Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
End Around Power is a trick run play out of the I Form Close formation with 21 personnel that is designed to attack pursuit-heavy defenses on the edge. Off the snap the line executes a power blocking scheme to the play side while the fullback and pulling linemen lead through the hole, but the actual ball carrier is the receiver in motion running the end around path behind the backfield before cutting up through the alley shown by the yellow arrow. This is a pure run play, not play-action or an RPO, and the primary read is the misdirection edge: bounce outside if the flow defenders bite on the initial power action, or cut up through the vacated interior lane if the edge defender stays home.
Defensive Reads
Key the backfield flow immediately at the snap, if your linebackers and defensive ends crash hard toward the power side you are vulnerable to the end around cutback. Assign a defender, ideally a disciplined defensive end or outside linebacker, to stay home on the edge and not get sucked in by the initial line movement. Watch for the receiver going in motion pre-snap, that man in motion is the actual ball carrier on this play, so track him instead of following the fullback and offensive line. User a linebacker or safety to spy the reverse lane rather than committing to run support on the power side, this shuts down the cutback lane shown by the yellow arrow. Against aggressive run blitzes and nano blitz packages this play can gash you badly, so mix in contain-based fronts or a spy call when you suspect a trick run is coming.
Usage Tips
Run this out of a run-heavy tendency so the defense's flow and linebackers key on the power action first, that is what sells the misdirection.
Use this on early downs like first and ten or second and short when defenses are more likely to sit in base run fits rather than spread coverage shells.
Pre-snap, check for defensive ends and outside linebackers crashing hard down the line on flow, that aggressive pursuit is exactly what this play exploits.
Pair End Around Power with Power O and HB Zone Toss earlier in a drive so the defense over-commits to inside power runs, then hit them with the misdirection.
If the defense shows an unblocked edge defender who stays disciplined, be ready to cut the ball carrier up inside quickly rather than forcing the outside bounce.
