Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
95 Mike out of the I Form Pro set is a power run play built to hit downhill through the Mike backer's alignment. The diagram shows the HB taking a direct handoff and pressing straight north into the point of attack behind double team blocks from the interior line, with the FB leading through the hole to seal off the first level defender. This is a gap scheme power run designed to get vertical push immediately, and the primary read is the frontside double team combo block clearing the alley for the HB to burst through downhill.
Defensive Reads
Watch the Mike linebacker depth pre-snap, if he is sitting shallow and square he is reading the double team block and will be tough to move. Identify if the defense is in a run blitz look with the Sam or Will linebacker crashing downhill, since that can beat the play before the double team locks on. Key the safety alignment, a single high safety cheating down into the box signals the defense is loaded to stop inside runs like this one. Post-snap, feel for a user controlled defender flowing hard to the play side gap, since that is the most common way this run gets stopped for a loss. Zone blitzes with delayed linebacker fills tend to shut this down because the double team block cannot climb to the second level fast enough.
Usage Tips
Run this against base 4-3 and 3-4 fronts where the Mike linebacker is stacked tight to the box, since the double team at the point of attack can bury him before he reads the play.
Use it on early downs in run heavy sequences to keep the defense honest and set up your play action shots later in the series.
Pre-snap, check the box count and if the defense shows six or more in the box, consider audibling to HB Toss or HB Stretch to bounce outside instead of forcing it into a stacked front.
Pair 95 Mike with PA Power O or PA Draw Shot in the same drive since both plays start with the same downhill mesh point look and force linebackers to freeze on run fits.
Avoid calling this into heavy blitz shows from the middle linebacker depth, since a quick blitz timing can beat the double team before it forms and blow up the mesh point.
