Lead out of the Full House Normal Wide set is a Power Run play built with 21 personnel, using two backs stacked behind the QB for a true counter action. The diagram shows the HB stepping opposite the run direction before receiving misdirection blocking as the FB and pulling lineman lead through the hole to kick out the edge defender. This is a downhill run play, not a man or zone beater in the passing sense, with the primary read progression being backside pursuit first, then the play side alley for the cutback lane once the FB seals the point of attack.
Defensive Reads
Key the play side linebacker depth pre-snap since fast flow defenders who crash immediately open up the backside cutback lane. Watch for a stacked box with safeties down in run support, which signals a run blitz designed to beat the counter action before the lead blocker gets there. Check the defensive end and outside linebacker leverage since squeezed edge defenders can blow up the kick out block. Man defense with linebackers reading run gaps aggressively can beat this if they diagnose the counter step quickly. Zone defenses that keep linebackers square and patient tend to funnel the ball back inside where pursuit defenders clean it up.
Usage Tips
Run this out of neutral downs like first and ten to keep the defense honest against your play-action shots in this set. Watch for linebackers cheating downhill pre-snap since the counter step is designed to freeze fast flow defenses and create a cutback lane. If the defense is stacking the box with 8 or more defenders, check out to Slants or Curls to punish man coverage on the perimeter. Pair this with Power O in the same set so defenses cannot key on a single gap or blocking scheme. Use manual control on your lead blocker to seal the edge defender and manufacture extra yardage on the cutback.
