Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Counter Y out of Pistol Doubles Flex Hip is a power run play with a counter blocking scheme designed to pull backside linemen and lead the HB through a designed gap. The diagram shows the offensive line and TE forming the point of attack with the HB aligned behind the QB, the backfield action creating misdirection before the ball carrier presses the hole. This is a run play with no route concepts shown, and the primary read is the HB reading the pulling linemen and TE to determine cutback lanes versus a hard-crash lane.
Defensive Reads
Watch the play side defensive end and outside linebacker pre-snap, since aggressive edge defenders who crash hard on run fakes get sealed by the pulling guard on Counter Y. Key the middle linebacker depth, if he is stacked tight to the line he will likely fill fast and needs to be accounted for by the lead blocker or picked up by the fullback or TE. This play beats base 4-3 and 3-4 fronts with linebackers who flow hard to the strength of the formation, since the counter action pulls them out of position before the ball redirects. Heavy blitz packages with extra defenders crashing the play side gap can blow up Counter Y before the pull develops, so avoid this call against known all-out blitz tendencies. Post-snap, track the backside pursuit of the defensive tackle and any user-controlled defender flying downhill, since a disciplined user linebacker can read the pull and squeeze the cutback lane.
Usage Tips
Call Counter Y on early downs when the defense shows a light box or a single high safety, since the counter action punishes overaggressive linebackers flowing hard to the initial fake. Check the defensive front pre-snap and avoid running Counter Y into a stacked 4-3 under front with extra defenders crashed toward the play side, since the pulling linemen will get outnumbered. Pair Counter Y with PA Boot Slide from the same set so the defense has to respect both the counter run action and the play-action pass off similar backfield movement, forcing linebackers to hesitate. Use Counter Y on second and short or first and ten to keep the defense honest, then sequence into HB Draw or Inside Zone Split later in the series to keep linebackers guessing between misdirection and downhill run fits. Motion or shift the TE pre-snap to confirm man versus zone coverage on the edge, which tells you whether the edge defender will crash down on the counter or hold his gap.
