Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Counter Lead out of the Full House Tight formation is a power run play built to attack the backside edge with a pulling lead blocker. The diagram shows the offensive line stepping down and blocking on the counter angle while a lead blocker and the fullback out of the backfield kick out the edge defender and lead through the hole for the ball carrier. This is a pure run play, not a pass concept, and the primary read is for the HB to press the initial counter action, then read the pulling blocker's kick out block before deciding to bend it back inside or bounce it outside based on how the defensive end and outside linebacker flow to the ball.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a stacked run front with extra linebackers crashing down, this eliminates the cutback lane and forces the ball carrier into a low gain. Key the play side defensive end, if he stays home and reads the counter action instead of getting sucked in by the initial flow, the kick out block will not connect and the play dies quickly. Look for a user-controlled linebacker flying downhill through the counter gap, aggressive users who shoot the backside A or B gap can blow this play up before the pullers get set. Man coverage shells with off-ball linebackers biting hard on backfield motion give this play its best window since the second level defenders lose gap integrity chasing the fake. Heavy blitz packages with an extra defender crashing the point of attack neutralize Counter Lead, if you see a pre-snap overload to the play side, consider audibling to HB Sweep or Power O instead.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs like first and second and short to medium yardage when the defense shows a base front and has not committed extra defenders into the box.
Check the defensive tackle alignment pre-snap, if the interior is stacked heavy toward the play side, be ready to bounce this outside since the counter blocking scheme loses its angle advantage.
Use the fullback lead block as your key, if he gets immediate penetration and kicks the end out cleanly, stick to the designed hole, if he gets blown up, cut it back behind the counter pullers.
Pair this with Power O and HB Sweep from the same Full House Tight set to keep linebackers guessing on flow direction since all three plays start with similar backfield action but attack different gaps.
Sprinkle in PA Ctr Waggle or PA Power O after establishing Counter Lead a few times to force the defense to respect the run fake, which opens up easy completions off the same backfield footwork.
