Playbooks
QB Sneak out of the Maryland I formation in the Heavy set is a designed QB run that pushes the quarterback straight behind center with a fullback and multiple blockers stacked in the backfield for a wedge push. This is a pure short-yardage run play, not a man beater or zone beater in the passing sense, built to convert power situations by relying on interior line surge rather than any route concept. The primary read is simply the QB following his center and guards into the pile, keying whichever gap opens fastest between the A gaps.
Watch for a stacked front with linebackers crashing downhill pre-snap, that alignment is designed to blow up the sneak before the line can get a push If the defense shows a nine or ten personnel goal line look with extra defensive linemen and no true linebacker depth, they are selling out to stop this exact play, consider switching to PA HB Wheel to catch them off guard User-controlled defenders diving low into the A gap right at the snap are the biggest threat, if you see a defender aiming for the center pre-snap that is a sign this play will get blown up Overloaded fronts with both guards and the center double-teamed usually shut this down completely, in that case kill the sneak at the line and check to Power O to attack the edge instead A soft, high leverage front with linebackers backed off the line by even a step signals an easy conversion, snap it quick before the defense can adjust their depth
Save this play strictly for third or fourth and one, or goal line snaps inside the one or two yard line where a small push is all you need
Check defensive personnel before the snap, if you see a base 4-3 or 3-4 with linebackers stacked tight to the line, expect a hard sell on the interior and be ready to bail into HB Blast or HB Lead Dive on the next snap if this gets stuffed
Do not hot route anything on this play, the whole point is immediate ball security and forward push, any motion or route adjustment just tips your hand
Pair this with Power O and PA Power O earlier in a short yardage series so the defense has to respect both the sneak and the edge gap, that hesitation is what creates the crease for your center to seal
Use QB sneak as a changeup after running HB Blast twice in a row, defenses that key on fullback dive action will bite down and open the middle for a free half yard push